Appointment of Classroom Assistant Autism Specific Outreach Support. Guide for Applicants

Transcription

1 Appointment of Classroom Assistant Autism Specific Outreach Support Guide for Applicants

2 INTRODUCTION Applications are invited for the appointment of the position of Classroom Assistant - Autism specific outreach support for Middletown Centre for Autism. Contents of the Pack Prior to completing the application form applicants should familiarise themselves with the contents of the information pack. The pack includes:- Section 1 Background Section 2 Additional Information Section 3 Job Description Section 4 Person Specification Section 5 Terms & Conditions of Appointment Section 6 Guidance on the Selection Process Section 7 Key Points to Note on Completing the Application Form and Monitoring Form Enclosures An Application Form An Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form Nomenclature Middletown Centre for Autism staff recognise that there are a number of terms preferred by different individuals and groups, including autism spectrum disorder, autistic spectrum condition, autistic spectrum difference and neuro-diversity. In this document autism is used to cover all of these terms. 2

3 1. BACKGROUND Middletown Centre for Autism, located in County Armagh, is funded by the Department of Education, Northern Ireland and the Department of Education and Skills, Republic of Ireland. The purpose of the Centre is to support the promotion of excellence in the development and coordination of education services to children and young people with autism. The Centre was established in March 2007 as a company limited by guarantee. The Board of Directors comprises of 5 Department of Education and Skills nominees and 5 Department of Education appointees. The Centre s Vision To create, maintain and develop a Centre of Excellence in Ireland for children and young people with autism The Centre s Remit: Middletown Centre for Autism was opened in March 2007 to deliver four key educational services on an all-island basis for children with complex autism. The overall aim for the Centre is to support the promotion of excellence throughout Northern Ireland and Ireland in the education of children and young people with autism The Services The Centre, as a second level specialist service provider, is working in partnership with existing statutory and voluntary organisations. Since its establishment the focus has been on delivering the following services: Educational Assessment and Individual Intervention in Northern Ireland Service delivery includes: The provision of a trans-disciplinary assessment by the advice and guidance team; The development and implementation of interventions and a Learning Support Plan (LSP); Supporting the development of an autism competent school environment; Improving service delivery for children and young people with autism; Enabling parents to support their children s education in partnership with the child s school and teachers; Increasing parents knowledge of autism and how it impacts on their child; Helping parents manage their children s autism; The provision of education based home support; 3

4 The provision of advice for the parents of children and young people referred to advice and guidance service in Northern Ireland and The provision of specialist led second level training to assist parents in the management of specific difficulties in the education of their child. Training Service delivery includes: Providing specialist autism based in-service continuous professional development; Delivering specialist parent training, the main focus of this being in the Republic of Ireland; Providing individualised training to teachers and parents in supporting the delivery of the learning support plan for children and young people referred to the advice and guidance service; The identification and development of needs led training and Developing and providing access to an autism specific research network. Accessible Research Support Service delivery includes: Supporting the introduction of new research based practice; Sharing good practice particularly on a North South context; Developing and providing access to an autism specific research network; Providing access to autism literature and peer reviewed research and The development of a research panel comprising 470 parents, professionals and others who live with or work with children and young people with autism throughout the island of Ireland The reporting structure for the organisation is outlined overleaf. 4

5 Board of Directors Chief Executive Head of of Learning Support of Support & Assessment Division Head of Research & Development Division Head of Corporate Services Learning Support Service Training && Advisory Service Administration, t Administration Services Finance, HR & Support Services Educational Assessment Service Research & Information Service Care Secretariat 2. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The Advice and Guidance team provides a service to children and young people with autism who despite focused first level intervention are experiencing difficulties within their educational setting. The service will further identify and assess the strengths and needs of children and young people referred to the Centre and make recommendations for the implementation of strategies. This process will be carried out in partnership with families and existing services. Advice and Guidance Service Information The service delivery is based on a capacity building model which will provide: A detailed trans-disciplinary assessment and learning support plan Specific training for those working with the child and young person referred to the service Home support and advice for parents in relation to their child s education Support for children and young people for up to four terms according to need. The Classroom Assistant will be part of this team and will assist with the educational support and the care of the pupil with autism who is referred to the Centre. This will include supervised delivery of Learning Support Plans to children and young people (2-19 years old) as identified b the Centre s Advice and Guidance Team. The successful candidate must be able to use a wide range of autism specific, strategies with the aim of helping the child or young person to become more inclusive within the home and local community environment. Staff from the Training, Advice and Guidance team will provide parents with information on first level services available in their area and on any research information which may be relevant to the educational assessment outcomes for their child or young person. There will be a high degree of coworking with staff from the Research and Development Division. The learning support programmes developed for the children and young people will provide research data to assist in the promotion of the understanding of educational interventions within the Centre and the autism community. 5

6 3. JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title: Reporting to: Location: Job Purpose: Main Duties: Classroom Assistant - Autism Specific Outreach Support The Head of Assessment and Learning Support Middletown Centre for Autism, Co Armagh Under the direction of the Centre s Learning Support staff, assist with the educational support and the care of the pupil with autism who is referred to the Centre. This will include supervised delivery of Learning Support Plans to children and young people (2-19 years old) as identified by the Centre s Advice and Guidance Team. The successful candidate must be able to use a wide range of autism specific strategies with the aim of helping the child or young person to become more inclusive within the home and local community environment. These duties will be delivered initially in N Ireland throughout Ireland in due course. The precise duties of the post will be determined by the Centre s Advice and Guidance Team. Specialist Classroom Support Assist the teacher with the support and care of pupil(s) with autism e.g. enable access to the curriculum, attend to personal needs including dietary, feeding, toileting etc. Develop an understanding of the specific needs of the pupil Assist with authorised programmes (e.g. Education Plan, Care Plan, Learning Support Plan), participate in the evaluation of the support and encourage pupil(s) participation in such programmes To contribute to the inclusion of the pupil in mainstream schools under the directions of the class teacher and the Centre s Advice and Guidance team Assist with operational difficulties and non-invasive medical/clinical difficulties pertaining to pupil(s) disabilities including the administration of prescribed medicines and drugs for children who are ill and deal with minor cuts and grazes Support in implementing learning support programmes as directed meeting physical/medical needs as required whilst encouraging independence; Assist pupil(s) to learn as effectively as possible both in group situations and on their own by assisting with the management of the learning environment through: clarifying and explaining instruction promoting the independence of pupils to enhance learning 6

7 meeting physical/medical needs as required whilst encouraging independence assisting in motivating and encouraging the pupil(s) as required Establish a supportive relationship with the pupils concerned Prepare, produce and take care of appropriate resources to support pupil(s) Under the direction of the Advice and Guidance Team assist with off-site or home based activities Supervise groups of pupils, or individual pupils on specified and other duties, as directed by the class teacher and/or the Centre s Advice and Guidance Team. Administration Assist the Advice and Guidance Team and/or other professionals with the implementation of the system for recording the pupil(s) progress Catalogue and process books and resources Be familiar with basic ICT. Powerpoint, board maker, writing with symbols programmes for example Contribute to the maintenance of pupil(s) progress records Provide regular feedback about the pupil(s) to the teacher/officer Other Duties Attend relevant in-service training Such other duties as may be assigned by the Advice and Guidance Team Managing Resources Work with the Centre s Corporate Services staff procure materials, resources and books required for service delivery Develop and maintain registers of materials, equipment and resources used to support service delivery Communications Interact and maintain positive links with the Centre s stakeholders 7

8 Other Attributes A current driving licence and access to a vehicle or access to a form of transport which allow the post holder to fully satisfy the travel requirements of this position. N.B. The above is given as a broad range of duties and responsibilities and is not intended as a complete description of all tasks. 8

9 4. PERSON SPECIFICATION Job Title: Reporting to: Eligibility criteria: Classroom Assistant - Autism Specific Outreach Support The Head of Assessment and Learning Support Applicants must be able to demonstrate the following by the closing date: Have a minimum of 12 months experience within the last three years in a paid capacity of working as a Classroom Assistant with child/children with autism in an education setting. NVQ Level II in Children's Care Learning and Development, or equivalent qualification as recognised by the Education and Library Boards or DES in Ireland. Knowledge and Understanding of Children and Young People with autism Essential Criteria: Applicants must be able to demonstrate their competence in the following areas: Knowledge and understanding of a range of autism specific interventions; Good team Working abilities; Reliable and trustworthy qualities; The ability to use tact and judgement effectively; Good skills in working with a range of people i.e. teachers, parents other professionals; Competence in the use of ICT (e.g. Board maker, writing with symbols, power point); Willingness to work in a home environment; A clear understanding of child protection requirements; Proven ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, tailoring content to the target audience. Other Attributes A current driving licence and access to a vehicle or access to a form of transport which allow the post holder to fully satisfy the travel requirements of this position is essential. Desirable Criteria: If a large number of applications are received, it may be necessary to carry out a further short listing exercise to reduce the number of candidates to be invited for interview. In such circumstances the following desirable criteria may be assessed as part of the written shortlisting exercise: 9

10 NVQ Level III in Children's Care Learning and Development, or equivalent qualification as recognised by the ELB s or DES Ireland. A minimum of 6 months' paid experience within the last 2 years of working in any primary or post primary class with children with autism. Knowledge of the Northern Ireland Curriculum and/ or R O I Curriculum. 5. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT Salary: NJC pts ,161-21,519 Continuous Service: Annual Leave: Pension: Secondments: The Centre will recognise any previous service in any of the organisations included in Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government, etc.) (Modification) Order (Northern Ireland) This includes any service within education. 21 days per annum plus public and privilege holidays Middletown Centre for Autism is a member of NILGOSC pension scheme. Successful applicants are eligible to contribute to this scheme. The Centre will consider flexible secondment arrangements for this post. 10

11 6. GUIDANCE ON THE SELECTION PROCESS An Introduction to a Competency Based Selection Process A Competency Based Selection Process is designed to help you to present relevant evidence in order that decision makers can evaluate how well you fit the requirements of a particular role. Relevant evidence is usually, but not exclusively, drawn from your work experience and the way in which you have accomplished a range of activities or projects. The information you provide will be evaluated against specific skills and competencies required for effective performance in the role. Throughout the process you need to give enough detail so that panel members can tell what you actually did and, importantly, how you did it. They will not assume that you demonstrate a skill at the right level just because of your current role, length of experience or educational qualifications. These do not give enough evidence about how you accomplished relevant tasks. For example, if a question is about your approach to decision making, you need to do more than describe your current role and list important decisions you have made. You will need to describe how you reached relevant decisions. Some guidelines for presenting yourself well are given below:- Give specific examples - most questions will ask you to describe an example of when you have demonstrated a skill: try to do this concisely but with enough detail so that the reader will be clear about what you actually did. This detail might include information about timescales, the number of people involved, budgets etc. Give a range of examples if possible, base your answers on different situations or challenges you faced rather than rely on just one experience. This helps the reader to evaluate how you tackle different challenges and not just your behaviour in a one off situation. However, one example can be used to demonstrate competence in a number of areas. Be concrete rather than theoretical a clear description of how you actually behaved in a particular situation (and why) is of much more use to the reader than a vague or general description of what you consider to be desirable attributes. Eligibility Sift After the closing date has passed all applications will initially be assessed against the following eligibility criteria, on the basis of the information provided in the application form: Have a minimum of 12 months experience within the last three years in a paid capacity of working as a Classroom Assistant with child/children with autism in an education setting. NVQ Level II in Children's Care Learning and Development, or equivalent qualification as recognised by the Education and Library Boards or DES Ireland Knowledge and Understanding of Children and Young People with autism 11

12 Essential Criteria Sift In addition, applicants are also requested to provide evidence of their ability in each of the following competencies. The onus is on candidates to provide evidence that they can demonstrate an acceptable level of ability, as outlined in the Job Description and Person Specification, in the following competencies: Knowledge and understanding of a range of autism specific interventions; Good team Working abilities; Reliable and trustworthy qualities; The ability to use tact and judgement effectively; Good skills in working with a range of people i.e. teachers, parents other professionals; Competence in the use of ICT, particularly Microsoft products; Willingness to work in a home environment; A clear understanding of child protection requirements; Ability to communication effectively, both orally, on the telephone and in writing, tailoring content to the target audience. Short listing If a large number of applications are received it may be necessary to carry out a further short listing exercise to reduce the number of candidates to be invited for interview. In such circumstances desirable criteria detailed in the Job Specifications may be assessed: NVQ Level III in Children's Care Learning and Development, or equivalent qualification as recognised by the ELB s or DES Ireland. A minimum of 6 months' paid experience within the last 2 years of working in any primary or post primary class with children with autism. Knowledge of the Northern Ireland Curriculum and/ or R O I Curriculum. Those applicants who appear, on the basis of the information provided in their application forms, to best meet the criteria will proceed to the next stage of the process. Interviews Shortlisted candidates will be required to attend for interview. The panel will assess the extent to which the applicants meet the criteria in the Person Specification. It is expected that interviews will take place `during the fortnight commencing 15 April When the interview date has been offered, those invited should make every effort to attend on the specified time and date. Given the difficulties in arranging interview panels, flexibility may not be possible. Applicants are therefore asked to indicate if the proposed interview date might cause particular difficulties. 12

13 Candidates for any of the following posts: (Classroom Assistant, Autism Intervention Specialist and Specialist Teachers who will be working with children and young people) you may be required to work directly with a child or young person and a parent as part of the selection process. Guidance and support will be provided. Appointment The appointment is available as soon as possible. It is intended that all applicants who have been interviewed will be informed of the outcome of their application in May Timetable The anticipated timetable is as follows: Advertisement: Week commencing 18 March 2013 Closing date for applications: 4.30pm on Friday 5 April 2013 Anticipated panel interview: Week Beginning 15 April 2013 Anticipated appointment: As soon as possible Should you have any further queries about this post and/or the recruitment and selection process, then please contact Mr Jim Lennon, Head of Corporate Service, by ing hr@middletownautism.com or call Middletown Centre on +44(0)

14 7. KEY POINTS TO NOTE ON COMPLETING THE APPLICATION FORM AND MONITORING FORM Section 5 Referees Applicants are required to identify two referees, one of which should be your current employer (if applicable). Referees will be approached after an offer of employment has been made. You should not seek as a referee anyone who is related to you. Section 7 Information for Short listing and Interview Purposes In completing the application form, applicants should refer to the Role Description and Person Specification and identify the extent to which they satisfy the eligibility and desirable criteria. Applicants will be assessed at short listing on the basis of the information provided on the application form. It is therefore essential for applicants to complete their responses as fully as possible, making use of the space provided. Please keep the answers in the competency sections limited to the boxes provided on the form. Supplementary material such as CVs will not be considered by the Selection Panel. Under each of the headings in the application form, we ask you to provide a clear and relevant example drawn from your recent experience, which illustrates how you match the competency being sought. You should structure your responses by setting a context for your examples, explain what you were trying to achieve, describe what you actually did and why, indicating your own individual contribution and outline the outcome or results. Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form Middletown Centre for Autism is committed to equality of opportunity. All applications are considered strictly on the basis of merit. Middletown Centre for Autism welcomes applications from all suitably qualified applicants irrespective of religious belief, gender, disability, race, political opinion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or whether or not they have dependants. Middletown Centre for Autism is required to monitor the gender, ethnic origin, community background and disability of candidates to ensure that equal opportunities measures are effective. Applicants are therefore asked to complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Information section of the application form. The information is purely for monitoring purposes. It is not made available to the selection panel and does not play a role in the decision-making process. The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (NI) Order 2003 (POCVA) The post for which you are applying is governed by The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (Northern Ireland) Order Before appointing anyone to such a post, it is imperative for the relevant check to be carried out by Access NI or the Garda Vetting Office, as appropriate. This check is to make sure those individuals who might be a risk to children and/or vulnerable adults are not appointed. The check will indicate if you have a criminal record or if your name is included on the DHSSPS Disqualification from Working with Children List or included on the DE List and/or the DHSSPS Disqualified from Working with Vulnerable Adults List. Any information received will be treated confidentially, and will be discussed with candidates before a final decision is reached. After the 14

15 decision is made the information will be destroyed. Return of Application Forms Completed application and monitoring forms must be returned to:- HR Department Middletown Centre for Autism, 35 Church Street, Middletown, Co. Armagh, BT60 4HZ Alternatively application forms may be ed to by 4.30pm on Friday 5 April It is the responsibility of candidates to follow-up ed application forms by telephone to ensure that they have been received at the Centre. Where applications are submitted online applicants, if shortlisted, will be required to sign their application form when attending for interview. Candidates with a disability who require assistance will be facilitated upon request. Candidates who wish to receive application forms and information packs in accessible formats are requested to advise Middletown Centre of their requirements as promptly as possible allowing for the fact that the closing date for receipt remains the same for all applicants as noted above. 15