Children's Residential Support Worker

Witherslack Group; Wakefield; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4‑week induction

7 weeks holiday

Career progression opportunities

Flexible benefits package

Wellbeing tools

Medical cover

Meals provided

Referral bonus

DBS check paid

Job summary

Witherslack Group is hiring a Residential Support Worker in Wakefield to help young people in our care with daily routines, schoolwork, and structured activities. You will support them to build lifelong skills in a safe, nurturing environment.

The role includes attending a four-week Care Academy induction, paid sleep-ins (up to 4 per month), and a clear progression path within our growing specialist education and care provider. A driving licence and DBS clearance are valued.

Qualifications

• A can-do attitude and team player ethos to support young people.
• Excellent communication and empathy in challenging situations.
• Willingness to engage with families and care colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Assist with daily routines and school preparation; support with homework and paperwork.
• Plan and participate in activities; supervise evenings and weekends with engaging, age-appropriate tasks.
• Provide a caring, stable presence to help children develop positive routines and behavior.

Skills

Can-do attitude

Team player

Empathy

Resilience

Good communication

Education

Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or equivalent)

Job description

£35,232 - £41,808 assuming good attendance and up to 4 sleep ins per month

Those huge small victories

Working in our Children’s Homes means being a part of a young person’s day to day life. This means being there for the highest highs and lowest lows. Our support workers enable our young people to get their childhood back and create pathways to become well rounded adults – an incredibly rewarding role to have. There will be challenges along the way but there will also be the smallest moments which feel like a huge small victory!

Our homes accommodate young people with social, emotional and mental health needs, and our aim is to create the best possible outcome for the young people in our care. Our support workers are fulfilled by the idea of affecting even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate the little things.

Check out this video on what life as a Children's Residential Support Worker is like.

Get out what you put in

You’ll take care of our young people day to day, making sure things run smoothly and creating lasting memories. This involves making sure they are up and ready for school, helping with homework, completing paperwork and planning activities. Evenings and weekends are for fun, whether that’s playing on the Xbox, a game of football, having a film day or going go-karting – not a bad way to spend your day at work! Working here is never dull, and the work really matters. It’s about tapping into each young person’s needs, personality and potential - and guiding them toward a positive future.

What we do for you

Benefits

• Salary: Base salary of £29,992 - £36,568
• Bonuses: In addition to your base salary you’ll do up to 4 sleep ins per months, these are paid at £80 per sleep (approx. £3,840 per year) and £1,400 Attendance Allowance – assuming good attendance
• Training: A full 4-week induction on our Care Academy
• Holiday: You’ll work hard at WG, so you’ll be rewarded with 7 weeks’ holiday
• Progression: If career development is your thing, most of our team leaders and managers have been promoted from within our group – plus you could join our ‘Aspire’ future managers programme
• Flexible benefits package: meaning you can increase/decrease your holiday allowance, pension and life insurance – check out our benefits here
• Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance
• Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an opticians or dentist appointment and a host of high-street discounts
• Meals provided while you’re at work
• Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities – check out our homes here
• A recommend a friend scheme that offers a £1,000 bonus every time

Bring your whole-self to work

Here At Witherslack Group, We Celebrate Everyone’s Differences As That’s What Makes Us The Best At What We Do. Our Young People Come From All Walks Of Life, Diverse Backgrounds And With Different Needs – And Our Workforce Reflects That Diversity, So That Our Teams Can Engage, Encourage And Inspire Our Young People To Be Themselves. You Don’t Need Experience, But There Are a Few Things We’ll Be Looking For From You

• A ‘can do’ attitude – a team player who rolls up their sleeves to help others
• We genuinely care about our young people (and each other) so honesty and empathy is a must
• The resilience to be able to deal with challenging situations
• A full UK driving licence which you’ve held for at least 12 months
• If you don’t have a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or equivalent), we’ll pay for you to study and support you every step of the way

You’ll start life as a RSW by joining our ‘Care Academy’ – 4 weeks of off the job training with experienced WG professionals to help you feel confident and ready to support our young people.

Join the UK’s best special education and care provider

At Witherslack Group, inclusion is part of who we are. We’re committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, valued and that they truly belong.

As a specialist provider of education and care for children and young people with special educational needs, we understand the importance of embracing individuality and championing difference- especially when it comes to neurodiversity. We celebrate diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and the unique strengths that each person brings to our community.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities. We are proud to be recognised as an inclusive employer and are committed to making our recruitment and workplace practices inclusive and accessible. If you need any adjustments to support you through the recruitment process or in the workplace, we’ll be there every step of the way.

By building a diverse and inclusive team, we’re better able to support the children, young people and families we serve and ensure every member of our team can thrive, grow, and be their authentic self.

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost) and an online search. We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.

Children’s Support Worker / Residential Support Worker / Care Worker / Career in Care / Working with Children / SEMH