Waking Nights Support Worker

Agincare Childrens' Services; Three Legged Cross; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 21,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension scheme

Overnight shift pay enhancements

Refer-a-Friend bonus up to £1,000

Paid Enhanced DBS check

Blue Light Card discounts

Early Pay On Demand

Training and career development

Staff recognition schemes

Job summary

Agincare is opening a brand-new children’s home in Three legged Cross, Dorset, and seeks a Waking Nights Support Worker to join the founding team. This not-for-profit residential home will provide a safe, nurturing space for up to three children, with full training and ongoing support.

You will work nights, support routines, promote independence, and monitor wellbeing. A UK driving licence is required where travel between homes may occur.

Qualifications

• Experience welcomed but not essential; full training provided.
• Hold NVQ Level 3 (or above) in Residential Childcare.
• Be able to work evenings, weekends and overnight shifts.
• Minimum 12 months remaining on right to work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Build positive, trusting relationships with children and young people.
• Support evening, bedtime and settling routines.
• Promote independence and develop essential life skills.
• Work with colleagues to provide a safe, nurturing home environment.
• Support care plans, daily routines and risk assessments (training provided).
• Carry out hourly welfare and administrative checks during the night.
• Perform light domestic duties to maintain a welcoming home.

Skills

Caring

Patience

Emotional intelligence

Teamwork

Flexibility

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Residential Childcare

Tools

Full UK driving licence

Job description

With the opening of our brand-new children's home just around the corner, now is an exciting time to start your career in care and join the founding team of our not-for-profit Children's Residential Home in Three legged Cross, Dorset.

Our newly furnished home will support up to three children, providing a safe, nurturing environment where they can thrive. We are looking for caring, dependable, and passionate individuals who want to make a genuine difference in children's lives.

Why Join Agincare?

At Agincare, we’re a family-run organisation that puts people first – both the children we support and the dedicated colleagues who care for them. We're proud of our values, our commitment to quality, and our supportive, friendly culture.

What You’ll Receive

• £14.50 per hour
• £15.50 per hour with a Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare
• Additional payments for overnight shifts where applicable
• Company pension scheme
• Waking Nights shifts: 10:00pm – 8:00am
• Refer-a-Friend bonus of up to £1,000*
• Paid Enhanced DBS check
• Blue Light Card discounts
• Early Pay On Demand
• Ongoing training and career development opportunities
• Staff recognition and appreciation schemes

Your Role as a Waking Nights Support Worker

As part of a team committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, you will provide consistent, compassionate support that helps children feel safe, valued, and empowered.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Building positive and trusting relationships with children and young people
• Supporting evening, bedtime, and settling routines
• Promoting independence and helping children develop essential life skills
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to provide a safe, nurturing environment
• Supporting care plans, daily routines, and risk assessments (full training provided)
• Monitoring children’s wellbeing throughout the night
• Carrying out hourly welfare and administrative checks
• Completing light domestic duties to maintain a comfortable and welcoming home environment

About You

We’re looking for people who are caring, reliable, and motivated to make a positive impact. Previous experience is welcomed and reflected in a higher rate of pay, but it's not essential, as full training and ongoing support will be provided.

You’ll ideally:

• Have a genuine passion for supporting children with complex needs
• Be patient, resilient, and emotionally intelligent
• Have a positive attitude and enjoy working as part of a team
• Be able to work flexibly, including evenings, weekends, and overnight shifts
• Be capable of meeting the practical and emotional demands of the role
• Hold, or be willing to work towards, an NVQ Level 3 (or above) in Residential Childcare
• Hold a full UK driving licence, as travel between our dual‑registered homes in Wimborne may occasionally be required
• Have a minimum of 12 months remaining on your right to work in the UK

About Agincare

Agincare is proudly celebrating 40 years of caring for communities. As a rapidly growing, family‑owned care provider with more than 5,500 team members, and expanding every day, we continue to strengthen our services through recent care home developments and the launch of our new not‑for‑profit Children’s Services.

Today, Agincare is one of the UK’s largest care providers, delivering care and nursing homes, home care, extra care, supported living, and live‑in care across more than 170 locations nationwide.

As a signatory of the Care Leaver Covenant, we are committed to supporting care leavers by guaranteeing either an interview or an informal career conversation. We are proud to support the Armed Forces community through our alliance, offering guaranteed interviews to service leavers and members of the military community.

Our children’s homes are regulated by Ofsted.

Please note: This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. All convictions, cautions, reprimands, and warnings (including those regarded as ‘spent’) must be declared, subject to the DBS filtering rules.

This role is also subject to enhanced DBS checks and comprehensive vetting procedures in line with safer recruitment standards.

We believe in building teams that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Equal opportunities are at the heart of everything we do.