Salary:  £12.70 per hour.

Zero Hour contracts (Casual)

Successful candidates will need to be available to work as follows: Evenings, Saturdays and school holidays

As a service we are open to discuss hours and days.

The Disabled Children’s Short Breaks and Outreach Service is a children’s centre for disabled children. We provide Short Break sessions for children after school, during weekends and during school holidays.  Our befriending groups are made up of small groups of children and young people that meet to access activities in the community. As a befriender you will be working with children aged 8-18 with a broad spectrum of needs.                                  

Successful applicants will be required to:

• To undertake direct work with disabled children of all ages
• Support disabled children and young people to access community-based activities and sessions within our centres.
• To oversee medication administration
• To undertake training considered relevant to the role
• To support and advise service users and to advocate on their behalf if necessary.
• To report to the Team Manager of any changes in child behaviour, any noted injuries, accidental/non accidental.
• To help support and promote independence and life skills with young people
• Support children to develop their social interaction skills, friendships, life skills & independence skills.
• Assist the befriending group leader with planning, organising and facilitating safe, enjoying, fun activities for the children in the group.
• Work as part of a small team to provide a reliable and efficient befriending service to disabled children in Thurrock.

The successful applicant will be required to hold a relevant Level 3 childcare qualification or equivalent or have at least 2 years’ experience of working with disabled children in a professional setting.

For an informal discussion about these posts, please contact Lauren Riddick, Centre Manager or Jackie Harper, Deputy Manager on 01375 652200.

A Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced level will be required for this post.

Closing Date: 5th May 2024
Interview Date: TBC

To view the Job Profile and Person Specification please follow the link below:

Jobprofile-Befriender.pdf

Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome.

We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do.If you want to be part of an ambitious, exciting yet challenging council, where you can really make a difference join #TeamThurrock now!

Why Thurrock?

Working at Thurrock Council gives you the opportunity to join an organisation that is changing at pace, one where you can make a real difference to the lives of the people we serve.

Thurrock Council is moving towards a new community leadership approach which involves linking with local partners and communities as we shape our improvement for the years ahead.

This is an exciting time to join us, to shape the future success of our changing organisation and to have a positive influence on our borough. 

Our location

Thurrock is located on the north bank of the river Thames. Our urban centres are a vibrant mix of established towns and new young communities, with a diverse and growing population of around 160,000 residents.

We are an emerging cultural and arts centre, home to the production centre for the Royal Opera House and the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills. We have excellent retail and leisure opportunities, including Lakeside Shopping Centre, country parks, forests, and marshes.

Thurrock is just half an hour journey away from the centre of London by train and well connected by road.

Staff benefits

We offer lots of staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement and hybrid working. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome.

Further information can be found here Employment benefits | Working for the council | Thurrock Council 

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification.

We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do.

For further information about Thurrock Council please visit our website: Thurrock Council