Shared lives officer

Shared Lives Officer

Permanent, Full Time

£30,931 to £35,362 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Community-based worker

The Shared Lives service is a key component of Essex County Councils strategy to provide good quality accommodation option for adults with support needs. The Shared Lives service provides the opportunity for people with care and support needs to move in with, or regularly visit, an approved Shared Lives Host.

Your role as Shared Lives Officer is critical for the functioning of the Shared Lives services, working flexibly to cover the operational needs of the service. You will be the first point of contact for hosts, from the on-boarding process that you will manage to monitoring ongoing performance to ensure hosts operate at a high-quality level. You will ensure that the people we support are treated with respect and dignity and are included in the decision where appropriate.

You will support in the culture change of key stakeholders in considering Shared Lives as a positive and appropriate form of support and working collaboratively across different areas of Essex County Council and with external stakeholders to grow and develop the Shared Lives Service.

Accountabilities

* Responsible for co-ordinating the Shared Lives on-boarding process, including the setup of host payments.
* Manage a case load of Shared Lives hosts in a supportive way to ensure that the support they provide is of high quality and is delivered according to the policies and vision of the ECC Shared Lives Service, CQC regulations and the ethos of Building the Right Support.
* Ensuring that adults who live with or are supported by Shared Lives hosts are included in identifying their goals to enable them to achieve meaningful outcomes whilst being proactive in identifying and monitoring risks, reviewing support plans and experience a happy home life.
* Working in partnership with hosts and adults on any issues or concerns that arise in the Shared Lives service, which may include pay queries. You will be the first point of contact for hosts and ensuring that any issues are dealt with quickly.
* Ensure that the Shared Lives service is delivered with a person-centred approach, which is focused on supporting adults to achieve their outcomes, live in a safe environment and to live a life which is meaningful to them.
* Responsible for matching adults to hosts to ensure compatibility for presentation to panel and ensure that safe and appropriate placements are established, maintained, and developed for people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, autism, mental ill health, dementia and other age related and long-term conditions.
* Responsible for ensuring adherence to quality and policy frameworks in daily practice. Working with the Registered Manager and appropriate stakeholders to monitor quality assurance, compliance and to raise safeguarding concerns including regulatory notices and requirements. Monitoring Shared Lives host performance to ensure that they operate at a high-quality level.
* Motivate, support, and lead the Shared Lives hosts to improve practise to ensure the adult is always being supported to fully meet their changing needs, wishes and aspirations.
* Required to manage a cohort of hosts countywide which will include undertaking regular support and monitoring visits.
* Managing and attending events on behalf of Shared Lives to promote the service.
* Have good knowledge and understanding of CQC's KLOE's
* Required to undertake trusted assessor reviews of the adults within the service.

The Experience You Will Bring

* Educated to Diploma level 3 or equivalent level by experience. A willingness to complete the Diploma level 4 within 24 months of starting the role.
* Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.
* Experience or willingness to complete Train the Trainer programme & delivering training on behalf of the service.
* Experience and knowledge of delivery of support within a care setting.
* Excellent communication skills and behaviours with the ability to motivate a diverse range of hosts to achieve the Shared Lives service objectives.
* Excellent communication skills and expertise
* Considerable experience of person-centred practice
* Excellent understanding of outcomes, progression, enablement and community-based support
* Knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations and protocols, and how they are implemented in service delivery.
* Knowledge and experience of safeguarding and consideration of how safeguarding is kept at the forefront of practise of the Shared Lives service.

To read more about us please visit: Adult Social Care

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England's oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest - Basildon and Harlow - are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

What you should do next

If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email ami.fosker@essex.gov.uk

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