Cook

About Us

West Sussex County Council operates a diverse range of multi-disciplinary services for some of the most vulnerable and at-risk children and young people within the County, specifically our residential homes, which range from the provision of full-time care to short breaks. We aim to provide a stimulating and caring environment, within which the welfare of the children and young people we look after is promoted and at the forefront of childcare practice, enabling them to maximise their full potential.

Orchard House is an 'Outstanding' OFSTED rated children's residential home providing a range of services that make a difference to the lives of children who have severe and complex learning disabilities, and their families.

Recent investment has created a modern home with a wide range of resources for children, which enables us to be a creative team who work hard to give children opportunities to develop to their full potential whilst ensuring they feel safe and have a lot of fun.

Our support is tailored to meet individual needs and ranges from clubs and day care to short breaks and full-time care.

We are a cohesive team who can discuss ideas and challenge issues to inform decision making and we believe in looking after each other so that we are able to offer our best to the children.

Work here is not always easy, but it is rewarding and every day is different.

What do people say about us:

"a fantastic home, where everyone went way beyond what we were expecting and always with a smile. Orchard House and its staff will stay in our hearts forever."

"a thoughtful, enthusiastic and reflective team who were really energising to work with."

For more information, please visit our dedicated website.

The Opportunity

Salary: £24,790 - £25,183 per annum (pro-rata £16,080 - £16,334).Working Pattern: 24 hours per week (part-time), Mon, Wed & Sat from 10.30am to 18.30pmContract: PermanentLocation: Cuckfield, Haywards Heath

As a Cook for our Residential Home, you will prepare and cook nutritionally balanced meals for the children. You will have the opportunity to design menus and provide training to children in how to plan and cook meals. You will also be responsible for:

• Health and Safety
• Food Hygiene procedures
• Monitoring risk
• Ensure the kitchen is maintained to a high standard
• Ordering goods within a specified budget
• Keeping accurate records and stock control
• Coordinate agency Cooks and Kitchen Assistants if required

We are looking for someone who is aware of safeguarding procedures, to be able to remain up to date with compliance, legislation, polices, procedures, and professional codes of conduct.

A shift pattern will be agreed with the successful applicant.

Experience and Skills

Key Skills:

1. Ability to communicate in English with the children, staff and visitors to the Homes, to understand and be sensitive to the needs of the children.
2. Ability to prepare food of a varied nature to a high standard.
3. Ability to use IT to write emails, access information about the home, complete electronic logs etc.
4. Ability to follow defined instructions, to understand and apply Health and Safety and safeguarding regulations and procedures.
5. Ability to organise/prioritise work, co-ordinate a variety of tasks in a clear and logical way and meet agreed deadlines.
6. Ability to work flexibly to allocated duties within the home to put the child first.

Qualifications and/or experience:

• Knowledge of effective cooking techniques and healthy, nutritious recipes, including cooking for a range of dietary requirements.
• Cooking experience, including preparing, cooking, and serving meals for groups of people.
• Knowledge of ordering, costing, and stock control.
• Recognised Food Handling and Hygiene qualification, Basic Food Hygiene certificate
• NVQ Level 2 in catering or equivalent qualification or demonstrable equivalent experience. Desirable

Rewards and Benefits

We know that without you we would not be able to provide our services and we strive to ensure that you are rewarded and recognised for the dedication and commitment you make in this role.

In addition to working within a great team and a competitive salary you will have access to:

For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee please visit our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further Information

The reference number for this role is CAFHE05467.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact one of the following people:

Kim Steadman (Assistant Residential Team Manager) at kim.steadman@westsussex.gov.uk

Elaine West (Resourcing Specialist) elaine.west@westsussex.gov.uk

To apply, upload your CV and complete the application explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.