Residential Support Worker

Vetro Recruitment; Reading; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency for children's services is seeking a Residential Support Worker to provide essential support in children's homes across the region. This full-time role emphasizes safeguarding, personal care, and facilitating development for young individuals. Candidates should be compassionate and resilient, committed to achieving the required qualifications. Benefits include employer-funded training and progression opportunities.

Benefits

Employer-funded training

Clear career progression

Free DBS check

Refer-a-friend bonus up to £500

Casual dress code

Team building events

Qualifications

• Understanding of child development and safeguarding policies.
• Experience working with children in a residential setting is desirable.
• Compassionate, caring, and resilient personality.

Responsibilities

• Support and promote the welfare and health of children.
• Assist with personal hygiene and administer medication.
• Encourage meaningful leisure activities and support life skills development.
• Ensure compliance with safety and quality standards.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Ability to work under pressure

Compassion and patience

Education

Commitment to Diploma Level 3 Children and Young People Family Practitioner

Diploma Level 3 Residential Child Care

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Residential Support Worker – Children's Home

Job Summary and Environment

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent.

Location: Multiple Children's Homes across the region (Anonymized location).

Seeking a dedicated, professional, and accountable individual to provide essential activities, support, and guidance. The primary focus is to safeguard and promote the welfare and health of every child, protecting them from harm and exploitation.

Core Hours: 40 hours per week, plus required sleep-in duties.

Core Responsibilities and Daily Support

The role involves ensuring a nurturing, compliant, and therapeutic environment for young people.

• Personal Care: Assist young people with maintaining high standards of personal hygiene and appearance.
• Health and Wellbeing: Support appropriate nutritional choices, administer medication in strict accordance with policy, and accompany young people to all necessary medical, dental, and other appointments.
• Activities and Development: Actively encourage and support meaningful leisure activities, trips, holidays away, and assist in the development of life, education, social, and personal skills.
• Home Standards: Ensure the home is secure, clean, and well-presented by undertaking domestic chores and relevant health and safety checks.
• Behaviour Management: Effectively follow the Emotional and Behavioural Response Plan to support young people in managing challenging behaviours.
• Compliance: Work with the Registered Manager to ensure operations fully comply with all statutory, regulatory, and Quality Standards, promoting excellence in line with Ofsted regulations.
• Team Work and Documentation: Participate in the shift rota, act as a Keyworker, contribute to review meetings, and record all information accurately and professionally in line with national standards.

Essential Safeguarding Duties

Our organisation is dedicated to ensuring that safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities and best practice.

• Awareness and Reporting: Know and adhere to all safeguarding policies and procedures, including who the safeguarding leads are and how to report concerns.
• Response: Be trained in identifying signs of harm and abuse, and respond immediately to any young person to keep them safe.
• Disclosure Management: Know the correct procedure when a young person makes a disclosure or an allegation of harm against staff or others.
• Record Keeping: Keep accurate, objective records of concerns or incidents, including completing body maps.
• Collaboration: Be prepared to attend Strategy Meetings and Child Protection Case Conferences.
• Compliance: Maintain young people's confidentiality, and be aware of the complaint procedure and whistleblowing process.

Candidate Specification and Requirements

• Education and Qualifications:
• Essential: Commitment to achieving the Diploma Level 3 Children and Young People Family Practitioner.
• Desirable: Diploma Level 3 Residential Child Care (or equivalent NVQ).
• Knowledge and Experience:
• Essential: Understanding of child development, children's physical and emotional needs, and safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Desirable: Experience working with children and young people in a residential setting.
• Skills and Abilities:
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively (verbally and in writing).
• Computer literate (Word, Excel, Outlook) and displaying good organisational skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive relationships and work effectively as part of a team.
• Personal Attributes and Commitment:
• Compassionate, caring, patient, and resilient; able to work under pressure.
• Commitment and flexibility to the role, demonstrating honesty and integrity.
• Essential: Driving Licence is required, along with a commitment to providing overnight cover and cover at other company homes as needed.

Additional Benefits and Development

• Training: 100% of all required training is employer-funded, including a comprehensive induction and ongoing Therapeutic Training.
• Career Growth: Clear Career progression available for all roles.
• Perks: Free DBS Check; Refer-a-friend bonus scheme up to £500.00; Casual dress code and team building events