Children's Health Care Support Worker

NHS; Preston; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Preston is seeking a motivated Children's Health Care Support Worker. The role involves providing care for children with complex needs both at home and in school settings. Applicants should have an NVQ Level 3 in care or equivalent experience. The position includes shift work, which may include nights and weekends, and requires experience or willingness to learn about child development and specific medical needs. This rewarding role offers extensive training and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Enhanced pay for night and weekend shifts

Paid sick leave

Annual leave entitlements

Access to evidence-based training

Qualifications

• Willingness to undertake further study.
• Good general education including GCSE in English Language or equivalent.
• Experience managing children with complex needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide care to children with complex needs at home and school.
• Work flexible hours, including nights and weekends.
• Attend personal care and moving needs of children.

Skills

Child development knowledge

Interacting with children with complex needs

Strong communication

Education

NVQ Level 3 in care or equivalent experience

Job description

Children's Health Care Support Worker

The closing date is 18 January 2026

We have an exciting opportunity for Health Care support workers to join our team in the Children's Packages of Care Team (CPOC). We are looking for highly motivated and enthusiastic people to join our team due to expansion within the service.

The children's packages of care team sits within the Children's Complex Needs Nursing Service and delivers packages of care to children within the Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust.

UK VISA & IMMIGRATION

In line with recent UK Government updates, which came into effect 9 April 2025, the minimum salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas, including the Health and Care Visa route, has increased to £25,000 per year. This applies to roles paid in accordance with NHS pay bands, meaning entry‑level Band 3 positions no longer meet the criteria for sponsorship.

Applications from individuals on a Student Visa or Graduate Route Visa cannot be progressed, as this role does not meet the current UKVI requirements for sponsorship within these visa categories.

Therefore - If you require visa sponsorship to work in the UK, we will not be able to progress your application on this occasion. All applicants must have the unrestricted right to work in the UK for the duration of the role.

If you have current sponsorship, we will need evidence of 12 months Right to Work in the UK, please provide full details within your application (including VISA Type and duration).

Main duties of the job

HCSWs within this team are lone workers, taking full responsibility for the care of children with complex needs after receiving comprehensive training. This could involve caring for a child overnight in their own home while parents are sleeping, accompanying a child to school and meeting their needs during the school day, or working with another HCSW/nurse to give parents a complete break.

Following training and competency assessment, HCSWs will be able to independently care for children with tracheostomies, gastrostomies, and manage medications, oxygen therapy, among other medical needs.

Shift times vary depending on the child's needs and HCSWs are expected to work a mixture of days, nights, and weekend shifts, which can be any time over the 24‑hour period.

About us

This role includes shift work, including nights and weekends. We would also consider someone who only wanted to work night shifts as a shift pattern.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace. All applications will be considered on merit, in line with UK employment legislation and our sponsorship obligations.

Failure to provide accurate and honest information will result in your application being removed from the process.

Job responsibilities

The ideal candidate will be organised, able to work alone and as part of a team, adaptable, calm in pressured situations, and flexible to meet the needs of the service. Ideally you will have experience in a health care, social care, or education setting working with children. An NVQ3 in care or equivalent care experience is desired; however, full training will be given.

This is an extremely rewarding role as you will be caring for children in their homes and schools, providing support to ensure that their needs are met. You will attend to personal cares, moving and handling needs, and engage through play. Some of our children have additional health care needs such as gastrostomies, tracheostomies, and use of medical equipment, for which full training will be provided.

You will be well supported by an experienced and dedicated management team as well as peer support amongst colleagues, opportunities to work alongside specialists, a personal and professional development plan.

Career pathway from HCSW to nursing associate is available to members of CPOC. In addition, you will have an annual personal development review and plan to support your career aspirations, along with regular team days for training, supportive discussions, and well‑being sessions.

This is an NHS‑ran service and incorporates all the standard NHS staff benefits for working within the service (e.g. Enhanced rate for nights and weekend work, pension, paid sick leave, annual leave entitlements, and access to evidence‑based training).

You will require a valid UK driving licence or have access to a vehicle for work purposes or be able to travel between community settings in a timely manner. This is essential in order to travel across the geographical footprint required within the service. Bases are both at Burnley and Preston with packages of care across Lancashire (travel expenses reimbursed in accordance with trust policy).

*Please note - previous applications need not apply for this role*

Person Specification

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3 in care or equivalent experience.
• A willingness to undertake further study.
• Good general education including GCSE in English Language or equivalent.

Knowledge

• Good knowledge of child development.
• Basic understanding of how complex needs/chronic illness affects children and families.
• Sound working knowledge of professional issues such as confidentiality.

Exper

• Experience of managing children on an individual and group basis.
• Experience of interacting with Children with Complex and/or Additional Needs.
• Previous experience of care in health, social, education or voluntary setting.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust