Waking Nights Residential Support Worker
About Us
Progressive Independence provides high-quality residential care and supported accommodation for children and young people. We are committed to safeguarding, trauma-informed practice, and ensuring every child has the support, stability and opportunities they need to thrive.
The Role
To provide safe, consistent and child-centred care throughout the night, ensuring that children living in the home are safeguarded, supported and responded to appropriately. The postholder will remain awake and available for the full waking-night shift and will contribute to the smooth, safe and effective operation of the home.
Key Responsibilities
- Maintain appropriate supervision, safeguarding and oversight of children throughout the night.
- Respond promptly and sensitively to children who wake, become distressed, require reassurance or need practical support.
- Follow each child's care plan, placement plan, risk assessment, behaviour support plan and any agreed night-time arrangements.
- Recognise and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns, missing-from-home incidents, medical concerns, emergencies or significant events.
- Maintain professional boundaries and promote a calm, safe, nurturing and trauma-informed environment.
- Complete agreed welfare checks and environmental checks in line with the home's procedures and individual children's needs.
- Ensure doors, windows, alarms, fire safety arrangements and other security measures are appropriately monitored during the shift.
- Complete accurate, timely and professional records of the night, including handover information, incidents, observations and any actions taken.
- Undertake appropriate household, cleaning and preparation tasks during quieter periods without compromising supervision or availability to children.
- Provide a clear verbal and written handover to the incoming team, highlighting any concerns, incidents, changes or actions required.
- Work in partnership with colleagues, managers and relevant professionals to support continuity of care and positive outcomes for children.
- Follow all Progressive Independence policies, procedures, safeguarding expectations and management instructions.
Shift Pattern
The role operates on a rolling 4 nights on / 4 nights off pattern. This rota does not reset on a Monday and will include weekends and bank holidays where these fall within the employee's scheduled working pattern. Exact waking-night start and finish times will be confirmed in the employee's contract and rota.
Hours Of Work
Working 10:45pm–7:15am, you will remain awake and alert for the entirety of your shift, providing a consistent and reassuring presence within the home.
Person Specification
- A genuine commitment to safeguarding and improving outcomes for children.
- Calm, reliable and able to remain alert and effective throughout waking-night hours.
- Ability to respond proportionately and professionally to challenging, unexpected or emergency situations.
- Good verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to maintain clear and accurate records.
- Ability to work as part of a residential childcare team and follow agreed plans, procedures and management direction.
- Understanding of professional boundaries, confidentiality and child-centred practice.
- An understanding of trauma-informed care and how previous experiences may affect a child's behaviour and presentation is desirable.
- Previous experience in children's residential care, supported accommodation, education, youth work, social care or a similar setting is desirable.
- Experience within an Ofsted-regulated children's home is desirable.
- A relevant Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare or equivalent is desirable. Where applicable, the postholder will be expected to achieve the required qualification within the statutory timescale.
Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment
Progressive Independence is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Appointment to this role will be subject to safer recruitment procedures, including identity and right-to-work checks, employment history scrutiny, satisfactory references and an Enhanced DBS check, including the appropriate children's barred list check where applicable.
General Expectations
- Act in a way that reflects the values, policies and professional standards of Progressive Independence.
- Participate in supervision, appraisal, training, team meetings and continuous professional development as required.
- Maintain confidentiality and comply with data protection requirements.
- Contribute to a positive team culture and to the ongoing development and quality of the home.
- Carry out other reasonable duties consistent with the level and purpose of the role, as directed by the Registered Manager.
This is an active waking-night position and not a sleep-in role. Staff must remain awake, attentive and available to respond throughout the full shift.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £32,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Paid training
- Sick pay
Application question(s):
- Do you hold a full driving licence and have access to your own car?
- How many months Residential Childcare experience do you have?
- Do you have your Level 3/4 in Children Residential Qualification or similar? If not are you willing to enrol on this course when you join Progressive Independence?
- Is your enhanced DBS certificate on the update service?
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
