Support for Learning Practitioner - Part Time

Salary: From £14,384.00 to £15,513.00

Salary is pro rata of 35 hours per week (term time working)

Hours per week: 30.00

Job Status: Permanent

Closing Date:

Job Type: Part Time

Responsible To: Education Manager

Location: Erskine Waterfront Campus
8 Kilpatrick AvenueErskinePA8 7BF 

More info

Information

Salary is pro rata of 35 hours per week, term time working only (ie £13,672 pro rata for 30 hours per week is £11,719 pa).

 

As part of our Residential Care & Education Service, Erskine Waterfront Campus in Erskine provides children and young people who have faced challenges and barriers to their learning with a safe, supportive and high quality alternative to mainstream education.

 

Our relational approach, following attachment informed principles, provides a nurturing and caring learning environment that enables pupils to reach their potential.

We have a strong focus on experiential learning with the aim of ‘giving children back their childhood’, strengthening resilience and supporting active participation in their communities.

The abilities of our pupils range from Early Level to the Senior Phase.  As many of the children who attend Erskine have experienced difficulties in school in the past, you will provide support for learning and teaching activities in the classroom, during breaks and lunchtime.  You will also assist with the preparation, organisation and use of resources.

To apply you will either have or be able to attain a minimum qualification at SCQF Level 7 in an aspect of accreditation which adds capacity to our Curriculum and the eight curricular areas within it.  You must also have a full driving licence.

You can also look forward to a benefits package that includes an employer contributory pension.

Main Function

  1. All those employed within the CrossReach Children & Family Services will, with a commitment to our Christian values, work as part of a holistic team to deliver a service that ensures that the needs of the children, young people and their families that we support, are fully met. You will be expected to work to the highest professional standards of those working within the Children’s workforce and adhere to professional codes of practice of SSSC, GTCS and other relevant professional bodies; ensuring that the aims and objectives of CrossReach and those specific to Children & Family Services and the section within which you are based are met

All adults within our services, regardless of specific job remit & role, have a responsibility to promote a Therapeutic Environment and contribute to the Relational Health of children and young people in our services and have an understanding of how their role contributes. The following values and attributes are applicable to all those employed within Children & Family services and not solely to those whose primary role is to support the direct care and education of children and young people.

In undertaking your role you will be expected to demonstrate, from an asset/strengths based approach the following core principles

  1. Inclusion: Understanding that our role is to ‘include’ those who, for whatever reason, have been ‘excluded’ from the mainstream of our society through
    1. Including Children, young people and families in decisions that affect their lives
    2. Listening to Children and Young People and to giving them opportunities to be accepted, understood and to give them a life free of stigma across all communities in Scotland.
    3. Using positive experiences and strengths to overcome the difficulties and barriers faced by Children and Young People
    4. Taking an active role to ensure that everyone is included within their immediate and wider community  
  1. Relational Health: understanding the impact of our relationships and interactions with those around us, including 
    1. The impact that past experiences have on how individuals understand themselves and the world around them
    2. Understanding that our role is to provide positive experiences which can start to heal past harm and build trust through positive and genuine relationships with children, young people and their families
    3. Being mindful in all our interactions of language used – both words and tone; body language of stance & facial expression and how this may be perceived by others, based on their past experiences
    4. Being aware that your own past experiences has had an impact on who you are
  1. Advocating: Understanding that our role is to ensure that all needs are met
    1. Explaining all decisions that affect individuals as well as the implications of these decisions in a way that they are able to understand.
    2. Being aware of who else and what other agencies can support individuals to have their needs met.
    3. Supporting children, young people and their families to be able to communicate and express their emotions, feelings and needs in a constructive approach.

The above core attributes takes cognisance of:

  • CrossReach Values
  • CrossReach Children & Families Services Values & Ethos statement
  • Getting It Right For Every Child
  • Curriculum for Excellence
  • Common core of skills, knowledge and understanding and values for the ‘Children’s Workforce’ in Scotland

Main Duties

  1. Ensure that children and young people’s primary care needs are fully met
    • Safety
    • Health
    • Active 
    • Nurtured
    • Achieving
    • Respected
    • Responsible
    • Included
  2. A working knowledge of current initiatives in education e.g. The Curriculum for Excellence.
  3. The importance of relationships and relational health: Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy [P.A.C.E.]  
  4. Commitment to our core training program and professional development
    • Ethos and Values
    • Child Development and Attachment
    • Child Protection
    • Assessment
    • Therapeutic Crisis Interventions
  5. Overcoming barriers in communication and understanding.
  6. Support for children to get their childhood back and family life where at all possible
  7. Applying school policy and protocols that contribute to the health, well being, safety and security of children and young people and their environment.

Main Tasks

  1. Supporting the delivery of Educational initiatives and programmes across the curriculum. The 4 contexts for Learning are:
    • Life and Ethos of the school as a community
    • Curriculum areas and subjects
    • Interdisciplinary Learning
    • Opportunities for Personal Achievement
  2. Providing emotional support and role modelling, leading to enhanced learning and greater determination to succeed.
  3. Encouraging the development of effective and supportive mentoring relationships which support children & young people to have ownership of their learning.
  4. Supporting children and young people when they are emotionally, psychologically and socially isolated and distressed.
  5. Playing an active role in the school quality assurance and self evaluation process

Specific Tasks

Support learning and teaching activities in the classroom.

Support pupils during learning activities, breaks and lunchtime.

Promote positive behaviours and positive relationships.

Assist with the preparation, organisation and use of resources.

Ensure the care, welfare and health and safety of pupils.

Administer and provide medical and/or personal care for pupils as appropriate.

Qualifications

Essential

To have or be able to attain a minimum qualification at SCQF Level 7 in an aspect of accreditation which adds capacity to our Curriculum and the 8 Curricular Areas within it.

Desirable

Knowledge and understanding of Attachment Theory informed Practice.

Personal

As we do our work in Christ’s name you must be respectful of our Christian Ethos and be able to work within it.

This post requires you to be a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme and undertake the necessary vetting checks.

This post requires you to be active in professional learning and personal development, appropriate to that of a forward thinking school community.

Skills and Abilities

Essential:

  • Postholder must possess basic computer literacy skills including use of Microsoft Office and the internet.
  • Reflective and person centred with the ability to restore and strengthen relationships through relationships.
  • Robust and resilient with energy and initiative. 
  • Good communication skills.
  • Commitment to children and young people for the best possible outcomes.
  • Full driving licence.
  • Experience of group work.

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