About the role
We have outlined below the job description and the person specification.
Job description
Job title
Personal Assistant for Thomas Watts
Outline of role
To provide support and assistance to:
- Develop Thomas’ social communication skills
- Support Thomas to fully maximise his social integration into the community
- Increase Thomas’ social development and independence skills
- Enable Thomas’ parents to have respite from their caring role
Responsible to
Michael and Joanne Watts
The role and your responsibilities
Personal care
- To encourage Thomas to progress his independence skills and to make healthy choices within his eating regime
- To support Thomas with maintaining his personal safety as a result of his limited understanding of dangers and risks
- To support Thomas with his personal care needs whilst encouraging him to progress his independence skills
Learning and development
- To support Thomas to extend his play skills through the use of a range of different play based activities, such as art, gross motor games, fine motor activities and imaginative play
- To support Thomas to further develop his communication skills through activities and agreed therapy, such as conversations, imaginative play and speech programmes
- To support Thomas with increasing his attention and listening skills through the use of turn-taking games, story time and other specific activities
- To support Thomas with further developing his cognition and learning through activities, such writing, maths games, drawing, cooking and learning about the world
- To support Thomas with managing his emotions and feelings through the use of his strategies (zones of regulation) whilst ensuring his safety when he is unable to appropriately manage these resulting in behaviour that challenges being displayed (inline with the guidance for supporting Thomas’ behaviour – see below).
Guidance for supporting Thomas’ behaviour
Thomas can present with significant challenging behaviour which poses a risk to himself and others.
If the agreed behavioural strategies have not worked and he needs to be kept safe, particularly when out in the community, you can hold and safely restrain Thomas.
When at home, you are unlikely to need to hold or restrain Thomas. Instead, he will need to be kept safe by:
- locking and chaining the front door
- locking the windows
- making sure that the back gate is locked
You must not lock Thomas in a room or use furniture to restrain him.
General tasks
- To cook and prepare meals and/or drinks for Thomas
- To support Thomas with keeping his environment safe, clean and secure
- To support Thomas to tidy up after activities to develop his personal responsibility skills
- To keep the kitchen clean and tidy after you have used it
Social activities and community
When Thomas is accessing the community, and is having a ‘difficult period’, he will often be supported on a 2:1 basis.
- To support Thomas with developing his social skills through the facilitation of appropriate play and appropriate behaviour when accessing the community
- To assist Thomas to participate in various social activities – this may include going to social clubs, the cinema, swimming, sporting activities and trips to the park
- To support Thomas to increase his experiences of social events so that he can develop the interaction and social communication skills, and enhance his emotional wellbeing
Lone working
Please note that on occasions you may be requested to care for both Thomas in the home alone when his siblings are present. This will only take place:
- following successful completion of the probation period and
- when you are happy to do so and
- when you are confident that you can care for the boys and
- when you are confident that you can fully meet all the needs
This job description is not exhaustive and you may be asked to undertake tasks similar those set out above.
Person specification
Experience
| Proven experience of working with children – in particular children with additional needs | Essential | Evidence – previous employment |
| Proven experience of working with a child with challenging behaviour | Essential | Evidence – discussion at interview |
| Proven experience of working with a child with autism/social communication difficulties | Essential | Evidence – discussion at interview |
| Experience or knowledge of working with a child with a profile that includes Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) or demand avoidance behaviour | Desirable | Evidence – discussion at interview |
Skills, abilities and knowledge
| Good communication and interpersonal skills | Essential | Evidence – discussion at interview |
| First Aid Qualification | Desirable | Evidence – certificate |
| Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) qualifications | Desirable | Evidence – certificate |
| Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) qualifications | Desirable | Evidence – certificate |
Personal qualities
| Commitment to work with and enhance the lives of children, in particular children with additional needs | Essential | Evidence – discussion at interview |
| Reliability | Essential | Evidence – discussion at interview and references |
| Patience and calmness | Essential | Evidence – discussion at interview and references |
| Positive and engaging approach | Essential | Evidence – discussion at interview and references |
| Trustworthiness and integrity | Essential | Evidence – discussion at interview and references |
| Sense of humour and warm approach | Essential | Evidence – discussion at interview and references |
Updated: May 2024
