Short Breaks Services Coordinator

SAFS is an award-winning organisation, working with children and adults with disabilities within their home environments, communities and centre based.

We work across Sandwell and Birmingham to ensure we achieve our vision of

‘a world where children, young people and adults with disabilities can reach their full potential with love and care, free from any kind of discrimination and deprivation’. SAFS is a well-established care provider that has been running for 30 years with a ‘GOOD’ CQC rating.

Position: Short Breaks Services Coordinator

Reports to: CEO

Location: Smethwick

Hours: Working hours will be 25 hours per week – Fixed term 18 months - ends 31st March 2025

Salary: £25,000 (pro rata)

Hours: Working hours will be between 9am – 5pm – 25 hours per week (and you will also be on the on-call rota for the ‘out of hours’ service during evenings and weekends)

Contract: Fixed term (18 months) and Part-time (25 hours).

You must have a Level 3 Health and Social Care Diploma and at least 1 years’ experience in a managerial role in a club or activity setting working with vulnerable children and adults.

In this role you will be managing and monitoring all aspects of the Short Breaks Service which is inclusive of weekend clubs, holidays clubs and Personal Assistant (PA) service.

Duties and responsibilities

· Processing referrals and carrying out assessments for new short breaks packages in accordance with Sandwell Children’s Trust ‘short breaks for families of children with disabilities’ service specification

· Creating and implementing activity programmes with the play work leads ensuring that activities are designed and personalised around the wishes and needs of the individuals in the group so that the experience is enjoyable for all participants.

· Ensuring a suitable match between a child/young person and the care worker/play worker.

· Attending service user reviews for those receiving short breaks liaising with families and other professionals.

· To review, update and manage care plans on the Access Care Planning system to ensure quality of service and achievement of individual outcomes.

· Carrying out risk assessments for each child/young person and for each activity (inhouse and external) as appropriate and necessary –- to include provision of toileting /personal care facilities and to evidence staffing requirements e.g. 2;1 staffing.

· Manage safeguarding by implementing internal procedures and controls to safeguard vulnerable children and young people and take remedial action as necessary.

· Managing staff by undertaking probation reviews, supervisions, annual appraisals and giving access to regular support as well as monitoring and managing performance.

· Facilitating meetings as appropriate with staff and the services team.

· Initiating absence management procedures, informing HR of any staff absences.

· Ensuring care policies and procedures are recognised, understood, updated, and maintained across the company as well as ensuring that staff act in accordance with those policies and procedures as well as statutory requirements.

· Liaising with the administrator to ensure rosters cover short breaks shifts.

· To add, update and oversee child/young person’s details on Access Care Planning system i.e. People Planner.

· To ensure adequate staff cover is available for all clubs and PA as well as authorising annual leave for staff and ensuring cover for those shifts.

· To ensure adequate staff cover is available where an allocated PA is unable to work a shift, the coordinator will need to ensure they match the individual to the next best matched care worker/PA.

· To cover out of hours on call support on a rota basis.

· Keeping up to date and report on any compliance changes

· Managing complaints and taking remedial action as necessary.

· Representing the company as required at stakeholder meetings.

· Liaising with other functional/departmental managers to maximise communication.

· Organising in house mandatory training for staff

· Assisting in the inductions for new employees

· Participating in the recruitment and selection process as and when required

· Providing written reports to SAFS board

· Carrying out any other duties reasonably required of the post.

· Producing an annual report including summative data for the year and a commentary on the service as well as a 6-month operation report due at end of Quarters 2 and 4 to Sandwell Children’s trust