Residential Support Worker - Development Programme

Durham County Council; North East; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in North East England is offering a temporary opportunity for Residential Support Workers. The role focuses on providing care and support in Children's Homes, requiring candidates to engage with young people and develop necessary skills. An attractive salary of £26,403 – £28,598 is offered, alongside comprehensive training and potential career progression. Candidates must demonstrate resilience and a commitment to child-centred practice.

Benefits

Comprehensive training programme

Enhanced rates for unsociable hours

Sleep-in payments

Qualifications

• Candidates must complete the Sector-Based Academy Programme.
• Ability to work with challenging behaviours and be a positive role model.
• Readiness to develop skills through training.

Responsibilities

• Engage with children and young people in activities.
• Build relationships and meet their day-to-day needs.
• Collaborate as part of a multi-agency team.

Skills

Child-centred practice

Resilience

Effective communication

Education

Level 2 qualifications in Maths and English

Apprenticeship Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare qualification

Job description

Residential Support Workers – Temporary 12 Month development opportunity

Salary: £26,403 – £28,598 plus enhancements, including time and a third for unsociable hours and overtime.

The Role

We are excited to offer an opportunity to people who are interested in developing a career in our Children’s Homes Service. This role is designed to develop your knowledge, skills and experience by working in our children’s homes, providing care and support to our children and young people.

You will be expected to engage with our children and young people in a range of activities, build relationships and meet their day‑to‑day needs. You will learn and develop the skills and knowledge required to work as part of a multi‑agency team and safeguard our young people.

Successful candidates will receive a robust induction and significant training opportunities, including completion of a Sector‑Based Academy Programme. The contract is temporary for 12 months from the start date, after which you can progress to a residential worker position within our career pathway.

What you will need

We are looking for child‑centred practitioners who can be a positive role model. You should be able to demonstrate resilience and work effectively with challenging behaviours. You must be willing to complete the following requirements as part of the development programme:

• Completed the Sector‑Based Academy Programme within required timescales.
• Completed Level 2 qualifications in Maths and English during the Support Worker role—if you do not hold GCSEs or equivalent.
• Worked towards an apprenticeship Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare qualification, subject to progression to a Residential Worker position.

The role involves a mixture of shifts, including weekdays, evenings, weekends and sleep‑in duties as approved. You will be paid enhanced rates for un‑sociable hours (8 pm‑6 am and weekends) and sleep‑in payments at £41.78 per sleep‑in.

Our offer to you

• Comprehensive training programme to support your development.
• Competitive rewards and benefits—the full details can be found in our Rewards and Benefits information.

Interviews are anticipated on 11 or 12 December 2025, and a guaranteed interview scheme is available for candidates who meet essential criteria and are a disability, looked‑after young person, care leaver or veteran.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION

We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.

HOW TO APPLY

We do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria. If you require assistance, contact our Recruitment Helpdesk at 03000 26 27 27 or via email [e-mail].

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