Residential Support Worker – Children’s Homes

Proud to Care Devon; England; Hybrid; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A dedicated children's support service in the UK is seeking compassionate individuals for a rewarding role in their Children's Homes. You will support children with complex needs, helping them achieve their personal goals while creating a positive atmosphere. The position requires resilience, adaptability, and the ability to engage effectively. The role involves shift work including evenings and weekends, offering competitive hourly pay with enhancements. A full UK driving license and vehicle access are mandatory.

Qualifications

• Candidates must be resilient and reflective, with an understanding of the role's challenges.
• A full UK driving license and access to a vehicle are essential.
• Fluency in English is required for all spoken aspects of the role.

Responsibilities

• Support children and young people in achieving personal goals.
• Assist children with daily tasks and life skills.
• Create a positive atmosphere and participate in activities.

Skills

Ability to engage and build positive relationships with children and young people

Remaining calm in challenging situations

Able to implement boundaries

Able to adapt and respond quickly

Job description

We are currently recruiting to our homes across Devon. Working within our Children’s Homes is one of the most rewarding career choices you will make. If you have the drive and dedication, then you will enjoy an exciting and rewarding career with us.

Our Children’s Homes are registered with Ofsted and provide support for children and young people with complex needs, ensuring their individual care plans and needs are met. The ethos of the service is to provide children with a home-from-home experience, enhance and promote their independence, and help prepare them for the next stages of their life.

The role includes:

• Supporting children and young people achieve their personal wishes and goals.
• Assisting with daily tasks and life skills.
• Striving for aspirational outcomes for the children.
• Creating a fun and positive atmosphere.
• Organising and taking part in activities.
• Being proactive and innovative in seeking new methods to engage.

Personal qualities:

• Ability to engage and build positive relationships with children and young people.
• Remaining calm in challenging situations.
• Able to implement boundaries.
• Able to adapt and respond quickly.

This is an enjoyable and rewarding position for someone who is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children and their families.

Pay and enhancements:

• Hourly: £13.90 – £14.82
• Overnight: £18.53 – £19.76
• Saturday: £20.85 – £22.23
• Sunday & bank holiday: £27.80 – £29.64
• 37 hours per week, plus enhancements (up to £4,000 per year)

If you are successful at interview and decide to join our service, it is important to remember that we are more than just a job. In our roles we have the privilege of supporting children with complex needs, and this comes with both celebration and significant challenge.

To become a successful member of our service we ask that people are resilient, reflective and understand that the responsibilities in the role can be challenging. Very often our busiest times are during school holidays, so staff should not take more than two weeks of annual leave during this period. We also have strict limits on how many staff can have time off at any one time.

It is important to understand that you will need to work shift patterns, including late nights, early mornings and overnight stays to support individual children. All staff must hold a full driving licence, be able to drive with access to your own vehicle, have a valid UK driving licence and hold business insurance. We do not offer visa sponsorship for this post.

Applications may not be taken forwards if the supporting statement is not adequately completed. Please ensure when completing your application that you provide a supporting statement which demonstrates how you meet the essential and desirable criteria as described in the job description.

Interviews for these roles will take place on 15th January 2026. If you do not hear back within 7 days of the closing date, then you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Internal Applicants: If you are an existing DCC employee, please use your iTrent Employee Self Service (ESS) details to log in and apply.

Happy to Talk – Flexible Working. The Council offers flexible working arrangements in terms of when and where people work (e.g., hybrid working, part‑time, condensed hours, etc.).

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English, as well as a DBS disclosure.

Does the job role include personal care?: No

Working Patterns:

We work on a 3 shift per 24‑hour basis (AM/PM/Nights or Sleep‑Ins) and our homes are open up to 365 days a year.
07:00 to 14:45
14:30 to 22:00
Sleep from 22:00 to 07:00