Job Title: Management Information System Officer

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Transition Support Worker (14 – 25s)

Salary: £23,708 - 26,276 depending on qualifications/experience

Hours of Work: 37 hours per weekwith flexible working.
General working hours: Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.
Evening work required:Wednesday evenings 6pm-9:30pm.

Other evening and weekend work will be necessaryoccasionally, subject to agreement with the post holder.
A flexible working diary is required, and the post holder will be responsible for managing their work load and diary accordingly.

Contract Period:One Year contract, with continuationexpected, subject to funding.

Based at: Thomley Hall Centre, Menmarsh Road, Worminghall, HP18 9JZ.
With substantial travel across Oxfordshire, and flexible working from home as agreed by the Project Manager.

Division:Autism Family Support (AFS)

Reporting to: AFSProject Manager. Some line management will be provided by the Youth Group Coordinator of The Mish youth group.

Working closely with: All Children in Touch staff and volunteers.
External statutory, voluntary, and private agencies.
Children in Touch Board of Trustees.

MAIN PURPOSE(S) OF THE JOB

To deliver information, advice and support to parents/carers of young people on the autism spectrum aged 14-25 years.
To deliver information, advice and support to young people on the autism spectrum aged 14-25 years, as appropriate.
To deliver information and advice to professionals working with young people aged 14-25 years on the autism spectrum
To provide parents, and where appropriate young people aged 14-25 years on the autism spectrum, with autism-specific and general advice, including behavioural strategies, education, diagnosis, employment, and housing.
To gain a sound knowledge of, and work closely with the statutory, voluntary, and private sector in order to refer or signpost families and/or young people.
To assess young people’ssuitability and referral to Children in Touch youth groups, workshops, befriending scheme, holiday activities, and other projects.
To attend The Mish youth group on Wednesday evenings and support the Youth Group Coordinator to run youth group sessions and activities. To provide information, support and advice to members.
To liaise effectively with other partners and practitioners to identify the need for bespoke services for 14-25 year olds on the autism spectrum.
To assist the Project Manager in project delivery, identifying gaps in service, developpartnerships, and planning and development of new services.
To assist the Project Manager in delivering training to parents, 14-25 yr olds, and professionals and as required.
To be responsible for record keeping, reports and correspondence relevant to the post including data collection and monitoring records

Advisory support and supervision will be available from the Project Manager.

MAIN DUTIES:

To work with parents/carers, and young people on the autism spectrum aged 14-25 years:

To provide information, advice and support to parents/carers through face-to-face meetings, home visits, telephone, written correspondence and parent groups.
Identify young person’s/families needs and signpost to relevant providers.
To enable the families to identify the needs of their young person with ASD and to make referrals to the appropriate services.
Support parents and young people to access services
To act as an advocate for families, if required, in their relationship with agencies.
Enable parents to develop necessary skills for peer support.
To enable the views of parents/carers to be heard and represented within the county.
Provide confidential and impartial information and advice.
Assess, refer, and support young people to access Autism Family Support services,and external services.
To attend The Mish youth group on Wednesday evenings and provide information, support and advice to members.
Liaise with externalagencies, to identify sources of support, funding, or information for young people and families.
To identify patterns of needs, and service gaps within Oxfordshire by collecting information from parents/carers and young people.

To work with theFamily Support Worker, Youth Group Coordinators, Befriending Scheme Volunteers Coordinator, and office staff to:

Liaise with the Family Support Worker, as necessary, to ensure cohesive service delivery.
Monitor membership and availability of places at AFS youth groups.
Process referrals for young people to access and be settled in our youth groups and Befriending Scheme.
Assist the Befriending Scheme Volunteers Coordinator with the volunteer matching process.
Assist with office systems, and use them to keep records of work undertaken.
Assist with administration and other duties as agreed with the Project Manager.

To work with the Project Manager to:

Identify key areas of improvement within Autism Family Support.
Identify needs, gaps in services, and develop new services.
Identify and deliver training programmes both internally, and for parents, young people, and other organisations.
Identify and develop partnerships with external organisations
Produce monitoring and evaluation data, reports and summaries.
Monitor budgets and produce financial reports.

To work with statutory, voluntary, and other professional services to:

Build links in order to signpost families/young people and to ensure that they receive appropriate support.
Identify possible partnership working.
Identify what individual providers are able to offer in terms of support for young people with ASD.
Identify providers’ needs to develop a cohesive strategy for supporting parents and young people. (e.g. training)
Liaise with the Autism Family Support Project Manager to develop the confidence and skills of providers.
Provide consultation and advice to professionals to allow them to better support young people with ASD, and their parents; and develop their own services

To develop and maintain appropriate and confidential information systems, and provide monitoring and evaluation data.

To work closely with staff and colleagues in partner organisations to improve outcomes for all young people aged 14-25.

Attend meetings, training, seminars and conferences as appropriate to assist in the development of these roles across the county.

To work in accordance with allChildren in Touch policies and procedures, in particular impartiality, confidentiality, information management. safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

To contribute to the work of the team and participate in relevant team meetings.

To undertake other duties as requested by the line manager.

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive. The post-holder will be expected to adopt a flexible attitude to the duties which may have to be varied subject to the needs of the service and in keeping with the general profile of the post.

SUMMARY OF TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Annual Leave entitlement: 5 weeks leave per annum.
The post is subject to a satisfactory police check and a 3 month probationary period
Notice Period: the appointment is terminable by one months notice by either side
Unsocial Hours
- Wednesday evenings 6pm-9:30pm are a requirement of this post,
- Monday evenings (5:45-7:30pm) either once a month or bi monthly (to be discussed with
the Project Manager)
- Possibleweekends: to cover staff and events, as agreed between post holder and
Project Manager
Hours worked and time off in lieu to be agreed by Manager.
Expenses will be re-imbursed including a mileage allowance of 40 per mile.
Pressures inherent to job: Dealing with emotional and behavioural difficulties associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Managing expectations from families and young people. Working in complex and emotional situations.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Job Title: Transition Support Worker

Qualifications, Training and Knowledge:
Essential

A relevant qualification and/or proven experience in the field of education, social work/social care, and/or community work.
A relevant qualification and/or experience in working with people on the autism spectrum.
Knowledge of autism-specific legislation and guidelines.

Desirable

NVQ level 3 in Information, Advice & Guidance
An understanding of Childrens Social Care and/or Adult Social Care
An understanding of the Disability Discrimination Act.

Experience:

Essential

Experience of working with parents of young people with ASD.
Experience of providing autism-specific advice.
Experience of working with young people/adults on the autism spectrum.
Experience of working with social care, education, and voluntary sector

Desirable

Experience of handling information and accurate record keeping
Experience of adult services, in particular employment, further education, and housing. .

Job related aptitude and skills:
Essential

Ability to communicate effectively, sensitively, and impartially with parents/carers, professionals, and young people.
Ability to be tactful, supportive and non-judgemental.
Flexible, responsive style of working
Ability to maintain professional boundaries and apply the rules of confidentiality.
Highly organised with the ability to manage own diary, deadlines, and competing priorities effectively.
Able to maintain clear and up-to-date records.
Able to work successfully as part of a team and independently, acting on own initiative with minimal supervision; as well as maintaining communication and seeking advice from line manager.
Competent IT skills, particularly Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint
Ability to work within Safeguarding Children, Vulnerable Adults, and Confidentiality guidelines.

Special Requirements:

Essential

Satisfactory enhanced Criminal Records Bureau disclosure.
Own transport and ability to travel independently within the county, and within UK
Ability to work some evenings, and weekends