Skip to main content

The Sitting Service

The Sitting Service team-what we do

The team support children & young people with additional needs, via a referral from a professional to a resources panel

The team consists of experienced and skilled staff with a background usually in health & social care or education. Some are students wanting experience to support their learning. Most of the team wish to spend time working for the service on a part time basis, supporting one or two families. Others have this as their main employment.

Our team are all employees of North Somerset council. They are DBS checked, have regular safeguarding and paediatric first aid training, alongside any other relevant training needed to support the children they work with. New team members are supported through a probationary period with work shadowing and support from experienced colleagues. All staff have termly supervisions with the team leader to address any issues or concerns and to ensure that everyone is happy.

The team meet the care and social needs of children and young people needing planned short breaks at home, so that their parent/carers can have a short break. Most ‘sits’ are for 4 hours per month, agreed by a resources panel and paid for via the referring team, or a Direct Payment. Care is taken to match Sitter and family.  Sitters work independently, or occasionally in pairs dependent on the level of need. They can offer personal care, administration of medication and support bedtime/ mealtime routines, behaviour support and independence skills. A ‘Family File’, kept in the child’s home, contains all the support information needed to ensure a positive and supportive experience for everyone. Monthly ‘sits’ are arranged directly between the family and the Sitter. Sitters keep a log of their visit in the file, as feedback for the parent/carer and to support contributions to annual reviews for a child.

Who to contact

Telephone
07743 329 411
E-mail
Sitting.Service@n-somerset.gov.uk

Where to go

Name
St Barnabas Centre
Address
West Hill
Portishead
Bristol
Postcode
BS20 6LR

Local offer

Back to top