Senior Residential Support Worker (23138)

Barnardo's; Leicester; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Barnardo's in Leicestershire is seeking a Senior Residential Children & Young People’s Worker to support the day‑to‑day operation of the home and lead shifts. You will be a positive role model, delivering high‑quality care and ensuring safeguarding remains central to practice.

You will work within a trauma-informed, attachment‑aware framework, building trusting relationships with children and young people aged 8–18, while supporting their emotional wellbeing and personal development.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children and young people in residential care.
• Experience of leading shifts and supporting colleagues.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and professional boundaries.
• Excellent communication, leadership and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to stay calm in challenging situations.
• Strong organisational and recording skills.
• Commitment to reflective practice and professional development.
• A Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare, or commitment to achieving this within the required timeframe.

Responsibilities

• Build positive, nurturing relationships with children and young people.
• Support emotional wellbeing, education, routines and independence.
• Lead shifts and supervise Residential Support Workers.
• Promote safeguarding and professional practice.
• Support care planning, reviews and outcomes.
• Develop partnerships with parents, carers, social workers and professionals.
• Ensure accurate recording and reporting.
• Contribute to smooth home operation and community activities.
• Promote a positive team culture and reflective practice.

Skills

Experience with children

Leading shifts

Safeguarding

Communication skills

Leadership

Organisational skills

Reflective practice

Education

Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare

Job description

Ready for Your Next Leadership Challenge?

Do you have experience working with children and young people in residential care? Are you passionate about helping young people overcome adversity and achieve positive outcomes? Do you enjoy supporting colleagues, leading by example, and making a lasting difference?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join our Emotional Well-being Home in Leicestershire as a Senior Residential Children & Young People's Worker on a full-time, permanent basis.

About the Service

Barnardo's, the UK's largest children's charity, works in partnership with Leicestershire County Council to provide high-quality residential care for some of the county's most vulnerable children and young people.

Our homes provide safe, stable and nurturing environments for children and young people aged 8–18 who may have experienced trauma, disrupted attachments, loss, neglect, or other complex life experiences. We support a small number of young people at any one time, enabling us to provide highly individualised care and build meaningful relationships that promote emotional wellbeing, resilience, confidence and independence.

Our practice is rooted in trauma-informed, attachment-aware and relationship-based approaches. We believe every child deserves to feel safe, valued, listened to and supported to achieve their full potential.

Whilst this home will be your primary base, flexibility is required as there may occasionally be opportunities to support other residential services across Leicestershire.

About the Role

As a Senior Residential Children & Young People's Worker, you will play a key role in supporting the day-to-day operation of the home and providing leadership during shifts.

Working alongside the management team, you will help create a safe, nurturing and structured environment where children and young people can thrive. You will act as a positive role model, supporting colleagues to deliver high-quality care and ensuring that safeguarding remains at the centre of practice.

Key Responsibilities

You will:

• Build positive, trusting and nurturing relationships with children and young people.
• Support children and young people with their emotional wellbeing, education, daily routines, independence skills and personal development.
• Lead shifts and provide guidance and support to Residential Support Workers.
• Promote high standards of care, safeguarding and professional practice.
• Support key-working, care planning, reviews and outcome-focused interventions.
• Develop effective partnerships with parents, carers, social workers, education providers and other professionals.
• Ensure accurate, timely and professional recording and reporting.
• Contribute to the smooth running of the home, including household responsibilities and community activities.
• Promote a positive team culture that supports reflective practice and continuous improvement.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for people who are compassionate, resilient, emotionally intelligent and committed to achieving positive outcomes for children and young people.

To be successful in this role, you will be able to demonstrate:

• Experience working with children and young people within a residential care setting.
• Experience of leading shifts and supporting colleagues within a care environment.
• A strong understanding of safeguarding, child protection and professional boundaries.
• Excellent communication, leadership and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to remain calm and effective in challenging situations.
• Strong organisational and recording skills.
• A commitment to reflective practice, learning and professional development.
• A Level 3 qualification relevant to Residential Childcare, or a commitment to achieving this within the required timeframe.

Why Join Barnardo's?

Working for Barnardo's offers the opportunity to:

• Make a genuine difference to children's lives every day.
• Receive ongoing training, development and professional support.
• Develop your leadership skills within a supportive environment.
• Access opportunities for career progression into Deputy Manager and Registered Manager roles.
• Be part of a values-led organisation that places children, safeguarding and positive outcomes at the heart of everything we do.

No two days are the same. You will have the opportunity to celebrate achievements, support children and young people through challenges, and play an important role in helping them build confidence, resilience and hope for the future.

For more information about this role, please contact Elisha Shamba – [e-mail]

When completing your application, please refer to your skills, knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification, Job Description and Additional Information document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described.

Please note that due to the high volume of applications received for some posts, this advert may close before the advertised closing date. We therefore encourage interested applicants to apply as soon as possible.