Pay: £29,400 - £31,500 per annum + £55 per sleep-in
(Average total earnings approx. £35,210 per year based on approximately 2 sleep-ins per week)
Why Join Us?
This is more than a job. It is an opportunity to genuinely change the course of a child’s life. At Solent Child Care, we provide specialised therapeutic support for children who have experienced significant trauma and who are not yet ready for foster care. Our goal is to create warm, stable, fun and nurturing homes where children build the confidence and skills they need to succeed.
We use the PACE and DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy) therapeutic parenting model — a leading, evidence-based approach that transforms outcomes for children with complex emotional needs. We are now looking for experienced, qualified professionals who are ready to bring their expertise and passion to our growing team.
The Role
As a Residential Child Care Worker you will be a consistent, positive presence in the lives of the children in your home. Working as part of a small, dedicated team, you will provide high-quality, child-centred care — creating a structured yet fun environment where every child feels safe, loved and supported.
Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:
· Providing tailored day-to-day emotional and practical care for each child
· Being a positive role model and building trusting, therapeutic relationships
· Managing school runs, supporting extra-curricular activities and facilitating family contact, using our home cars
· Delivering recreational and educational activities that promote personal growth and social skills
· Carrying out household duties including cooking, cleaning and maintaining a welcoming home environment
· Completing daily records, logs, forms and weekly health and safety checks
· Working collaboratively with social workers, educators and other professionals
· Managing 24-hour shift patterns including weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins (sleep-in hours: 2300 to 07:30)
What We Are Looking For
This role is specifically for qualified childcare professionals. You will already have the skills and knowledge to hit the ground running, and we will support your ongoing development from day one.
Essential:
· A minimum of Level 3 in Residential Childcare, Health and Social Care, or an equivalent recognised qualification
· Full, clean UK driving licence (required — home cars are used for transporting children)
· Compassionate, patient and resilient — you bring warmth, calm and fun to every situation
· Flexible and reliable — able to work shifts including weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins
· A genuine commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
· Good communication skills and the ability to maintain accurate records
· Right to work in the UK (sponsorship is not available for this role)
Desirable:
· Experience or training in trauma-informed approaches such as PACE or DDP
· Level 4 or Level 5 qualification in Childcare or Leadership and Management
· Experience working with children with complex emotional and behavioural needs
What We Offer
Pay and earnings:
· Base salary of £29,400 - £31,500 per annum (average total earnings approximately £35,210 per year based on approximately 2 sleep ins per week)
· Sleep-ins paid at £55 each
Health and wellbeing:
· Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) — free 24/7 confidential support including GP appointments, free counselling and 24/7 legal advice, for you and your family
· Blue Light Card — exclusive discounts at thousands of retailers, restaurants, holiday providers and entertainment venues
· Company pension scheme with employer contributions
Practical benefits:
· Enhanced DBS check fully covered
· Home cars provided for school runs and transporting children on shift — no need to use your own vehicle
· Meals provided on shift — you eat communally with the children at no cost to you
· Free on-site parking at all home locations
· Casual dress — our homes are homes, not institutions
· Company pension with up to 3% employer contribution
· 28 days annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays
· Refer a friend scheme — £500 (T&Cs apply)
Training and development:
· Supported progression to Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications, opening the door to senior and management roles
· PACE and DDP therapeutic parenting training
· Safeguarding, first aid and behaviour support training
· Online learning, webinars and face-to-face training throughout your career
· Regular supervision and one-to-one support from an experienced management team
About Solent Child Care
Solent Child Care is an independent residential childcare provider operating multiple homes across the South of England. Our homes are small by design — we believe children thrive in intimate, family-like environments rather than large institutional settings. We specialise in supporting children who have experienced significant trauma, using the PACE and DDP therapeutic parenting model to help children build trust, develop emotional resilience and achieve positive outcomes. We are a values-led organisation where safeguarding underpins every decision we make.
We review applications on a rolling basis and aim to be in touch within five working days.
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: £29,400.00-£31,500.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
Application question(s):
- Are you able to work shifts which include a sleep in, weekends and bank holidays?
- Will you require visa sponsorship now or in the future?
- Do you hold a minimum of a Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare, or an equivalent such as an NVQ in children and young people, or social care qualification?
Experience:
- Child Care: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
