Residential Support Worker - Children's

Health Recruit Network; Northampton; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 21,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Loyalty bonus after 12 months

Health and wellbeing contribution

Restaurant vouchers

Pension scheme

Employee discounts

Discounted or free food

Casual dress

Flexible scheduling

Training and development

Job summary

Health Recruit Network is seeking a Residential Support Worker for a children’s home in Northampton. You will provide day‑to‑day care and therapeutic support to children and young people, helping them feel safe, valued and understood.

You’ll work with a dedicated team, implement care plans, promote education and independence, and maintain accurate records. NVQ Level 3 in Residential Childcare is required; driving license essential; flexible shifts including evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• Must hold NVQ Level 3 in Residential Childcare (or equivalent).
• Previous experience working with children or young people in residential childcare.
• Experience supporting young people with complex needs or challenging behaviour.
• Ability to remain calm, patient and professional in difficult situations.
• Sound safeguarding and child protection knowledge.
• Knowledge of Children Act 1989 and 2004; multi‑agency working principles.

Responsibilities

• Provide day‑to‑day care and emotional support to children and young people with complex needs.
• Build positive, trusting relationships and act as a positive role model.
• Support young people with emotional/behavioural difficulties and develop coping strategies.
• Maintain routines, boundaries and expectations to promote stability and respect.
• Act as key worker for allocated young people and contribute to care planning and reviews.
• Encourage educational engagement and personal development; support daily living skills.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Record keeping

Emotional resilience

Driving licence

Safeguarding awareness

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Residential Childcare (or equivalent)

Job description

Residential Support Worker – Children's Residential Home

Location: NorthamptonPay: £13.00–£14.50 per hourJob type: Full-time Make a real difference in a young person's life We are working in partnership with a specialist provider of therapeutic residential childcare to recruit a Residential Support Worker for a children's home in the Northampton area. This is an opportunity to help children and young people overcome challenges, develop confidence and life skills, and achieve positive outcomes in a safe, stable and supportive environment. We're looking for caring, resilient and motivated individuals who have previous experience supporting children or young people in a residential setting, including those with complex needs and emotional or behavioural difficulties. If you're passionate about making a meaningful difference and want to help young people build brighter futures, this could be the right opportunity for you.

What’s on offer?

• £13.00–£14.50 per hour
• £500 loyalty bonus after 12 months of service
• £25 monthly contribution towards health and wellbeing, which can be used for eligible activities such as gym membership, private medical or dental cover, spa treatments and other wellbeing activities
• Monthly restaurant and takeaway vouchers
• Access to employee support and wellbeing services through BrightHR
• Company pension scheme
• Employee discounts
• Discounted or free food
• Casual dress
• Flexible scheduling, subject to the needs of the home and shift rota
• Ongoing training, supervision and opportunities to work towards a relevant childcare qualification

The role: Residential Support Worker

Working as part of a dedicated team, you'll provide day-to-day care and therapeutic support to children and young people, helping them feel safe, valued and understood. Every young person has individual needs, experiences and goals. Your role will be to provide consistent support, build trusting relationships and help them develop the skills and confidence needed for greater independence.

Key responsibilities

• Provide consistent, high-quality care and emotional support to children and young people with complex needs.
• Build positive, trusting relationships and act as a positive role model.
• Support young people who may experience emotional and behavioural difficulties, helping them manage challenging situations and develop positive coping strategies.
• Maintain appropriate routines, boundaries and expectations, promoting respect, stability and positive relationships.
• Act as a key worker for allocated young people, implementing individual care plans and contributing to reviews, assessments and care planning.
• Encourage educational engagement, personal development and achievement.
• Support daily living skills, including personal care where required, cooking, household tasks and developing independence.
• Organise and participate in recreational, social and educational activities.
• Work collaboratively with families, social workers, education professionals and other relevant agencies.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records, reports and daily documentation.
• Follow safeguarding policies, care standards, risk assessments and safe working procedures.
• Attend team meetings, supervision, training sessions, appraisals and children's reviews.
• Keep up to date with relevant childcare legislation, policies and good practice.

What we're looking for

• Must Hold NVQ Level 3 in Residential Childcare (or equivalent)
• Previous experience working with children or young people in a residential childcare setting.
• Experience supporting young people with complex needs, emotional and behavioural difficulties or challenging behaviour.
• The ability to remain calm, patient and professional when supporting young people through difficult situations or crises.
• A sound understanding of safeguarding and child protection.
• Knowledge of the Children Act 1989 and 2004 and the principles of multi‑agency working.
• Strong communication, teamwork, written and record‑keeping skills.
• The ability to build positive professional relationships with young people, families and external professionals.
• Good emotional awareness and the ability to respond appropriately to different behaviours and individual needs.
• The ability to work independently, use your initiative and follow guidance from managers.
• Flexibility to work shifts, including evenings, weekends, sleep‑in duties and periods supporting children's holidays.
• A full, current driving licence, as driving is an essential requirement of the role.
• A genuine commitment to safeguarding, safe care and helping young people achieve their potential.