Residential Support Worker

Young Foundations Limited; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Supportive environment

Career development and training

Enhanced maternity package

Fully funded Level 3/4 Health & Social Care qualification

Access to retail discounts

Job summary

Young Foundations Limited is looking for dedicated staff for Meadholme in Tees Valley to provide support for vulnerable children aged 12 to 18. Your role will involve delivering compassionate care and building strong relationships with young people and their families.

This position offers competitive pay, career development opportunities, and a supportive environment. Applicants should possess experience in child care and a deep understanding of individual needs, along with resilience and empathy.

Qualifications

• Experience in a residential or community environment is essential.
• Strong understanding of developmental needs of young people.
• Ability to manage challenging situations with professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Provide compassionate support tailored to individual needs.
• Build trusting relationships with young people and stakeholders.
• Deliver care that meets all legislative standards.

Skills

Experience supporting vulnerable children

Understanding of emotional and behavioral needs

Collaborative team player

Emotional resilience

Excellent interpersonal skills

Job description

Hours of Week: 40 hours

Contract Type: Permanent

Shift Patterns: 7:45am-8pm, 11am-11pm, 7:45pm-8am (Waking Nights)

About Meadholme

Meadholme offers a caring, supportive, and nurturing environment for children and young people who experience a range of needs, including emotional and behavioural difficulties, mental health challenges, and learning disabilities.

Our home provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere with five comfortable bedrooms, designed for young people aged 12 to 18. Each bedroom is thoughtfully personalised to meet individual preferences and promote a sense of safety and belonging. The communal spaces are created to feel homely and encouraging, offering opportunities for young people to develop independence, build life skills, and feel part of a positive, supportive community.

Requirements

Experience supporting vulnerable children or young people, whether in a residential setting or other care, education, or community environments.

A strong understanding of the developmental journey of young people—including their physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and educational needs—and how to support them effectively at each stage.

A collaborative team player who brings empathy, sensitivity, and a genuine motivation to work alongside colleagues to deliver the best outcomes.

Self‑motivated with the ability to inspire others, helping the team stay focused on achieving timeframes, goals, and high‑quality performance.

Emotional resilience and the ability to manage challenging or stressful situations while maintaining professionalism and compassion.

A solid understanding of safeguarding and child protection, including when and how to follow procedures to keep young people safe.

A flexible and adaptable approach, with the ability to respond positively to changing needs and situations.

Excellent interpersonal skills, able to build supportive relationships with young people and communicate confidently with colleagues at all levels.

Responsibilities

Champion the individual needs of every child and young person, bringing their care plans to life through thoughtful, responsive, and compassionate support.

Build strong, trusting partnerships with young people, their families, social workers, and other key agencies—ensuring everyone works together toward positive outcomes.

Deliver high‑quality care that meets all legislative, procedural, and best‑practice standards, supporting each young person with professionalism and integrity.

Prioritise the safety, wellbeing, and dignity of young people at all times, acting decisively and responsibly to protect them from harm.

Play an active role in shaping and reviewing care, health, and education plans, offering insight, attending planning meetings, and contributing to progress reviews.

Stay confident and knowledgeable in safeguarding responsibilities, maintaining up‑to‑date understanding of all relevant legislation, guidance, policies, and procedures.

Help create a warm, welcoming, and nurturing environment, ensuring spaces feel safe, comfortable, and supportive of positive social care practice.

What We Offer

• A rewarding career you can be truly proud of
• A supportive environment that is committed to helping you flourish and deliver excellent care to the people we support
• Competitive pay
• Career development and training
• Enhanced maternity package
• Enhanced annual leave
• Fully funded Level 3/4 Health & Social Care qualification
• Access to retail discounts via Blue Light Scheme

Young Foundations is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks in line with our safeguarding policy. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references, right to work checks and any other necessary checks.

Meadholme is a small home set in the heart of Darlington which can offer five children twenty four hours support in a place of safety, stability and warmth.

The onus that Meadholme places on family is at the heart of the home with the ethos that each and every day offers a new opportunity to achieve, learn and thrive.

The children and young people who live at Meadholme often arrive with complex issues, resulting from difficult, unpredictable, childhood experiences.