Job Description

Job Category: Care & Support:Job Title: Care Assistant
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: xc2xa327,008 per annum
Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week, full time
Working Pattern: Monday to Sunday
Location: Roseberry Mansions, CamdenIf you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter. At Riverside we recruit to potential not just on skills and experience, so we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the essential criteria on the job description.The difference you will make as a Care AssistantYou will provide assistance to residents in need of physical personal care and carry out individual tasks with residents in line with their support plans, to maintain or improve their quality of life and to be able to recognise signs of distress in residents. You will work with the team to identify and assess positive ways to reduce distress and give residents control over their lives wherever possible.Some of your responsibilities will include:

• To provide assistance and/or guidance where needed with personal care, e.g. taking medicines, shaving, and intensive personal or intimate care in circumstances where this is required.
• To carry out tasks including shopping, cleaning, ironing, cooking, collecting benefits and/or prescriptions, and escorting to attend appointments whilst promoting individual independence
• To monitor the physical and emotional health of customers and take necessary action
• To participate in and monitor care plans

About youWe are looking for someone with:

• Experience of working in a customer focused, residential environment, offering personal care to a diverse group of people
• An awareness of housing and Health and Safety legislation and regulation National Care Standards Awareness
• Flexibility to work hours to meet customer and business needs, which may include working outside of normal office hours and lone working

Why Riverside?One Housing Group is now part of Riverside. At Riverside, we're a housing association with a difference - enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we've been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives.We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.Working with us, you'll enjoy:

• Competitive pay & generous pension
• 21 days holidays plus bank holiday
• Flexible working options available
• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
• A wide range of benefits

Working in Care can be demanding, but our colleagues are always kind and compassionate no matter what challenges they encounter. Working as a Care Assistant is not only varied and interesting, it's incredibly rewarding.As part of our team you will be doing work you can be proud of, ensuring the safety and happiness of our customers in their home.Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside:We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues.Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to be considered.Role requires you to:Support customers:

• We use Psychologically Informed approaches and Trauma Informed Care principles to support our customers to make positive choices, develop new ways of thinking and take steps towards independence, by:
• Assisting in the planning and delivery of a range of personalised support and move-on plans.
• Understanding the risk management process and assisting the team to organise and undertake regular reviews of support and risk.
• Inspiring and motivating customers to meet agreed outcomes and develop life skills.
• Assisting customers with day-to-day support and tenancy-related matters.
• Assisting the team to identify and promote opportunities for employment, education and training and support customers to access them.
• Signposting customers to appropriate external support services, such as food banks and other community resources.
• Supporting customers to be 'tenancy ready', enabling successful move on.
• Supporting customers to be financially independent through budgeting plans and maximising income.
• Supporting and monitoring customers' healthcare needs, ensuring appropriate contact with healthcare professionals
• Empowering customers to move towards self-management of their medication by following Riverside's medication procedure.
• Maintaining and updating clear, accurate and strengths-based records on the appropriate digital platform.
• Assisting in the promotion of customer involvement and consultation.
• Assisting with the delivery of a range of group work sessions.

Deliver a support service:

• Support the delivery of the referral process for new customers.
• Contribute to the delivery of a housing management service, including income collection and providing customers with tenancy-related support.
• Work with customers to maintain a safe environment, including reporting any repairs or health and safety concerns
• Clean and prepare customer rooms as appropriate.
• Resolve difficult and challenging situations in a sensitive and informed way, balancing the needs of the individual with the safety of the service
• Ensure customer safety by following local safeguarding procedures, recognizing and acting on any risks and escalating appropriately.
• Contribute to and maintain local partnerships to ensure availability of a holistic range of support for customers.
• Carry out day-to-day administration and operational duties.
• Maintaining and updating financial administration systems including rent accounts, invoices, petty cash and banking.
• Assist in collating and submitting information returns on funding, health & safety and performance.
• Act as point of contact on the phone, reception and deal with a range of enquiries.

Other Information

• You will be required to work flexible hours to meet customer and business needs, which may not include normal office hours.
• Use the Lone Worker system as and when necessary
• Ensure customers are safe at all times - carrying out all of your duties within Riverside's Policy and Procedure Policy and Procedure framework e.g. health & safety, safeguarding, dignity at work, GDPR opportunities, cash handling, etc.
• Deliver your role in line with Riverside company values - xe2x80x9cOur Riverside Wayxe2x80x9d.
• Participate in team meetings, attend regular supervisions and reflecting practice sessions.
• Undertake regular training and take responsibility for continuous development to enable you to deliver your role safely.
• From time to time you may be required to undertake additional duties and responsibilities in consultation with your Line Manager.

Person specificationKnowledge, Skills and ExperienceEssential

• An understanding of the barriers faced by vulnerable and diverse customer groups and individuals with complex needs.
• Experience of working in a team and communicating positively with other people.
• Experience of being able to organise tasks and plan accordingly whilst dealing with people.
• Be a team player with a caring, empathetic, flexible and have a resilient, can-do attitude.
• Able to use initiative and have confidence to make decisions.
• Basic administrative and IT skills maintain records.

Desirable

• Experience of working with vulnerable and diverse customer groups or individuals with complex needs.
• Personal lived experience of either homelessness, rough sleeping, mental health issues or substance misuse.

About Us:Riverside is one of the UK's leading not-for-profit social housing and regeneration organisations, owning or managing around 75,000 homes from Irvine to Kent. We are a leading provider of supported housing services, particularly for those affected by homelessness, and our track record of transforming lives and revitalising neighbourhoods dates back over 90 years. We have plans to build over 15,000 affordable homes over the next decade.

Riverside