Job Description
Children, Education and Justice Services
Communication Support Worker
Additional Support for Learning Service
Salary: £28,046 - £32,010 (Pro-rata for part-time & sessional)
Hours: 36 per week, 39 weeks sessional
Any informal enquiries should be directed to Helen.Pickett@ea.edin.sch.uk
Communication Support Workers will provide bespoke communication support to deaf children/young people, some with complex additional support needs, throughout their time in educational establishments. This may include interpreting/translating information in British Sign Language (BSL) and/or other agreed communication methods e.g. English, Sign-Supported English, lip speaking and scribing/note taking as necessary, using Augmentative and Alternative Communication ( communication devices, systems, strategies and tools that replace or support spoken language) as part of an inclusive communication approach.
Postholders will assist teaching and support staff in schools to ensure that deaf pupils allocated to them can access the curriculum fully and achieve the best possible learning outcomes. They will support pupils by advising school staff on adapting learning materials to make them more easily understandable, using a range of equipment and ICT where appropriate. They will take a lead role in facilitating communication with peers and the wider school community, promoting deaf awareness.
These posts require the postholder to work in a range of settings across the city including: Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Special schools and as such applicants must be willing to work anywhere in the city as required.
Applicants should hold Level 3/ SCQF level 6 in British Sign Language or be able to demonstrate equivalent skills/experience. A BSL skills test will form part of the interview process.
This post is regulated work with children and/or protected adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check. Where an individual has spent a continuous period of 3 months or more out with the UK in the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check. An unconditional offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of both these pre-employment checks being deemed satisfactory.
As part of our goal to improve our organisational culture and create a great place to work together for the people of Edinburgh, we want to make sure that we’re bringing the best people into our roles, not just in their skills and experience but also in their approach to work.
To help achieve this, we’re changing the way we interview and assess candidates by moving from a competency-based interview approach to a behavioural and technical (skills for the job) based approach. This new way of interviewing will allow us to assess how you think and how you would bring Our Behaviours of Respect, Integrity and Flexibility into your ways of working.
We're committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included and able to be their best at work, and we recognise the benefits that a diverse workforce with different values, beliefs, experience, and backgrounds brings to us as an organisation.
You can find out more on Our Behaviours web page Our Behaviours – The City of Edinburgh Council
Our salary range typically reflects the initial starting salary and annually increases until it reaches the top of the range.
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