What is a Temporary Support Worker?

A support worker is someone who looks after the wellbeing of a person in care in their daily lives. Support workers help people living with different physical disabilities and mental health needs. Ultimately, the aim is to enable people to live their lives more independently and support them to reach their potential through physical and emotional support. 

A temporary support worker is someone who takes on support workers jobs through an agency. This may include filling in for a regular support worker who is absent or taking on short term posts. Taking on roles as a temporary support worker is a fantastic way to gain experience in a variety of care settings, whilst maintaining flexibility with your day-to-day life.

Support workers are often truly inspiring and passionate people. As a support worker, you have the opportunity to have a positive impact on other people lives and to make a real difference. It can be an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling role. There are a wide variety of support worker jobs available, including temporary, tenancy and permanent roles.

The responsibilities of a support worker

This will vary considerably depending on the support worker jobs you take on. Overall, day-to-day responsibilities are likely to include:

• Supporting people to take care of themselves by assisting with daily tasks,
• Teaching new skills and offering emotional support
• Looking for ways in which the person you are working with can live a fuller and happier life

The various needs of the person in care could include learning disabilities, physical disabilities, autism, acquired brain injuries and mental health needs.

Naturally, you will be required to visit the person you are supporting in the most appropriate setting for them. This could mean visiting a person:

• in their own home
• in a supported living service or care home
• out in the community. 

Support worker jobs including ‘personal care’

The ‘support’ in support worker jobs refers to scenarios that don’t necessarily involve ‘personal care‘.

Personal care may include washing, toileting, dressing, meal preparation and other daily duties which help to empower a person to live as a dignified individual. Whereas, solely ‘support’ worker jobs would include supervision, encouragement, companionship and appropriate guidance, supporting with areas such as mental health, learning disabilities, eating disorders and some associated challenging behaviours.

Support worker roles can overlap depending on the needs of the person in care. For instance, it is possible that a support worker role may require personal care…

Importantly, a Healthcare Professional who refers to themselves as a ‘Support Worker’ is usually someone who may not feel comfortable carrying out personal care. They may feel that their personal gifts are better suited towards social and emotional support.

This is absolutely fine! Just ensure you are upfront and honest with yourself and your health and social care agency.

Daily tasks involved in support worker jobs

Your daily duties will vary depending on the person in need of care. Usually, they are likely to include a combination of the below:

• Collaborating with health and social care colleagues to make sure that all care needs are met to the highest standards.
• Teaching life skills – paying for bills, using public transport and shopping.
• Encouraging the development of personal skills by being supportive of hobbies and interests.
• Offering emotional support for a person and their family.
• Supplying physical support with personal care and household tasks.
• Carrying out routine checks, administering medication and carrying out other healthcare needs.

Thank you for reading our blog on the roles and responsibilities of a support worker.

If you are interested in support worker jobs then check out our positions here. There are a variety of temporary and permanent support worker vacancies. If you are committed to providing the highest standard of care within a variety of fantastic care setting then get in touch.

Interested in chatting to a consultant to find out more and register your interest? Call your nearest branch today!