2nd Job - Care worker for adult SEN

socks_uk

I'm in my 50s and I work in a primary school (admin) so have lots of unpaid school holidays.
I am thinking of becoming bank staff for a local care company for adults with learning difficulties and, if accepted, working 2 or 3 of a school holiday week (they are usually 12 shifts) and possibly a Saturday or Sunday during term time per week...  depending how I get along with the job as I have only worked in a school (23 years, prior to that I was always in shop work) and never done adult care before and won't be giving up my school job.
Any advice for me or any hints or tips to bear in mind?  TIA

socks_uk

socks_uk said:

 if accepted, working 2 or 3 of a school holiday week (they are usually 12 shifts)

Sorry...  12 hour shifts

wilfred30

As you have no experience in that field, it might be better to find out if you would be accepted or not before considering any other issues that may arise.

elsien

I used to manage a place in this field, presuming you mean learning disability not learning difficulty - not the same thing. 

Lack of qualifications not an issue, we used to work on the basis that the right attitude is more important and we could teach the rest. And if you’re willing to work weekends that’s a definite bonus.

You will already know about safeguarding. You need to remember that people are adults, despite the LD, so promoting independence and not treating people like children is vital. It’s about taking assessed risks to help people to learn, not about wrapping up in cotton wool. Have a read about the Mental Capacity Act which will  inform everything you  do.

Within that there is a huge variety to consider. Care home, supported living, supporting families at home? Supported living is sometimes more isolated when you get started.
What level of disability, both physical and mental? Some people may be profoundly disabled and need feeding, hoisting etc; others may be very independent and need minimal support. There isn’t a right or wrong answer, it’s about what suits you. 

It is likely there will be personal care -again, some people may just need a bit of help with washing and dressing, others may need full continence care. Some people may be wheelchair users and need to use hoists. 

What about challenging behaviour in its different forms? Communication differences? Autism? 

There may well be other tasks such as cleaning etc; don’t expect to get breaks every 6 hours - care tends more towards compensatory rest. And it can be physically hard work.

It can be a great job but it’s important to ask the questions to check you understand what you are getting into. As in any field, some  companies are better than others. Ask about payment for mandatory training, and shadowing during induction and what training they will offer. A good company will make sure you know what you’re doing; a desperate one may chuck you into a lone working shift with someone who needs a lot of support on your first shift. 

But to reiterate, lack of direct experience won’t automatically stop you getting the job. 

socks_uk

Thank you so much for your reply elsien.  I honestly don't know if the job would suit me but I'll never know unless I apply for bank staff.  I just feel I want to help with the care worker crisis.

Sncjw

Make sure you wouldn't burn out though with work school week and then sat and poteionally Sunday during term time. They may say ethier sat or Sunday but with bank staff they might need you more and might need someone who can work during the week also check if it's worth it due to paying tax on second job. 

General_Grant

Sncjw said:

Make sure you wouldn't burn out though with work school week and then sat and poteionally Sunday during term time. They may say ethier sat or Sunday but with bank staff they might need you more and might need someone who can work during the week also check if it's worth it due to paying tax on second job. 

Probably better, NI-wise, than working extra time in main job (though that's not on offer of course).
And one is not going to pay any more tax than if that extra income were from first job.

elsien

socks_uk said:

Thank you so much for your reply elsien.  I honestly don't know if the job would suit me but I'll never know unless I apply for bank staff.  I just feel I want to help with the care worker crisis.

I’d have hated working with people with a profound disability. I interviewed someone who turned our job down because “they’re not disabled enough.” Which I found concerning, but as I say, weirdness aside each to their own. All I’m saying that just because one setting doesn’t suit, it doesn’t mean others won’t.
I used to go out swimming and walking with the more active people while my older/less active colleagues were happy to pother around doing the more sedentary stuff. 
Staff age ranged from twenties to knocking retirement. Everyone has their own skills to offer, that’s what makes the team.