Specialist Support Worker (for autistic people and people with learning disabilities) – Bristol

Salary: £28,065 per annum (full time equivalent)
Hours: 22.5 hours per week (may require occasional flexible working
for example, workshops/events/training)
Location: Bristol with travel across the area as required. Up to 30% of hours per week working from home
Benefits: 5% employer pension contribution, 27 days annual leave (pro-rata)
Contract: permanent

Closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday 29 October 2025

Applicants will undergo an enhanced criminal record check before employment starts.

About the role

Our specialist support service provides one-to-one and group work support. As a Specialist Support Worker you will hold a case load of clients providing emotional, practical and advocacy support for autistic survivors and survivors with learning disabilities

Support may include issues around housing, debt, relationships, managing trauma responses and daily coping tools and techniques.

About you

You will have experience of working with people who have experienced trauma. You will have an understanding of the complexities of working with clients with multiple support needs and the knowledge and skills needed to build positive and empathic relationships with autistic clients and clients with learning disabilities.

You will be passionate about working with survivors of sexual violence, have a working knowledge of the impacts of trauma and an understanding of the barriers autistic clients and clients with learning disabilities may face in accessing support.

You will have the personal skills to support and empower clients through liaison, advocacy and psychoeducational tools, enabling clients to achieve positive outcomes in areas such as health and wellbeing, safety, interpersonal relationships, confidence, employment and community integration. You will have a knowledge of partner agencies and external pathways to support.

You will be skilled in carrying out needs and risk assessments to ensure SARSAS clients are offered the most appropriate pathways of support. In addition to one-to-one support, you will be excited to be involved in facilitating group work and peer support for survivors of sexual violence.

About SARSAS

SARSAS exists to relieve the trauma and distress and help rebuild the lives of survivors who live in Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and BANES, who have experienced any form of sexual violence, at any point in their lives. We deliver a range of support, including, but not limited to, a helpline, online web chat, self-help resources, counselling, specialist support work, drop-in services and group work.

Survivors tell us that we not only change their lives, but for some people, we save them:

“This work even though it was extremely hard, has helped me change my life. What you do for people is amazing and I cannot thank you all enough. I still have a long way to go but now I’m looking forward to life a little more.” – Specialist Support Work Client.

SARSAS also campaigns and raises awareness about rape and sexual abuse to change the narrative about sexual violence and enable survivors’ voices to be heard.

SARSAS works to feminist principles: this underpins both what our service is and how it is run. Our work is guided by a trauma-informed approach which understands how traumatic experiences can impact on survivors and keeps an awareness of the effects of trauma at the forefront of our approach to support. We are a proudly trans-inclusive organisation, and our service is for anyone who may need us.

This video developed as part of the 2021 GSK Impact Awards will give you a taster of the work we do.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion

At SARSAS we strive to create a workplace that reflect the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work. We want to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates diverse voices. We actively encourage applicants with protected characteristics to apply.

We are committed to taking an inclusive approach to recruitment and selection whilst ensuring there is no discrimination in our processes and that our team and prospective employees are treated fairly, with respect and without bias. Reasonable adjustments to the interview process can be made to accommodate additional requirements. Applicants are encouraged to highlight any specific adjustments needed to enable participation in the recruitment process.

How to apply

Download and read the job description and person specification

Download and complete the application form

Closing date for applications is midnight on Wednesday 29 October 2025

Interviews will be held in person in our Bristol office.

If you have any questions, please contact recruitment@sarsas.org.uk or ring our Bristol office on 0117 929 9556 and speak to Laura Fitzgerald, HR Administrator.