Residential Support Worker (Casual)

London Borough of Sutton; Sutton; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government council in Sutton is seeking compassionate Residential Care Support Workers dedicated to transforming lives. In this role, you will provide safe care to children in residential homes and lead engaging activities that foster social and emotional development. Ideal candidates should possess empathy and resilience and have experience working with young people. This position includes flexible hours and the opportunity to study for a funded NVQ Level 3 in health and social care.

Benefits

Opportunities for further training

Flexible working hours

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Capacity to connect with teenagers and demonstrate empathy.
• Experience in a residential setting with children preferred.
• Ability to use creative methods to communicate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Provide day‑to‑day safe and secure care for children.
• Encourage participation in activities promoting development.
• Support therapeutic and developmental needs of residents.

Skills

Compassionate

Empathy

Patience

Resilience

Education

Experience working with children or young people

NVQ Level 3 in health and social care (preferred)

Job description

About the Role and our Ideal Candidate

Our Residential Care Support Workers transform lives. Our objective is to apply a restorative approach to achieving the best outcomes for children in our care. Following significant Council investment and the continued growth and success of our Residential Services, we are proud to announce new and exciting opportunities to join us as a Residential Care Support Worker on a flexible hours contract. Working across 3 homes in the locality of Sutton, you will form part of a dedicated, supportive team responsible for providing the day‑to‑day safe and secure care of the children at our residential homes. Keeping the children engaged and occupied, you’ll encourage and participate in fun, enriching activities with the young people in a safe and inclusive environment.

Our Residential Care Support Workers understand the importance of getting it right for our young people and offering them the best we can by applying knowledge and research into practice and working innovatively to understand the impact of trauma; we are committed to the highest quality of care. We believe in nurturing positive relationships and are wholly dedicated to never giving up on a child. Our new Residential Strategy seeks to bring children closer to families and the communities that they know, living in high quality provision designed around them. We are looking for Residential Care Support Workers who will be fully supported by hands‑on and committed managers, great access to training and a support network including our integrated youth services.

Responsibilities

• Provide day‑to‑day safe and secure care for children in residential homes.
• Encourage and participate in fun, enriching activities that promote social, emotional and educational development.
• Lead dynamic evening routines and activities to holistically support the needs of the young people.
• Apply a restorative practice and trauma‑informed model to help teenagers make sense of their backgrounds and find a positive way forward.
• Maintain consistent, respectful boundaries and deliver consistent care as a supportive role model.
• Work flexible shifts, including late afternoon, evenings, weekends, bank holidays and sleep‑in duties.
• Continuously explore new ways of engaging and achieving positive outcomes for young people.
• Support the multi‑agency team to meet the therapeutic and developmental needs of residents.

About You

• Compassionate individuals with the capacity to connect with teenagers, demonstrating empathy, patience and resilience.
• Experience working with children or young people in a residential setting preferred.
• Ability to find and use creative ways to communicate with children, quick to learn and willing to work flexibly and innovatively to meet changing and challenging needs.
• Ability to form trusted relationships with young people in your care by supporting them with their social and emotional development, educational achievement, whilst setting boundaries and bringing consistency to their lives as any good parent would.
• Applying a restorative practice and trauma‑informed model as a therapeutic form of intervention to help teenagers make sense of their backgrounds and find a positive way forward. Full training is given which fosters skills and expertise around therapeutically working with and supporting children who have experienced developmental trauma.
• Willing to work flexibly as part of a varied shift pattern which will be late afternoon, evenings and weekends, and on nights, weekends, bank holidays and sleep‑in duties.
• Willing to be innovative and creative in practice and approach and continually explore new ways of engaging and achieving positive outcomes for young people.
• Opportunities to study for a fully‑funded NVQ Level 3 health and social care in a residential setting; additional payments are paid for out‑of‑hours work.

About Us

We work within children’s social care's well‑established restorative practice and trauma‑informed model. Sutton is fully committed to training which fosters skills and expertise around therapeutically working with and supporting children who have experienced developmental trauma. All staff will be required to undertake restorative practice and trauma informed practice training. We expect our Residential Care Support workers to offer dynamic evening routines and activities to holistically support the needs of the young people at Willow Rise. We are a registered provision and we expect to achieve outstanding status.

Our Residential Care Homes

We offer those young people that have experienced traumatic life events a home where they can be nurtured and supported with a shared vision of determination for a positive future. Supported by a multi‑agency team who are passionate about helping these young people find their strengths and explore what they want to achieve with their lives, our homes are a uniquely dynamic and supportive place to be.