About the job Salary: £25,183 - £25,992 a year pro rata in addition you will be paid 1/3rd enhancement for night work and subject to qualifying you will be paid time & half for weekend working Hours per week: 18.5 Contract type: Permanent Luton Council is seeking a dedicated Short Breaks Worker - Nights to join our team in providing high-quality, cost-effective short break care for children and young people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and challenging behaviours. Under the direction of the Team Leaders and with on-call management support, you will be responsible for ensuring the care, safeguarding, and well-being of young people during the night shift. Key Responsibilities: Organise, plan, and take responsibility for the care and safeguarding of young people during the night. Ensure the security and cleanliness of the Short Breaks Service premises. Provide practical care and support, including manual handling, health interventions, and medication administration (after training). Effectively manage challenging behaviours while maintaining composure and emotional control. Lead shifts when required, including planning and prioritising workload to ensure efficient service delivery. Undertake record-keeping, including writing reports and reviews. Construct, monitor, and review care plans, ensuring the highest standards of care are maintained. Please note this role does not attract sponsorship. About you We are looking for someone who is committed to improving the lives of vulnerable children and young people. You should have a calm and professional approach, with the ability to deal with challenging behaviours and undertake practical and domestic tasks. Experience in care settings, particularly with children or young people with disabilities, would be an advantage. Essential Skills: Ability to manage challenging behaviours and maintain emotional composure. Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to lead and prioritise work effectively. Excellent written and verbal communication skills for record-keeping and report writing. Willingness to undertake training in manual handling, health interventions, and medication administration. A caring, patient, and proactive attitude toward the needs of the children and young people in your care. Why Join Us? By joining Luton Council, you'll become part of a dynamic and supportive team dedicated to making a difference. We offer ongoing training, development opportunities, and the chance to work in a role that truly impacts the lives of children and young people. Apply Now If you have the passion and skills to succeed in this rewarding role, please submit your CV and a supporting statement outlining your suitability for the position. Luton Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment. This is a public facing role so you'll need to show off your fluency in speaking and writing English About us Our ambitious Luton 2040 Vision - that no-one in Luton will have to live in poverty - is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise that our people are remarkable, talented, committed and passionate about serving our residents. The people of Luton depend heavily on this council - and that means our workforce Are you ready to realise the remarkable and help us deliver our vision? Application Process Because of the nature of this job, it will be necessary for the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure to be undertaken. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare all unspent cautions and convictions; and also any adult cautions (simple or conditional), and spent convictions that are not protected as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020). A person's criminal record will not in itself prevent a person from being appointed to this post. Applicants will not be refused posts because of offences which are not relevant to, and do not place them at or make them a risk in, the role for which they are applying. However in the event of the employment being taken up, any failure to disclose such offence, as detailed above, will result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority. Benefits We offer a range of excellent staff benefits which include: - From 25 to 32 days' annual leave: linked to length of service and grade - Buying annual leave scheme: buy up to 20 days additional annual leave - Career Pathways: step up in your career or move into a specialist area - Pension scheme: with generous employer contributions of up to 20.2 per cent (at July 2023) and 3x salary death in service grant - Generous relocation package: up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility) - Employee Assistance Programme: a free, 24/7 confidential counselling and wellbeing support service available to all employees, their partner or spouse and dependent children over 16 still living at home - Work/life balance: flexible working options including working from home where possible. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements including part-time hours and alternative working patterns - Training and support: unlimited access to development courses, mentoring and support and clear career pathways - Staff offers: includes discounts on your MOT, gym and fitness, restaurants and salons - Arriva Travel Club: great value savings on local bus travel