Waking Night support worker-Full time
Location: Church View Children’s Place, Hoyland – Barnsley
Salary: £26,500 per annum unqualified
Qualified salary £28,500 for applicants with a level 3 or 4 in residential childcare
Working Pattern
Weekend on / weekend of
19:00 – 07:30 shifts
Paid for 40 hours per week. The working hours equate to 36 hours per week, with the additional 4 hours allocated for training, qualifications, staff meetings, CPD, and preparing resources for children.
Contract: Full Time
About Us
Church View Children’s Place is a brand-new, purpose-built children’s home providing specialist care for children and young people with autism, learning disabilities, sensory needs, and moderate to severe challenging behaviour.
Our state-of-the-art home offers a safe, nurturing, and positive environment where every child is supported to grow, develop, and thrive.
Job Overview
The Waking Night Support Worker plays a vital role in ensuring the safety, wellbeing, and comfort of children with Autism and additional needs throughout the night. This is an active waking role, and staff are required to remain awake and alert for the full duration of their shift.
You will be responsible for maintaining a calm, structured, and safe environment, supporting children with their individual bedtime routines, sensory needs, and responding appropriately to behaviours that may arise during the night.
Key Responsibilities
- Remain awake and vigilant throughout the shift to ensure children’s safety and wellbeing.
- Carry out regular night checks in line with care plans, risk assessments, and safeguarding procedures.
- Support children in developing and maintaining positive bedtime routines, including:
· Bathing and personal hygiene
· Toileting and continence support
· Dressing/undressing
· Supporting emotional regulation
· Reading bedtime stories and promoting a calm sleep environment
- Provide personal care that is sensitive to each child’s sensory profile, adapting approaches to meet sensory processing needs /behaviour.
- Respond calmly and consistently to behaviours of concern during the night, using agreed strategies and behaviour support plans.
- Administer prescribed medication in line with policy and complete accurate medication records.
- Conduct medication audits and report any discrepancies in accordance with company procedures.
- Complete all relevant child documentation, including nightly logs, incident reports, body maps, safeguarding records, and medication documentation.
- Accurately contribute to and update care plans and individual nightly routines where required.
- Maintain high standards of cleanliness and organisation within the home, including:
· Cleaning communal areas
· Laundry and ironing
· Preparing food and snacks in line with individual dietary, cultural, and health requirements
· Ensure safeguarding procedures are followed at all times, reporting and recording any concerns promptly and appropriately.
· Work collaboratively with the day team to ensure thorough handovers and continuity of care.
Person Specification
Essential Requirements
- Ability to work the required rota, including weekends and bank holidays.
- A strong values base and genuine interest in supporting children with Autism and learning disabilities.
- Experience working in a residential care setting, preferably in a waking night position, or demonstrable experience supporting individuals with learning disabilities and/or Autism.
- Resilient, calm, caring, and fun personality with the ability to support children who may display challenging behaviour (full training provided).
- Good IT skills.
- Ability to produce accurate and clear written records, including daily logs, incident reports, night monitoring, medication audits and accident forms.
- Ability to use and create visual communication aids to support children’s understanding and engagement.
- Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures, child protection responsibilities, and professional boundaries.
- Awareness of sensory needs and the ability to support children using appropriate sensory strategies and environments.
- Basic cooking skills and the ability to prepare snacks and simple meals in line with dietary and health requirements.
- Willingness and ability to complete the required Diploma/Apprenticeship in Residential Childcare within the timeframe set by the assessor.
- A genuine passion for improving outcomes for vulnerable children.
Desirable Qualities
- Previous experience working in residential childcare, particularly with children with Autism and behaviours that challenge.
- Access to a car and ability to drive for work purposes.
- Level 3 or 4 qualification in Residential Childcare.
- Experience creating visual communication resources for children with additional communication needs.
- Previous safeguarding or child-protection training.
Benefits
- Competitive salary – £26,500-unqualified rising to £28,500 qualified annual salary
- 28 days annual leave
- Bank holiday enhancements
- Pension contributions
- Casual dress policy
- Free on-site parking
- Free EV charging for staff
- Meals provided during night shifts
- Ongoing training and funded qualifications to support career progression
This is an exciting opportunity to join a new and forward-thinking service where you can make a genuine and lasting difference in children’s lives while developing your leadership career.
We currently do not offer sponsorship
For further information on the role please contact the manager
[email protected]
To receive a job description and an application form please email Emma
Pay: £26,500.00-£28,500.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
Education:
- Diploma of Higher Education (preferred)
Work Location: In person
