Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Special Needs Holiday Playscheme Leader |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children’s Services |
Service |
Regulated |
Business unit |
Placements Day Care Services, Short breaks, Direct Payments, Family Time and SEND funding |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Service Manager |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Service Manager |
Salary grade |
H |
JE ref |
SS79 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To Manage a team of specialist staff to provide the organisation of Holiday Playscheme through out the year. Providing a range of planned activity that will be stimulating and enjoyable for children and young people aged 5 years to 17 years who have additional needs.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- Enabling all children and young people who attend the schemes to enjoy and achieve their full potential, while keeping them safe in accordance with their individual needs.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
- Responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children at all times.
- Responsible for the practical application of Torbay Councils Equality and Diversity Policy in all aspects of the work.
- To be responsible for the pre-planning meetings and ensuring a detailed program of activities is in place prior to and evaluation meetings post each scheme.
- To create with staff a stimulating and interesting program of activities and trip-s in a happy and informal environment for staff, volunteers, children and young people to enjoy.
- To manage the awareness raising of all aspects of health and safety both on and off site through training and practical support to ensure tall practice guidelines are followed at all times. Carry out risk assessment for all aspects of the project and help to implement any actions to eliminate hazards as they may occur while recording all actions taken.
- To be responsible for the Management of Medication during each scheme. This will be receiving from Parents/Carers/Transport Escort. Medication storage and allocation to Group Leaders where appropriate. All recording mush be accurate and timely.
- To lease with Parent/Carers, colleagues and external agencies by contributing to School Review, Children/Young People profiles and or Social Care reviews when deemed appropriate.
- To be responsible for liaising with staff and volunteers and allocation of work sessions offered to all staff each scheme.
- To ensure that regular formal supervision takes place with all sessional staff is built into the sessions. Appraisals are carried out with staff on a yearly basis.
- To attend scheme development meetings evaluations sessions and personal supervision with line manager.
- Carry out your training audit of need with all staff and volunteers. From the analysis of training need prepare an inset training program for the following year
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
- No budget responsibility, however there is a responsibility to contribute to the financial meetings regarding the budget for this project.
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
- To provide induction and supervision of sessional staff and volunteers.
- To plan and implement work schedule for staff and volunteers on a weekly basis during the holiday Playscheme dates. This is to ensure that all staff and volunteers have a clear understanding of their tasks and responsibilities.
- To arrange a daily rota of duties for staff and volunteers at each session.
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- Staff availability (Sessional Staff). Allocation of children’s places (instructed in child’s Care Plan) for each Playscheme are largely dependent on the availability of staff, this is to adhere to the ratio’s required (Ofsted Stand) Decisions are based on the needs of the young person and the families using up to date information of the young person’s circumstances prior to each scheme.
- Venue used is for the Special Needs Holiday Scheme are venues where there is always some internal or external work being undertaken. This often inhibits the smooth running of the scheme. The work is usually construction work form outside contracts using equipment and materials that could be dangerous. To ensure everyone’s safety during these times at the venue, risk assessments are carried out with the contractors and a close liaison is held with them through-out the duration of the work. Staff are made aware of any changes to procedure due to this work. This may mean using a different entrance or changing the fire drill while the contractors are working on site.
- Responsibility for the implementation of Torbay’s Health and Safety Policies. This includes the site H & S and Playscheme guidelines.
- Ensure that all team members received adequate instruction and t4raining for them to carry out their duties competently and safely.
- Ensuring that all risk assessments are undertaken to eliminate or control risk at the setting and of site. This is to ensure safe working practices are developed and implemented to minimise risks as far as is reasonably practical.
7. Physical demands of the post
- Normal physical effort for 90% of the work.
- 10% of the work will require physical effort to move equipment or help to move a child or young person to a safe place.
8. Specific resources used by the post
- Responsible for the 16 seater minibus, this includes ensuring mileage, fuel and driver information is recorded and kept up to date.
9. Key contacts and relationships
- External:
- Parents and carers Health professionals, Therapists, All Schools and external contractors.
- Internal:
- Colleagues within the Team, Colleagues in the Children with disabilities team, Care Managers Occupational Therapist, Learning Disabilities Nurses and Key Workers.
10. Other duties
- To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.
Other Information
- All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
- Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
- The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Childrens Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council
- This post is based at the location of the Playscheme, but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
- As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
- The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
- The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
- The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
- The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
- If this post is a customer facing role and meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
- If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
- If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
Person Specification
Note for Candidate
All Candidates
The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement.
In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.
Candidates who consider that they have a disability
Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.
If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.
Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.
If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.
Job info |
Job info details |
Job Title |
Special Needs Holiday Playscheme Leader |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children’s Services |
Service |
Regulated |
Business unit |
Placements Day Care Services, Short breaks, Direct Payments, Family Time and SEND funding |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- Direct experience with planning and preparation of activities.
- Direct experience of working with children and young person with learning, physical disabilities.
- Direct experience of managing a team of staff and volunteers.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
- Creative imaginative skills alongside resourcefulness.
- Knowledge of the needs of children and young people with additional needs.
- Experienced of managing a team of staff in a small project.
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Providing appropriate physical and or personal care for children and young people.
- Understanding of Health and Safety Issues.
- Ability to work with a range of professional staff within a team.
- Ability to manage own time effectively.
- Ability to recruit, train and support staff and volunteers.
- Knowledge of Safeguarding procedures for children and young people.
Desirable knowledge
- Knowledge of a verity of communication methods i.e. Makaton, PECS.
- Understanding of disability.
- Understanding of time management.
- Understanding of Safeguarding children.
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Previous extensive experience of working with children and young people with learning and or physical disabilities and their family and carers.
- Basic level in leadership.
Desirable experience and achievements
- Small project work with children and young people.
- Group Leadership knowledge.
- Ability to manage own time within the responsibilities of the role.
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- Educated to GCSE O Level standard or equivalent.
- Recognised qualification in Youth work, Teaching or Play work or equivalent.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
- First Aid qualification.
- Life Saving qualification.
- Child Protection qualification.
Other requirements
Other requirements of the job role
- Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
- Ability to accommodate unsociable hours.
- Ability to accommodate shift patterns.
- Ability to accommodate on-call working.
- Ability to accommodate occasional/permanent home-working.