Children's Residential Youth Support Worker - Poppy House

Shaw Trust; Brackley; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading care provider in Brackley seeks a Residential Support Worker to support young people with complex needs. This role offers full training and a Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare. Responsibilities include managing daily routines and challenging situations while creating a nurturing environment. Ideal candidates will have emotional resilience, flexibility to work shifts, and a desire to learn. The position comes with benefits like bonuses, annual leave, and well-being support.

Benefits

£1,400 annual attendance bonus

Free meals during shifts

Employee discounts on shopping and holidays

24/7 well-being support, including counselling

Qualifications

• No prior experience required, just the right mindset.
• Willingness to learn and grow in a challenging environment.
• Understanding of DOLS (Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards) is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support daily routines and activities for young people.
• Manage and de-escalate challenging situations with empathy.
• Create a nurturing and stable home environment.

Skills

Emotional resilience

Ability to manage challenging behaviour

Flexibility to work shifts

Experience with Mental Health, Learning Disabilities, Autism, and ADHD

Education

Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare

Job description

Do you thrive in fast-paced environments? Have you worked in hospitality, retail, sports, outdoor activities, or customer service? Do you have the emotional resilience to handle challenging situations while supporting and inspiring young people?

If so, you don't need prior experience in care - just the right mindset. We provide full training, qualifications, and ongoing support to help you build a meaningful career in residential childcare.

What the Role Involves

As a Residential Support Worker, you'll be a vital part of a team supporting young people who have experienced trauma. Your role will be dynamic, challenging, and deeply rewarding. You'll be responsible for:

• Supporting daily routines, activities, and emotional well-being
• Managing and de-escalating challenging situations with empathy
• Encouraging independence, education, and life skills
• Being a trusted role model-showing patience, resilience, and compassion
• Creating a safe, nurturing, and stable home environment

About Poppy House

Poppy House is a solo-bed residential home based in Northampton (NN8), offering a safe and structured environment for a young person with complex needs. The home provides a calm, supportive setting where staff can make a real difference every day.

We welcome applicants from all walks of life. What matters most is your attitude, emotional intelligence, and willingness to learn. Ideal candidates will have:

• Experience with Mental Health (MH), Learning Disabilities (LD), Autism, and ADHD
• Understanding of DOLS (Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards)
• Ability to manage challenging behaviour and carry out physical interventions (3:1 support)
• Flexibility to work shifts, including evenings, weekends, and sleep-ins
• A desire to grow - full training and a funded Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare provided
• Structured career progression into senior roles
• £1,400 annual attendance bonus + sleep-in payments (£44.56 per shift)
• 28 days annual leave (increasing with service)
• Free meals during shifts
• Employee benefits including discounts on shopping, cinema, and holidays
• 24/7 well-being support, including free counselling sessions
• Christmas voucher of up to £200, based on length of service and contracted hours, to recognise the 24/7 care you provide year-round

Upcoming Assessment Day

Our next in-person recruitment assessment day will take place in Enter Month and Year.

Important Information

• We do not offer sponsorship or support with right to work.
• All applicants must have their own right to work in the UK, permitting them to work 40 hours per week.
• All successful candidates will undergo pre-employment safer recruitment checks in line with Ofsted and Homes2Inspire policies.
• Applications are reviewed regularly, and interviews may be held before the advertised closing date.
• Interviews will take place in person during scheduled assessment days. Please contact our Careers Team if you require reasonable adjustments.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

At Homes2Inspire, we're proud to foster a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. We actively encourage applications from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, and welcome individuals with lived experience of disability or social exclusion.

We also offer guaranteed interviews for care leavers who meet the minimum role requirements-please let us know in your application if you have lived-in care experience.

Male staff are currently under-represented in our residential children's services, and we strongly encourage more male applicants to apply.

We aim to match candidates with the most suitable service based on their skills, experience, and the needs of the young people in our care. In some cases, this may mean offering employment at a different home than originally applied for.