Senior Support Worker - Fivehead

Shaw Trust; Taunton; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Ofsted Bonus Scheme

Annual Attendance Bonus

Enhanced Family Friendly Leave

Awards & Recognition Vouchers

Induction and training

Leadership development

Funded qualifications and progression

Clinical support

28 days annual leave

Free meals on shift

Wellbeing support

Job summary

Homes2Inspire is recruiting a Senior Residential Support Worker for a 3-bed therapeutic children’s home in Henlade, Somerset, near Taunton. You will provide leadership, stability, and consistent care to children who have experienced trauma, while leading shifts and developing staff within a supportive team.

The role requires emotional resilience, strong safeguarding, and the ability to work evenings, weekends, sleep-ins, and holidays.

Qualifications

• A minimum of one year's experience working with children and young people.
• A Level 3 qualification recognised by Ofsted.
• Experience supporting children with complex needs and behaviours that challenge.
• Confidence leading shifts and supporting colleagues.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills.
• Emotional resilience and a calm approach under pressure.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, sleep-ins, and bank holidays.
• A full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Leading shifts and supporting Residential Support Workers.
• Promoting trauma-informed, relationship-based practice.
• Supporting children's emotional wellbeing, safety, and development.
• Managing and responding appropriately to behaviours that challenge.
• Ensuring safeguarding is at the centre of all decision-making.
• Supporting care planning, risk management, and positive outcomes.
• Completing records, reports, and safeguarding documentation to a high standard.
• Working collaboratively with families, social workers, schools, and clinicians.
• Coaching, mentoring, and supporting less experienced colleagues.

Skills

Leadership

Safeguarding

Communication

Problem-solving

Emotional resilience

Driving licence

Flexibility

Team support

Education

Level 3 qualification recognised by Ofsted

Job description

Senior Residential Support Worker

Location: Henlade, Somerset

Contract: Full Time, Permanent

Salary: £32,742 - £34,737 per annum (£15.74 - £16.70 per hour)

Sleep-In Payment: £50.00 per sleep-in

Ready to Take the Next Step in Residential Childcare?

Are you an experienced Residential Support Worker looking to progress your career? Do you have the resilience, leadership skills, and passion needed to support children who have experienced trauma, adversity, and disruption?

We're looking for a Senior Residential Support Worker to join our 3-bed therapeutic children's home in Henlade, Somerset, helping to provide leadership, stability, and consistency for both children and colleagues.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys supporting children directly whilst helping to lead shifts, develop staff, and maintain high standards of care.

About The Role

As a Senior Residential Support Worker, you'll play a key role in the day-to-day running of the home, working closely with the management team to ensure children receive safe, high-quality, trauma-informed care.

You'll act as a role model for the wider team, supporting colleagues, leading shifts, and creating a nurturing environment where children can feel safe, develop trusting relationships, and achieve positive outcomes.

Our homes support children with complex emotional and behavioural needs, therefore this role requires emotional resilience, sound decision-making, and the ability to remain calm during challenging situations.

What You'll Be Doing

• Leading shifts and supporting Residential Support Workers.
• Promoting trauma-informed, relationship-based practice.
• Supporting children's emotional wellbeing, safety, and development.
• Managing and responding appropriately to behaviours that challenge.
• Ensuring safeguarding is at the centre of all decision-making.
• Supporting care planning, risk management, and positive outcomes.
• Completing records, reports, and safeguarding documentation to a high standard.
• Working collaboratively with families, social workers, schools, and clinicians.
• Coaching, mentoring, and supporting less experienced colleagues.

About Our Henlade Home

Our 3-bed children's home in Henlade provides a safe, nurturing, and therapeutic environment for children who have experienced significant trauma and instability.

Situated just outside Taunton, the home offers children access to education, leisure activities, and community opportunities whilst benefiting from the stability and consistency of a small residential setting. Our dedicated team works together to help children develop confidence, resilience, and positive aspirations for the future.

The home is easily accessible from Taunton, Wellington, Bridgwater, Ilminster, Chard, Burnham-on-Sea, and surrounding Somerset areas.

What You'll Bring

• A minimum of one year's experience working with children and young people.
• A Level 3 qualification recognised by Ofsted.
• Experience supporting children with complex needs and behaviours that challenge.
• Confidence leading shifts and supporting colleagues.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills.
• Emotional resilience and a calm approach under pressure.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, sleep-ins, and bank holidays.
• A full UK driving licence.

What We Offer

• Salary of £32,742 - £34,737 per annum (£15.74 - £16.70 per hour).
• £50.00 per sleep-in.
• Ofsted Bonus Scheme for homes achieving Good or Outstanding inspection outcomes.
• Annual Attendance Bonus.
• Enhanced Family Friendly Leave.
• Award and Recognition Vouchers celebrating outstanding performance and achievements.
• Comprehensive induction and ongoing training.
• Leadership development opportunities.
• Funded qualifications and career progression pathways.
• Clinical support through our Homes & Horizons therapeutic model.
• 28 days annual leave, increasing with service.
• Free meals whilst on shift.
• Unum Healthcare, providing healthcare reimbursements, remote GP access, wellbeing resources, and mental health support.
• Aviva Digicare, including Digital GP consultations, annual health checks, and mental health assessments.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and wellbeing support.
• Life assurance.
• Blue Light Card membership.
• Shopping, cinema, travel, and leisure discounts.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Refer a Friend Scheme.
• Christmas recognition vouchers and long-service awards.

Important Information

All successful candidates will be subject to pre-employment safer recruitment checks in line with Ofsted regulatory requirements and the Homes2Inspire Safer Recruitment Policy.

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Candidate applications will be reviewed regularly, and we reserve the right to interview and appoint before the advertised closing date.

Due to partnership working with Somerset Council, personal information provided during the recruitment process may be shared with partner organisations.

Interviews for this role will take place in person during planned assessment days. Please contact our Careers Team if you require any reasonable adjustments.

It is an important part of Homes2Inspire's recruitment process to ensure candidates are matched to the most appropriate service based on their skills, experience, and the needs of the children in our care. On occasion, this may result in an offer being made for an alternative service to the one originally applied for.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

At Homes2Inspire, we're committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. We actively encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and welcome applications from all sections of society, including those with lived experience of disability, social exclusion, or care experience.

Homes2Inspire is proud to support care leavers through our Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you have lived experience of care and meet the minimum criteria for the role, please tell us as part of your application.

Male colleagues are currently underrepresented within our residential children's services and, while appointments are made solely on merit, we welcome applications from men who share our passion for helping children achieve positive outcomes.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you're an experienced residential childcare professional looking to progress your career and help shape positive futures for children and young people, we'd love to hear from you.

[e-mail]

01788 487057