Job Description

Job Title:

Keyworker Band 5

Service:

East Sussex Children Services. Office Base: 19 High St, Battle, TN33 0AE

Hybrid role / Mileage paid from base.

Salary:

14.53 per hour

Contracted Hours:

Up to 37 per week - Fixed term until March 2027

Aspens works across the Southeast of England; supporting individuals with autism spectrum conditions, learning disabilities and physical disabilities across residential care homes, supported living homes, day services and our fantastic outreach programmes.

Each of our services is unique and supports individuals with different support needs. Because of this, Aspens Charities are able to offer a variety of amazing roles and challenges to suit what you may be looking for.

This role is part of our Keyworker Service.

Keyworker Service East Sussex - a service providing a named one to one worker for children, young people and adults up to 25 years old with a learning disability and or who are autistic, where there is a significant risk of hospital admission/s due to lack of alternative preventative support. A Keyworker provides person centred and appropriately skilled support with the aim of engaging the child or young person into appropriate pathways and services to reduce the risk of poor outcomes such as hospital admissions and increase the potential for positive and strength-based opportunities. The Keyworker service has key functions such as advocacy, support and 'unblocking' when care and support pathways are unclear.

What you can expect from us:

Paid DBS

(we will recover the cost should your employment terminate for any reason, other than redundancy, before passing your probation)*

Flexible work arrangements

with opportunities to take on additional bank shifts too

30 Days Annual Leave

(including Bank Holidays) / Pro rata dependent on hours. Annual leave entitlement increases with length of service

Nest Pension

and Death in Service Benefit

Dedicated Employee Assistance Programme

and Access to Mental Health First Aiders

Aspens High Street Stores -

20% discount on all items for Aspens' staff stores

Bluebell cafe-

Discounted staff menu available Recognition schemes, including '

Employee of the Month

'

Essential Availability:

Must be flexible to work across the week and throughout East Sussex, including outside standard 9 AM - 5 PM hours, to meet service delivery requirements (up to 37 hours per week). A valid driving license and access to a personal vehicle with business insurance are required.

Essential Training and Qualifications:

A professional qualification at degree level (or equivalent) in a relevant field,

or

substantial experience working with children and young people with learning disabilities, autism, or both. This experience may be gained through lived experience, education, youth work, health, or social services.

Essential Skills and Attributes:

Empathy & Understanding

- Ability to adopt a child-centred approach, considering the needs and perspectives of the child, young person, their family, and carers.

Compassion

- Attentive listening and responsive support, demonstrating understanding and care for the child, young person, and their family.

Respect

- Values and upholds the opinions and beliefs of children, young people, and their families, ensuring they are represented and supported within a child-centred, personalised care framework.

Positive & Solution-Focused

- Approaches challenges with optimism and a commitment to finding solutions that lead to the best possible outcomes. Confident in handling difficult conversations with young people, families, and professionals.

Commitment

- Dedicated to protecting and upholding the rights of young people with learning disabilities, autism, or both, ensuring their voices and preferences, as well as those of their families, are heard and acted upon. Demonstrates persistence in securing appropriate support and outcomes.

Collaboration

- Strong team player with a commitment to multi-agency, collaborative working, while also demonstrating confidence and initiative to work independently when needed.

Relationship-Building

- Skilled in developing and maintaining positive relationships with children, young people, families, carers, and professionals.

Organisational & IT Skills

- Strong record-keeping abilities and proficiency in using various IT platforms, including Microsoft Office and online databases.

Reliability & Punctuality

- Recognises the importance of structure and routine for young people with autism and maintains consistency in professional commitments.

Essential Experience and Knowledge:

Demonstrated knowledge of the education, health, and care system, ensuring accountability in service delivery. Familiarity with the challenges faced by children and young people with learning disabilities, autism, or both, particularly those with complex needs. Experience with strategies and resources that support children and young people with learning disabilities, autism, or both, and complex communication difficulties. Understanding of the crucial role adults play in supporting children and young people with learning disabilities, autism, or both, and complex needs. Awareness of equal opportunity principles, including the ability to effectively communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds and those with disabilities. Knowledge and experience related to children's mental health and human rights. Understanding of safeguarding procedures. Strong grasp of personalised and person-centred care principles, along with an awareness of associated challenges. Experience working with children, young people, and families affected by autism, learning disabilities, or both, particularly those with complex communication and behavioural needs. Proven ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary professionals and coordinate across agencies. Understanding of the Care, Education, and Treatment Review (CETR) process, the Dynamic Support Register, and related challenges.
Any offer would be subject to Disclosure and Barring checks, which we will complete on your behalf if you don't already have one, and satisfactory employment references. We will consider job share and part time arrangements for all posts in line with the needs of the charity.

Aspens Charities are an equal opportunities employer.

Aspens is committed to the safeguarding and promotion of welfare of all children, young people and adults. All successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS disclosure, and satisfactory references. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order (1975, 2013,2020). Our safeguarding policies can be found on our website.

Equal Opportunity Statement

At Aspens Charities, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, including those with disabilities and those who are likely to be underrepresented in Aspens' workforce, such as sex/gender, minority ethnic group, religion, belief, sexual orientation, age, as well as abilities. We believe that a diverse team leads to better outcomes and a more enjoyable work environment where everyone feels valued, heard, and has an equal opportunity to thrive.

As a Disability Confident employer, Aspens Charities is dedicated to supporting and promoting the recruitment, retention, and career development of people with disabilities. We recognise the value and contributions that individuals with disabilities bring to our organisation.

Accessibility and Accommodations

We are committed to providing an accessible recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any accommodations during the application or interview process, please let us know by contacting recruitment@aspens.org.uk.

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract

Pay: 14.53 per hour

Benefits:

Company pension Employee discount Free parking On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:

Battle: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Licence/Certification:

Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: On the road