Waking Nights Residential Worker

Durham County Council; North East; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced shift payments

Job summary

Durham County Council is seeking a Waking Nights Residential Worker to provide high-quality overnight care for children and young people aged 5–18 with various needs. You will work within a supportive team, following care plans, ensuring safety and promoting independence during night-time hours.

The role requires you to engage with families and professionals, attend supervised training, and participate in service development. DBS and safeguarding duties apply; salary is £27,274 per annum.

Qualifications

• GCSEs in Maths and English at A-C or higher.
• Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare preferred or willingness to complete.
• Experience working with children or young people (voluntary or professional).

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality care tailored to each child’s needs.
• Promote safety, wellbeing, dignity and independence of children and young people.
• Build positive relationships with children, families, carers and professionals.
• Support children with personal care, health needs, communication and emotional wellbeing.
• Follow and contribute to individual care plans and risk assessments.
• Work with the Registered Manager and team to maintain high standards of care.
• Attend team meetings, supervision, training and service development activities.
• Create a warm, nurturing environment where children feel safe and valued.

Skills

Experience with children

Child-centred approach

Emotional resilience

Education

GCSE Maths & English (A-C)

Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare

Job description

As a Waking Nights Residential Worker, you will play a vital role in helping our children and young people feel safe, supported, and valued throughout the night. You will make a real difference to the lives of young people by providing high-quality care. You will provide short break care for children and young people with learning disabilities, neurodiversity, physical disabilities, and complex health needs aged between 5 and 18.

You'll be part of a dedicated and supportive team that is passionate about creating nurturing environments where children and young people can thrive.

If you're passionate about helping young people realise their potential and want to be part of a service that changes lives, we'd love to hear from you.

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

As a Waking Night Residential Worker you will:

• Provide high-quality care and support tailored to each child's individual needs.
• Promote the safety, wellbeing, dignity, and independence of children and young people.
• Build positive relationships with children, young people, their families, carers, and professionals.
• Support children with personal care, health needs, communication, and emotional wellbeing.
• Follow and contribute to individual care plans and risk assessments.
• Work closely with the Registered Manager and wider team to maintain excellent standards of care.
• Participate in team meetings, supervision sessions, training, and service development activities.
• Help create a warm, nurturing, and welcoming environment where children and young people feel safe, valued, and respected.

We encourage you to contact Meg Laidler via email at [e-mail] to arrange an informal discussion about the role.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

We are looking for child centred and emotionally resilient individuals who have:

• GCSE Grade A – C in Maths and English or a qualification that is equivalent or higher
• Hold or have a willingness to complete a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare
• Experience working with children or young people (voluntary or professional capacity)

All applicants must be aged 22+, an Enhanced DBS Disclosure is applicable to this post.

Applicants must hold a current driving licence and have access to a car (employees with a disability must have access to a means of mobility support).

OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARDING

Durham County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore if successful in your application, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be sought inclusive of a check of the Children’s Barred List, due to the position working in regulated activity. Applicants should be aware that the DBS check will disclose both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, in line with current legislation and will confirm whether an individual is barred from working with children.

OUR VALUES

Our service is built on the ‘Durham’ values – Dignity, Unity, Responsibility, Heart, Aspiration, and Mindset which are at the heart of everything we do for both our young people and our teams.

OUR OFFER TO YOU

Our service provides children and young people with safe, nurturing, and meaningful short breaks while offering valuable support and respite to their families. Every stay is an opportunity to create positive experiences, build confidence, encourage independence, and help children and young people thrive.

The role although predominantly nights may involve working a range of shifts including weekdays, evenings, weekends and sleep in duties. The nature of shift patterns enables a level of flexibility for employees.

We operate a 365 days per year, 24 hours a day service. As part of this, our shift-based roles work on a rota basis and attract enhanced payments.

You will benefit from a comprehensive programme of training to support you to develop in your role. You will receive regular supervision as part of your role and participate in team meetings and wider service events to support your development. As well as access to a wide ranging rewards and benefits offer, take a closer look via Rewards and Benefits.

INTERVIEWS

Interviews are anticipated to be held w/c 2 November 2026.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.

RIGHT TO WORK AND VISA INFORMATION

All offers of employment are subject to the council meeting its legal obligations under UK immigration law. Applicants must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK at the point an offer is made.

This post is remunerated at £27,274 per annum. UK immigration rules set minimum salary and other eligibility requirements for visa sponsorship. It is unlikely that this role will be eligible for skilled worker visa sponsorship. Whether an applicant meets these requirements depends on their individual circumstances, including any existing permission to work. Applicants who may require a visa are encouraged to check the current UKVI rules before applying.

If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email [e-mail]

All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from [e-mail]. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.