Secure Childrens Home Support Worker (Weekends)

Hampshire County Council; Romsey; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Part time

Job summary

Swanwick Lodge is a specialist, secure residential home looking after up to ten children with complex attachment, mental health and behavioural needs. Hampshire County Council is recruiting eight weekend Secure Residential Support Workers to join the team.

You will work Saturdays and Sundays, 17 hours per weekend, shift times 07:30–16:00 or 14:00–22:30, with training provided and ongoing development. This role offers salary enhancements and market supplement.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children, young people or adults in residential or secure settings is an advantage but not essential.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to remain calm and consistent in challenging situations.

Responsibilities

• Provide a structured, caring environment as a therapeutic parent.
• Engage with on-site education and health teams to support activities.
• Attend mandatory induction and weekend training sessions.
• Work Saturdays and Sundays, including bank holidays, 17 hours per weekend.

Skills

Empathy

Patience

Emotional intelligence

Resilience

Job description

Overview

Eight new posts are available for Secure Residential Support Workers during weekend hours only and not required to commit to weekday hours (except for mandatory training).

The Role

You will work Saturdays and Sundays, including bank holidays, 17 hours every weekend or alternative weekends. Shift times start at 07:30 – 16:00 and 14:00 – 22:30, with a combination of these start times across the weekend. Salary, market supplement and enhancements apply to this weekend role.

Swanwick Lodge is a specialist, secure residential home looking after up to ten children with complex attachment, mental health and behavioural needs. Rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2024, it provides a safe, secure and therapeutic environment for some of our most vulnerable young people.

What you’ll do

This is an incredibly rewarding role where you help children recover from difficult life experiences. You will join an exceptional team of dedicated carers, working together to provide a highly structured, stimulating and caring environment within our well-appointed home. Your focus will be to act as a therapeutic parent and a role model to our children, forming positive, trusting relationships that enable them to feel safe and cared for. You will work with our on-site education and health and wellbeing team to engage in activities that interest both the children and staff. You will need to have a great deal of patience, empathy and understanding, with the ability to be consistent, kind and respectful, even in the face of challenging behaviour.

You will be provided with all the training you need, as well as ongoing training and support to develop both your personal and professional skills.

What we’re looking for

We are looking for people who are passionate about helping children. You should be emotionally intelligent and resilient, and physically able to undertake the role and the training. Experience of working with children, young people or adults within a residential, secure or similar setting is an advantage but not essential.

When you start, the first four weeks include a thorough induction programme that includes mandatory training. You will work Saturdays and Sundays, including bank holidays, 17 hours every weekend or alternative weekends. Shift times start at 07:30 – 16:00 and 14:00 – 22:30, with a combination of these start times across the weekend. Salary, market supplement and enhancements apply to this weekend role.

Please note: We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role and therefore it is essential that you already have the right to work in the UK before applying.