Residential Support Worker - The Poplars

Hexagon Care Services; North East; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Death in Service

On-site parking

Electric vehicle scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Blue Light Card

Long Service Payments

Cycle to Work Scheme

Ofsted outstanding bonus payment

Pension

Job summary

Hexagon Care Services Ltd is seeking a compassionate Residential Support Worker for The Poplars Children’s Home in Houghton Le Spring. You will support young people with daily activities, appointments and routines as part of a skilled team focused on positive outcomes.

The role involves safeguarding high standards of care, and you will help create a safe, nurturing home environment while working with a professional therapy team to support children in your care.

Qualifications

• Must have genuine passion for safeguarding and supporting young people.
• Ability to lead by example and share best practices with the team.
• Experience with managing challenging behaviours in a care setting.
• Flexibility to work shifts, including evenings, weekends and sleep-ins.

Responsibilities

• Support young people with daily activities, appointments and routines.
• Manage behaviours with professional support when needed.
• Create a safe, nurturing home environment for the young people.
• Collaborate with therapy and psychology teams to implement boundaries and strategies.

Skills

Safeguarding

Motivating and inspiring

Lead by example

Experience with challenging behaviour

Flexible shifts

Job description

Job Summary

Job Title: Residential Support Worker
Location: The Poplars Children’s Home – Houghton Le Spring, DH4
Hours: 40.5 hours per week
Salary: £27,525 - £31,375 (depending on experience and qualifications)
Earnings: £30,125 - £33,975 (based on 5 sleep-ins per month)
Shift Pattern: 1 shift on, 2 shifts off
Shift Start Times: Sleep in shift 10:00-23:00 (then sleep) followed by 07:00-10:30 following day (this includes handover)

Long day shift - 07:30-22:00 There maybe an occasion when the sleep-in shift finishing at 10:30 may be followed by a long day shift 07:00-22:00. this is the 11th shift allocated by the manager and usually happens once per month.
Annual Leave Entitlement: 243 hours
Desirable Criteria: Driving License*

About Hexagon Care

Hexagon Care Services is a national provider of residential care, education, and therapy for young people. With over 80 homes and schools across England, we collaborate closely with local authorities to provide specialised services, including therapeutic care, crisis intervention, and support for children with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. Our mission is to offer safe, stable environments where young people can build resilience and develop skills for a brighter future.

The Role

We are seeking a compassionate and dedicated Residential Support Worker to join our team at The Poplars Children’s Home. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is passionate about supporting young people and working alongside an experienced, skilled team of professionals. You will help provide essential support to young people in care, assisting them with daily activities, appointments, and behavioural management, all while creating a positive and nurturing home environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Support young people in a range of activities, including cooking, cleaning, outings, and taking part in games and appointments.
• Manage challenging behaviours effectively and professionally, with support from senior staff and therapeutic services.
• Create a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment for young people, ensuring they feel heard and valued.
• Collaborate with psychologists and the therapy team to establish appropriate boundaries and strategies for supporting the children in your care.

What We’re Looking For

• A genuine passion for safeguarding, motivating, and inspiring young people.
• Ability to demonstrate and lead by example, sharing best practices with your team.
• Experience with challenging behaviour, with the ability to handle such situations calmly and professionally.
• Flexibility to work shifts, including evenings, weekends, and sleep-ins.

Benefits of Working at Hexagon Care Services

• Death in Service (4x salary)
• Free, on-site parking
• Electric vehicle scheme
• Free access to Employee Assistance Programme
• Blue Light Card
• Long Service Payments
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Ofsted outstanding bonus payment
• Pension

What Our Ofsted Inspection Says

“One social worker said the manager is ‘excellent’ and the care provided is ‘exceptional’.”
“It’s great here. They really care about us, and it feels like a family.” – Child
“Staff love working in the home and feel fully supported by the manager.”

Additional Information

We are committed to being fair and non-discriminatory in our recruitment practices. Where a service already has sufficient drivers in post, we will do all we reasonably can to accommodate applicants who do not drive, and in those instances, the driving requirement may be considered desirable rather than essential. However, as a care provider, the safety, welfare, and needs of the young people we support must always take priority, as such, this may mean that driving may be listed as being essential for some of our posts.

Please note, Hexagon Care Services does not hold a sponsorship licence and as such we are unable to support any candidates who do not already have right to work. If you are applying to a permanent position, if you have right to work but with an expiry date, we are more than welcome to receive your application but please note you would only be eligible for an interim contract linked to your RTW expiry.

All hiring managers at Hexagon Care Services are trained by safer recruitment consortium accredited trainers, and all positions in regulated activity with children will be required to undergo safer recruitment and onboarding checks prior to commencement. This will include an enhanced DBS and/or children’s barred list check.

Job Profile Job Profile document