Support worker - maternity cover


Company:	Sense
Salary:	from £13 an hour
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	NR19 1TE
Working pattern:	On-site
Job type:	Contract
Posting date:	11 Nov 2026
Closing date:	23 Nov 2026

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Summary

Support Worker – Sense College Dereham

Make a difference during the day. Enjoy your evenings and weekends.

Love supporting people but tired of unpredictable shifts, late finishes and working weekends?

At Sense College Dereham, you can continue doing meaningful work while enjoying a consistent Monday to Friday working pattern, 9:15am–4:15pm.

We're looking for a compassionate, enthusiastic and creative Support Worker to join our team on a full-time, 14-month fixed-term maternity cover contract.

You'll support people with complex disabilities to develop their independence, build confidence, explore their interests and enjoy experiences that make everyday life more fulfilling.

Whether you're already working in care or looking to bring your skills into disability support, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference while enjoying a predictable daytime schedule.

About the role

Location: Sense College Dereham, 32 Bertie Ward Way, Rash's Green Industrial Estate, Toftwood, Dereham, Norfolk, NR19 1TE

Salary: £13.00 per hour

Contract: Full-time, fixed-term maternity cover for 14 months

Hours: 35 hours per week

Working pattern: Monday to Friday, 9:15am–4:15pm

Annual working pattern: 52 weeks per year, including annual leave entitlement

What will you be doing?

At Sense College Dereham, support is about more than helping with everyday tasks. It's about recognising each person's abilities, encouraging independence and creating opportunities to enjoy new experiences.

You'll work alongside colleagues to provide personalised support that reflects each individual's interests, communication needs and aspirations.

Your responsibilities will include:

Making everyday experiences meaningful through creative, sensory, social and practical activities.

Supporting people to develop confidence, independence and essential life skills.

Helping individuals communicate their needs, preferences and choices using approaches tailored to them.

Encouraging participation in activities that promote wellbeing, social interaction and personal development.

Providing respectful, person-centred support with personal care and daily living needs where required.

Building positive, trusting relationships with the people you support, their families and colleagues.

Working collaboratively to plan and adapt activities to meet individual needs.

Recognising achievements and celebrating progress, however big or small.

Whether it's helping someone communicate a choice, discover a new interest or achieve a personal goal, you'll be part of the moments that matter.

Learn new skills and develop your career

At Sense, we believe a rewarding career should offer opportunities to keep learning and growing.

You'll have access to training and professional development opportunities designed to help you build confidence and develop valuable specialist skills.

These include opportunities to:

Develop specialist communication skills, including approaches that support people with sensory impairments and complex communication needs.

Build your knowledge of complex disabilities, learning how to provide personalised and inclusive support.

Access online and face-to-face training to strengthen your professional skills.

Learn from experienced colleagues, sharing ideas and developing creative approaches to support.

Explore wider professional development opportunities, including leadership and management learning where appropriate.

What we're looking for

We're looking for someone who brings warmth, patience and enthusiasm to their work and believes everyone deserves the opportunity to live a fulfilling life.

You'll bring:

A caring, positive and person-centred approach.

Good communication skills and the ability to build trusting relationships.

Creativity and enthusiasm for supporting people to explore different activities.

A commitment to promoting dignity, choice and independence.

Reliability, flexibility and a willingness to work collaboratively.

A willingness to provide personal care and practical support where required.

An interest in learning new skills and developing your knowledge.

Experience in care, disability support or working with people with complex needs would be beneficial, but we're also interested in applicants who bring the right values, enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

Why join Sense?

Alongside a rewarding role, you'll have access to a range of employee benefits, including:

A consistent Monday to Friday daytime working pattern, 9:15am–4:15pm.

35 contracted hours per week, providing a predictable working schedule.

24 days' annual leave plus Bank Holiday entitlement, increasing with service and subject to contractual arrangements.

Access to online and face-to-face training.

Opportunities for professional development.

Health and wellbeing support.

A workplace pension.

Employee discounts and other benefits, subject to eligibility.

About Sense

Sense is a leading disability charity, here to break down barriers alongside disabled people with complex needs. We use our knowledge and expertise to deliver personalised, creative and flexible support at every stage of life.

Together, we drive change, building a future where everyone has the power, choice and control to live the lives we choose.

We're proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and a charity where people can grow their skills and careers in a supportive, flexible environment.

Our values guide everything we do:

We're creating change.

We're always learning.

We're better together.

Ready for a rewarding role with a better work-life balance?

If you're passionate about supporting people and want a role where you can make a difference while enjoying a consistent daytime working pattern, we'd love to hear from you.

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Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident

Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.