Date as Postmarked

Dear Applicant 

Re: Job Ref AS IMC EL

Please find enclosed job description and application form for the post with the above job reference.

Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living is only passing this information on to you on behalf of an individual employer. If you are short-listed you will be contacted by our client. 

If you do not hear from them within four weeks from the closing date, you can presume that you have been unsuccessful. Unfortunately we are unable to write to those who have not been short-listed for interview. 

Thank you for applying for the job and Good Luck with your application!

Yours faithfully

Admin Support
Independent Living Team

Job Description for Personal Assistant ref: AS IMC EL
The aim of the job is to provide assistance to a young person with complex communication needs with guidance from me, her mother.  
I am looking for a Personal Assistant to support my daughter to stay safe, to play, and to access the community.  My daughter can have challenging behaviour which is made more complex by her hearing impairment.  
When she is upset, unwell, unsure or anxious she can self-harm or hit out at others. Personal Assistants should be experienced and comfortable managing challenging behaviours with support and guidance from me and other Personal Assistants.
My daughter loves going for drives, sunshine, feeling the wind on her face, and sensory toys.  She is energetic and tactile.  
My daughter requires someone who can work with her consistently to establish a good rapport with her – someone with long term availability would be ideal.  You will be working as part of my daughter’s wider support network which includes her family and some professionals and so it’s important that you have good communication skills, that you can follow guidelines, and can work as part of a team.  
A Personal Assistant will take guidance from me as a parent.  I am deaf and use British Sign Language therefore it is important that we have a trusting working relationship and that you are patient with good communication skills.  If you do not use BSL you will have to be confident in communicating with me via gesture, in writing or by other means.
The job involves assisting me with a variety of tasks. Like most people, my day varies so it is difficult to list every task that is expected of a Personal Assistant. 
After a period of familiarisation and induction, you will be required to assist my daughter with the following tasks, sometimes with another PA, sometimes with me and sometimes on your own.  
It is essential that the post holder is a member of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme or is willing to join.

The job requires providing assistance with the following:
Personal Tasks

•	Assistance with getting up in the morning or going to bed at night
•	Assistance with bathing
•	Assistance with dressing and undressing
•	Assistance with brushing hair and teeth
•	Assistance with eating and drinking
•	Monitor for signs when my daughter is becoming unwell
•	Provide assistance with medication

Domestic Tasks

•	On occasion you may be required to prepare evening meal, snacks, etc
•	Washing dishes and general tidying of kitchen after preparing meals
•	Assistance with shopping

Independent Living Skills
•	Travelling safely
•	Communication – ideally some use of BSL Level 1-2 
Social Tasks

•	Taking my daughter to the park, beach, the Yard, soft play, horse riding, etc
•	Help to interact with other people of the same age
•	Support my daughter when she is upset following Behaviour Support Plan
•	Assistance when going out for a walk
•	Interacting and playing with my daughter at home 

Other Tasks

•	Driving. Licence holder required.
•	Any other reasonable task
Personal Qualities

•	Reliability and trustworthiness
•	Kind, friendly and caring
•	Sensitive and approachable
•	Flexible
•	Punctual
•	Sense of humour
•	Enjoy Challenge

Skills and Experience

•	Experience of working with children with complex needs
•	Ideally, some knowledge of British Sign Language Level 1-2
•	Ideally, some knowledge or experience of epilepsy (training will be provided)

The Post

I am, ideally, looking for 2 PAs to work, between them, 24 hours per four weeks. This would include regular Saturday working and some afternoons and evenings midweek. Flexibility would be required
 
Some of the support will be 1-2-1 and other times it will be 2-2-1, therefore the hours may vary. 

Additional hours, including some mornings, will be available during the school holidays. 

There is a possibility that overnight support is required if my daughter or I are not particularly well.  This would be on an ad-hoc basis.

Please indicate clearly in your application how many hours, approximately, you’d be available to work along with other commitments in your life. I would also be happy to hear from PAs who would be flexible enough to be available on an ad-hoc, occasional, basis.

The rate of pay is £14.40 per hour.

Application Form for Job Reference AS IMC EL

Please complete the following application form as accurately and in as much detail as possible.  Shortlisting for interview will be based on the information you supply on the application form read in conjunction with the job description.
Please do not send in the job description or covering letter when returning the application form.  If you require more room please use a separate piece of paper with the job reference and your name on it.  If completing electronically press tab whilst the final cell in a table is selected to insert a new row.
Personal Details
First Name		
Surname		
Telephone Number		
Mobile Number		
Email Address		
Postal Address, first line.		
Postal Address, second line		
Postal Address, third line		
Postal Address, Town.		
Post Code		

Declaration
I agree that the information I have supplied in this application form is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.  I understand that any deliberate falsification on my part will be viewed as gross misconduct and may lead to my dismissal without notice.
Signature of applicant: ____________________ Date: ________
(Please leave the signature and date blank if you are sending in the form electronically.  If you are invited to interview, you will be asked to sign a printed out copy then.)

History of Education and Training
Name of Educational Establishment	From	To	Qualifications Gained	

				

				

				

				

				

				

				

Work History (including voluntary work)
Name of Employer	Position held	From	To	Main Duties and reason for leaving 	

				

	

				

	

				

	

	

Additional Information 

After reading the Job Description carefully, consider what skills and experience you have that are suited to this post.  They need not have been gained in paid employment and may include special interests relevant to the post.  	

	

Work Availability
Please indicate in the table below what times you would be available for work within the period of the day, i.e. if you are available from 7am to 11am Tuesday morning, then put 7-11am in the box.  If you are available for any time write yes and please write no if you are not available.
	Morning	Afternoon	Evening	Overnight	
Sunday					
Monday					
Tuesday					
Wednesday					
Thursday					
Friday					
Saturday					
Supporting information
You do not need to fill out the following questions if they are not applicable to the post.  e.g. if the job description does not ask for PVG membership, then you may put N/A in the space provided.
Are you a member of the PVG Scheme? 		
PVG Membership Number		
Do you have a full driving licence that is valid in the UK?		
Do you have the use of a vehicle?		
If applicable, would you be prepared to use the vehicle for work?		
When could you start work?		
Where did you see this post advertised?		

References
Please write the names and contact details for two independent people who would be willing to provide a reference for you.  One of them should be your most recent employer.  Note that a telephone number is not sufficient.
	Reference 1	Reference 2	
Name			
Position			
Relationship to you			
Title of referee 			
Company			
Postal Address, line 1			
Postal address, line 2			
Postal address, town			
Post code			
Email address			
Telephone number			
			
Please return the completed application form as soon as possible. 
Application forms may be returned by email to: pajobs@lothiancil.org.uk or can be posted to:  PA Recruitment, Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living, Norton Park Centre, 57 Albion Road. Edinburgh, EH7 5QY
Please ensure that you have paid adequate postage to send any application forms by mail as LCIL does not accept postage otherwise.