PA Assistant / Respite Carer for 11 yr old boy

This role is to support a child. Drivers licence required: Yes. Own vehicle needed: Yes. Employment status: Employed or Self-employed. 15 - 30 hours per week. Days and overnights in the week and weekends.

Hourly pay rate: Starting rate of £15 per hour. We are looking for a special person, couple or family to become part of a small, trusted support network for an 11-year-old boy with significant physical and learning disabilities who lives in Salisbury. This is a part-time, year-round role, with the potential for full-time hours during school holidays for the right person.

Our priority is finding someone who can build a genuine, long-term relationship with him and provide flexible support, including evenings, weekends, overnight and extended respite. Ideally, we’re hoping to find someone or a family who could eventually accommodate him in their own home for overnight and longer stays once a trusting relationship has been established.

About him: He is a happy, affectionate and sociable 11-year-old with a great personality. He loves Peppa Pig, his tablet, getting out and about and spending time with people he knows and trusts. He has significant additional needs and limited mobility. He uses a wheelchair when out and has his own wheelchair-accessible mobility vehicle. He is PEG fed and requires personal care and day-to-day support. Previous PEG experience is helpful but not essential, as full training can be provided.

The role: Support could include:

• Regular part-time hours throughout the year
• Full-time hours during school holidays
• Weekday evenings and weekends
• Days out and activities
• Overnight and extended respite
• Driving his wheelchair-accessible mobility vehicle
• Potentially having him stay for several nights, giving his family the opportunity to have a proper break or holiday

The ability to eventually provide overnight and longer periods of respite is particularly important.

Who we are looking for: We’re looking for someone who is kind, patient, reliable, confident and fun, and who will genuinely enjoy spending time with him. Experience supporting children or adults with disabilities would be beneficial, but the right personality is just as important. This could suit a SEN Teaching Assistant, support worker, PA, carer, healthcare professional or someone with similar experience. We’d also love to hear from a couple or family with suitable experience and home circumstances who may be interested in occasional overnight or extended respite.

A full driving licence is important, as we’d ideally like you to be comfortable driving his mobility vehicle.

Pay & Training: We offer a highly competitive rate of pay for the right person, particularly for weekend, overnight and extended respite support. Full training can be provided, including PEG feeding and his individual care requirements. Everything would develop gradually, starting with getting to know him and his routine. Overnight and longer stays would only begin once everyone was completely comfortable.

Ultimately, we’re hoping to find someone who becomes a trusted and consistent person in his life – giving him fun, enjoyable experiences and greater independence, while providing his family with meaningful and dependable respite.

Duties include:

• Personal grooming
• Eating and drinking assistance
• Moving and handling
• Other relevant duties as required
• Shopping
• Transportation
• Companionship
• Dressing / undressing
• Bathroom assistance

Candidate qualities:

• Respectful of the employer's privacy and confidentiality
• Reliable with good timekeeping
• Able to both follow instructions and work on own initiative
• Hygienic, tidy and well organised
• Fit and healthy to undertake the required duties
• Patient and possess excellent interpersonal skills
• Honest and cheerful
• Able to speak and read English to a reasonable standard
• Friendly, caring and patient, with a positive and fun personality.

We are looking for someone reliable and trustworthy who will genuinely enjoy spending time with him and build a strong, consistent relationship with him. The right person should be confident, calm and comfortable supporting a child with additional needs, while also encouraging him to get out, enjoy activities and have new experiences. Flexibility is particularly important, as we are looking for someone who may be able to provide evenings, weekends, overnight respite and longer stays. We would especially welcome someone, or potentially a family, who could eventually accommodate him for overnight respite. A good sense of humour and a willingness to watch plenty of Peppa Pig would definitely be a bonus!

Additional requirements: Non-smoker due to medical reasons, Non-smoker preferred or someone willing to refrain from smoking during working hours.

Notes: All applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be willing to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check if required. If the role is offered on a self-employed basis, you will be responsible for the cost of your own DBS check. If you are successful in your application for this position, you will be either engaged directly or employed by the individual employer and not by Independent Lives. The role may be offered on an employed or self-employed basis, depending on the suitability and agreement with the employer. If the role is employed, you will be entitled to holiday pay and issued an employment contract. Please note: If you do not hear back within three weeks of applying, unfortunately your application has not been successful on this occasion.

Essential requirements:

• Respectful of the employer's privacy and confidentiality
• Reliable with good timekeeping
• Able to both follow instructions and work on own initiative
• Hygienic, tidy and well organised
• Fit and healthy to undertake the required duties
• Patient and possess excellent interpersonal skills
• Honest and cheerful
• Able to speak and read English to a reasonable standard
• Friendly, caring and patient, with a positive and fun personality.

We are looking for someone reliable and trustworthy who will genuinely enjoy spending time with him and build a strong, consistent relationship with him. The right person should be confident, calm and comfortable supporting a child with additional needs, while also encouraging him to get out, enjoy activities and have new experiences. Flexibility is particularly important, as we are looking for someone who may be able to provide evenings, weekends, overnight respite and longer stays. We would especially welcome someone, or potential family, who could eventually accommodate him for overnight respite. A good sense of humour and a willingness to watch plenty of Peppa Pig would definitely be a bonus!