Therapeutic Support Worker

**About Us**

SPLENDID is a specific disability organisation that delivers both residential and community disability related supporting services including in-home support, community participation etc. SPLENDID models draw extensively from psychological theory (attachment, behaviourism, social learning theories). The focus of SPLENDID is to work with external ally supports implementing life and behavioural support strategies in order for clients to develop core skills required for them to promote their quality of life. SPLENDID values active engagement with clients, consistency, teamwork and professionalism.

**Role Purpose**

Therapeutic Support Officers provide therapeutic and daily care to people with a disability who have come to a Therapeutic Residential Service due to behaviours of concern. Therapeutic Support Officers under the guidance of allied health and other professionals support residents to develop therapeutic and life skills. So that once exited, they can make adaptive and constructive contribution to the community.

Therapeutic Support Officer provide residents with leadership, advice, support and guidance. Therapeutic Support Officers also serve as a positive role model, demonstrating how to act and interact with others both at the unit and in the community.

Being a Therapeutic Support Officer provides a great sense of purpose. That is you are there to help residents to address underlying issues resulting them entering Therapeutic Residential Service. You are responsible for the day-to-day support and monitoring of the development of resident’s living and behavioural coping skills of in the unit as well as in the community. The work includes facilitate and supporting them to participate in community activities; grocery shopping, attending programs, recreational activities, medical appointments while consistently implementing therapeutic strategies and documenting residents’ progression (e.g., shift-note, incident report). At times, the role also involves you to effectively responding to incidents, collating and providing information, being part of a care team and preparing a variety of resident related reports.

From an organisational progression perspective, when relevant experience and qualification are met this role could effectively prepare you to undertake either managerial position (i.e., unit manager) or clinical position (e.g., Behaviour Support Practitioner or Provisional Psychologist) with in the service or its affiliation. For more details, please contact recruiting officer.

**Key Accountabilities**

**Operating at entry level, you will**:
1. Engage resident and able to develop and maintain professional therapeutic relationship with them.

2. Directly support residents wellbeing, including support with transport, daily household activities, preparation and assistance with meals, personal care, and social, recreational and community experiences that enhance quality of life, based on resident’s plan goals.

3. Manage and assist as part of a team incidents related to behaviours of concerns and implementing behaviour support strategies according to legislative requirements

4. Understand resident’s needs, preferences and interests and respond to resident and their families and others in their lives.

5. Under general direction, implement a range of resident support plans, including behaviour support plans.

7. Provide information to colleagues on routine matters relating to resident needs and general house matters.

8. Keep accurate and complete records of your work activities in accordance with legislative requirements and the service records, information security and privacy policies and requirements.

9. Take reasonable care for your own health and safety and for that of others in the workplace by working in accordance with legislative requirements and internal occupational health and safety (OHS) policies and procedures.

**Operating at higher level, you will perform all the above together with increasing involvement to**:
1. Contribute to the day-to-day running of the therapeutic residential unit and help maintain residential operation.

2. Utilise well-developed communication skills to identify resident’s needs, liaise with other service providers, stakeholders and significant others.

3. Administer medication treatments and therapies according to prescribed protocols or otherwise, seek appropriate medical assistance

5. Develop planned activities in line with service policies and guidelines.

6. Advocate on behalf of residents for increased access to, and inclusion in, community and recreational services.

7. Work towards establishing links with community resources, facilitating inclusions of residents into the community.

8. Contribute to developing programs for resident and to longer-term community housing plans in consultation with more senior staff.

9. Share observations relating to work process improvements with unit manager or more senior staff.

10. Liaise w