Children's Support Worker

Kent County Council; Ashford; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Pension and generous leave

Structured training

Professional support

Job summary

Kent County Council is seeking passionate Senior Children's Support Workers for the new Athena home in Ashford. In this role, you will lead shifts, ensuring safe staffing and high-quality care for children, while promoting their rights and individual needs.

The ideal candidates will have experience in residential care, knowledge of safeguarding regulations, and a commitment to supporting children. KCC values diversity and actively encourages applications from all backgrounds.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children and young people.
• Knowledge of Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015.
• Understanding of trauma-informed approaches.

Responsibilities

• Lead shifts and support safe staffing.
• Provide high-quality care and support to children.
• Ensure compliance with Children's Homes Regulations.

Skills

Experience with children

Residential care experience

Knowledge of safeguarding

Leadership experience

Job description

• Lead shifts and support the day-to-day running of the home
• Provide high-quality care and support to children
• Role model best practice and support less experienced staff
• Contribute to a positive, safe and nurturing environment
• Be a champion for safeguarding, and positive experiences for children and their outcomes

About the role You will:

• Lead shifts and support safe staffing and continuity of care
• Support assessment, care planning and delivery
• Promote children's rights, voice and individual needs
• Ensure compliance with Children's Homes Regulations and safeguarding
• Maintain accurate records and work closely with professionals

We are looking for passionate and skilled Senior Children's Support Workers to help shape and deliver care in our new Athena home in Ashford., We are looking for committed, values-led practitioners.

You may have:

• Experience working with children and young people
• Experience in residential care or similar settings
• Knowledge of Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and safeguarding practice
• Knowledge of trauma-informed or PBS approaches, (training and ongoing support and development provided)
• Experience leading shifts or supporting others

Equally, we welcome individuals with the right values, resilience and commitment - we will invest in your development., This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification. This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Ready to make a real difference?

Work that works for you and us - let's talk flexibility! KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

• Competitive salary including enhancements (e.g. sleep‑ins/on‑call where applicable)
• Pension and generous leave
• Structured training and progression opportunities
• Strong professional support, including behaviour specialists