Housing Support Worker

Action for Children; Haddington; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Over 7 weeks paid leave

Professional training opportunities

Flexible family leave packages

Employer pension contribution 5%

Blue Light Card discounts

Wellbeing Day

Job summary

Action for Children in Scotland is seeking a Housing Support Worker to provide compassionate, practical support to young adults in their own homes and communities. You’ll help with daily routines, personal care and activities that build confidence and independence, while learning and growing through on‑the‑job training.

The role focuses on safeguarding, calm decision making and building trusting relationships with young people and their families.

Qualifications

• Compassion, enthusiasm and willingness to learn are valued over formal qualifications.
• Ability to work with young adults with complex needs in a supportive way.
• Willingness to complete required qualifications with employer support.

Responsibilities

• Building strong, respectful relationships with young people, their families and your team.
• Staying alert and responsive to safeguarding and child protection policies.
• Helping young people grow into confident, happy and healthy adults.
• Remaining calm, solution focused and strengths based, even during challenging moments.
• Creating safe, nurturing environments where young people feel heard, valued and supported.
• Reporting concerns appropriately and always putting safety and wellbeing first.
• Helping to shape personalised care plans and supporting decision making.

Skills

Compassion

Enthusiasm

Willingness to learn

Calm under pressure

Education

HNC

SVQ Level 3 in social care

Job description

Housing Support Worker

Salary: £27,000 per annum + sleep in allowance £2,607.15 per annum

Location: Haddington

Contract/Hours: Permanent / Full Time -37 hours per week, with a rota that includes a mixture of early and late shifts, some weekends, and one sleep-in each week. You'll have alternate weekends off, with shifts usually working 7:00am to 2:30pm or 2:00pm to 9:30pm.

Closing date for applications is midnight of Thursday 19th November

Benefits:

• Over 7 weeks inclusive paid leave and the option to buy or sell leave
• Excellent training and the opportunity to undertake professional training for some roles
• Flexible maternity, paternity and adoption packages
• Up to 5% employer contribution and life assurance cover
• Blue Light Card eligibility with discounts at 15,000 national retailers
• As part of our commitment to staff wellbeing, you’ll receive a paid annual Wellbeing Day to use however you choose, supporting a healthy balance between work and life.

At Action for Children, we offer more than just a job. Join us and you’ll be part of a team dedicated to giving children safe and happy childhoods. See how your skills can make a real difference, helping solve the problems children and young people face every day.

A bit about the role

We’re looking for caring, energetic individuals who bring a positive attitude and a genuine commitment to giving the best care to children and young people. You don’t need lots of experience or qualifications — what matters most is your compassion, enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

As a Housing Support Worker, you’ll play a key role in helping young adults build confidence, independence and life skills. Many of the young people we support have complex needs and can display behaviours that may challenge, so you’ll need to be calm, patient and resilient. With the right support and training, you’ll learn how to respond in a way that keeps everyone safe, supported and respected.

You’ll help with daily routines, personal care and medication, but you’ll also bring joy and adventure into everyday life — from walks in the park and swimming, to surfing, exploring new places and celebrating the small wins that mean so much.

About the Service

Our Housing Support and Care at Home service empowers young adults to live independently in their own homes and communities. Right now, we’re privileged to support two amazing young people — a young man and a young woman — who each have their own tenancies. They live with learning disabilities and sometimes present behaviours that may challenge, but they’re full of personality, potential, and a love for life.

With 2:1 support, we help them navigate daily living while encouraging independence, confidence, and self‑expression. We believe that behaviour is communication, and our approach is rooted in listening, understanding, and responding with compassion.

What you do could make a difference

Some key responsibilities of a Housing Support Worker are;

• Building strong, respectful relationships with young people, their families and your team.
• Staying alert and responsive to safeguarding and child protection policies.
• Helping young people grow into confident, happy and healthy adults.
• Remaining calm, solution focused and strengths based, even during the most challenging moments.
• Creating safe, nurturing environments where young people feel heard, valued and supported.
• Reporting concerns appropriately and always putting safety and wellbeing first.
• Helping to shape personalised care plans, support decision making and being a trusted, steady presence as young people work toward their goals.

Let’s talk about you

• A positive, upbeat approach, helping to create a fun and engaging environment for the young people in our care.
• Ideally, you’ll hold an HNC and SVQ Level 3 in a social care related field (or an equivalent qualification that meets registration requirements). If not, we’ll fully support you to work towards these if you’re committed to completing them.
• The ability to stay calm, think clearly and manage difficult or challenging situations with confidence.
• A willingness to take part in all relevant training, whether on the job or off site, to build your skills and knowledge.
• Providing high quality support and care that promotes wellbeing, dignity and independence.
• A commitment to working a rota pattern, including weekends and some bank holidays, as part of a supportive and reliable team.

Our Commitment to Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism

At Action for Children, we are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and able to thrive. We know that racism and discrimination create barriers, and we are taking active steps to challenge these inequalities in our organisation and in the communities we serve.

We strongly welcome applications from people who are Black, Asian, or from other racialised and ethnically marginalised communities, as well as disabled people, who are currently under‑representated in our workforce. We are committed to removing barriers in our recruitment processes and ensuring fair access to opportunities.

We also encourage applications from men, who are under‑represented in our Children’s Services roles. We recognise that people hold multiple identities, and we value the richness this brings to our team.

Want to get to know Action for Children better?

Find out more about Action for Children here: Action for Children and onLinkedIn,Facebookor YouTube to get to know us better.

The difference is what you do. You can learn more about why we do it, by checking outour 'Driven by Love' video.