Senior Children's Residential Worker

Surrey County Council; Walton-on-Thames, Woking, Epsom, Guildford; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in Walton-on-Thames is seeking a committed Senior Residential Worker to provide care and support to vulnerable children. The ideal candidate will possess a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare and will be responsible for creating nurturing environments. This position offers a starting salary of £33,552 per annum and various benefits including generous holiday allowances and a relocation bonus.

Benefits

26 days' holiday

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Relocation bonus of up to £8,000

Qualifications

• Experience of direct work with children or vulnerable groups.
• Valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Support children in their everyday lives as part of a nurturing team.
• Build effective relationships and coordinate activities for the children.
• Maintain clear, up-to-date records and reports.

Skills

Empathy

Communication

Resilience

Education

Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare or equivalent

Job description

• Salary: £33,552 - £35,763 per annum plus enhanced rates of pay for weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins
• Category: Care - Children and Young People
• Contract type: Permanent
• Working hours: 36 hours per week
• Posted on: 24 October 2025
• Location: Guildford, Woking, Redhill, & Walton on Thames

Description

The starting salary is £33,552 per annum based on a 36-hour week plus enhanced rates of pay for occasional weekends, bank holidays and sleep in duties.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Relocation bonus of up to £8,000
• Refer a friend payment of £750 as a thank you for finding the right residential worker

We have opportunities to join our homes located across Surrey in Guildford, Woking, Redhill, and Walton on Thames.

Our Senior Residential Workers turn our Residential Houses into Homes.

We want our homes to be exceptional for the children we are entrusted to care for. It's what we strive to provide and what our children deserve.

We want our homes to be nurturing, fun and inspirational places where our young people feel safe to be themselves and can rely on us to guide, care, and support them to grow and thrive whatever their challenges.

Building effective relationships, co-ordinating activities and holidays, creating meaningful care plans, working together with partner organisations, writing reports and ensuring records are kept clear and up to date are some of the ways our Senior Residential Workers support our children.

Like all supportive, caring, and compassionate home environments; no two days are the same, they throw up complex and challenging situations and are on 24/7 - 365 days of the year. So, let's be honest, if you are looking for a 9-5 job which is straight forward and predictable, you might want to sit this one out.

There will be swearing, shouting, and the occasional tear. But there will also be happiness, laughter, and smiles. There will be reward for hard work, determination and resilience, knowing that you make a difference.

Along with a dedicated and committed team we will provide you with opportunities for ongoing learning and development through a culture of high support that enables you to grow your career within our Residential service at Surrey.

So, if you think you have what it takes, can match our energy to be exceptional, and are ready to expand your experience with us at Surrey we (and our children) really want to hear from you.

To apply you will need to upload your CV and answer the following questions:

• Looking at our advert please tell us what it is about the role that has motivated you to apply?
• Please tell us about the relevant experience or transferable skills you have in relation to this role?
• What three qualities do you have that would make you a good Support Worker and why will these be important?
• Please tell us how you would you handle a situation where challenging behaviour was present? Please offer a relevant example if you can.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

Working in our homes represents a unique opportunity to support our children and young people with their everyday lives. To do this safely you will be asked to tell us about any allergies you have that may need to be reasonably managed to ensure your safety and wellbeing with minimal impact to the children and young people we care for.

Our Requirements

Due to our legal obligations, we can only accept applications from people 22 years old and above.

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and our residential workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle, to support our young people to attend appointments, activities or trips as agreed. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

To be considered for our Senior Residential Worker role you will need to hold a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (Residential Worker) or equivalent and have some experience of direct work with children or vulnerable groups.

If you don't currently hold a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare then please consider applying as a Residential Support Worker first and we can support you with the rest!

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. If you have any questions about these roles please contact Sarah Muzzall via email at [e-mail]

What Next?

Applications will be reviewed and considered on an ongoing basis. If your application is shortlisted, you will be invited to a short first round virtual interview to explore your answers to the above questions (lasting approx. 10-15 min), and if successful following this, invited to meet us at one of our homes for an interview.

We will be reviewing applications on an ongoing basis so feel free to submit an application as soon as you wish, and we will come back to you as quickly as possible.

An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role.

We are committed to the safe recruitment of staff in our Residential homes across Surrey therefore if you are successful in being offered a role within our service, we will work with you to collect all required checks in line with government guidance. You can find out more about what information you will be asked to provide HERE.

Our Behaviours

The Surrey Way behaviours are a guide that supports our council to work together effectively and deliver our best for our customers and communities, and for each other. Discover more about our behaviours.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of these new councils, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.