More Than a Job – A Chance to Make a Difference
At Nest Care, we believe children & young people begin to heal, develop and thrive through relationships that are safe, predictable, nurturing and consistent.
Children who come to live with us may have experienced trauma, loss, disrupted attachments, instability, rejection, adverse childhood experiences or previous placement breakdowns. Their experiences may influence how they understand relationships, communicate distress, regulate emotions and respond to adults.
LOOK BEYOND BEHAVIOUR AND REMAIN CURIOUS ABOUT THE CHILD OR YOUNG PERSON UNDERNEATH IT.
We do not simply ask, “How do we stop this behaviour?” We ask: “What might this young person be communicating? What have they experienced? What do they need from us right now? How can we help them feel safe?”
As a Residential Support Worker, you will become part of the everyday life of the home: sharing meals, school runs, laughter, activities, difficult conversations, achievements and ordinary moments that help a young person experience belonging.
Sometimes progress is obvious. Sometimes it is a young person beginning to believe that an adult will still be there tomorrow. At Nest Care, those moments matter.
Our NEST Values
NURTURE - Create warmth, belonging and emotionally available relationships where children feel cared for, valued and understood.
EMPOWER - Help young people discover their voice, strengths, identity, independence and belief in their potential.
SAFETY - Create physical, emotional and relational safety through predictable routines, safeguarding, thoughtful boundaries and calm, consistent adults.
THRIVE - Develop and achieve goals together with our young people and our own personal progression, through trust commitment and determination.
Job Purpose - For ALL Staff
You will provide safe, nurturing, relational and trauma-responsive care, helping young people develop emotional safety, confidence, self-esteem, emotional literacy, resilience, healthy relationships, independence, life skills, educational aspirations and hope for their future.
The role requires emotional maturity. There will be days when a young person may reject support, struggle to regulate emotions or communicate distress through behaviour. At these times, we need adults who can remain calm, reflective and professionally curious.
Therapeutic & Relational CareYou do not need to be a therapist to work therapeutically
At Nest Care, therapeutic care does not mean Residential Support Workers provide clinical therapy. It means recognising that every interaction has the potential to contribute positively to a young person's sense of safety, development and emotional wellbeing.
- Use trauma-informed (PACE), attachment-aware, relational and restorative approaches.
- Offer appropriate warmth, empathy, emotional attunement and unconditional positive regard.
- Support co-regulation and help young people develop emotional regulation skills.
- Remain professionally curious about triggers, patterns, distress and unmet need.
- Maintain clear, respectful and predictable professional boundaries.
- Use reflection rather than reaction and repair relationships following difficult moments.
- Recognise strengths, celebrate progress and support identity, confidence and resilience.
Our approach is not about excusing unsafe behaviour. It is about understanding behaviour well enough to respond safely, consistently and effectively. We seek to connect before we correct.
Key Responsibilities for RSW & ALL Staff
1. Care, Relationships & Emotional Support
2. Daily Living & Creating a Home
3. Key-Working & Direct Work
4. Children's Voice, Rights & Participation
5. Education, Aspirations & Development
6. Safeguarding & Professional Curiosity
7. Supporting Behaviour & Emotional Regulation
8. Recording & Professional Documentation
9. Partnership & Multi-Agency Working
10. Teamwork & Reflective Practice
11. Health, Safety & The Home Environment
12. Activities, Community & Positive Experiences
13. Driving & Transport
Additional Roles for Senior RSW
1. Lead the shift
2. Lead by example
3. Safeguarding leadership
4. Oversight of children's care
5. Support and develop the staff team
6. Incident and behaviour support
7. Quality of recording
8. Medication, health & safety and home oversight
9. Communication and partnership working
10. Management responsibilities
Who We Are Looking For
Experience and qualifications matter, but residential childcare also depends on who you are when things become difficult.
- Caring, compassionate, nurturing and empathetic.
- Emotionally mature, resilient and able to remain calm under pressure.
- Reliable, consistent, reflective and self-aware.
- Professionally curious and able to look beyond behaviour.
- Non-judgemental, solution-focused and able to establish safe boundaries.
- Playful and able to have fun appropriately.
- Willing to learn, accept feedback and contribute positively to a team.
- Committed to safeguarding and ambitious for children.
Qualifications & Experience
- Previous children's residential care experience is desirable.
- Experience supporting children affected by trauma or complex emotional, behavioural or developmental needs is desirable.
- Level 3 or 4 Diploma for Residential Childcare or accepted equivalent is desirable for RSW roles and required where applicable to senior roles.
- Knowledge of safeguarding, child protection, care planning, key-working and risk assessment is desirable.
- Suitable candidates without the required residential childcare qualification may be supported to achieve the appropriate qualification within the applicable regulatory timeframe.
Learning & Professional Development
- Funded Level 4 Diploma for Residential Childcare where applicable.
- Level 4 and Level 5 development opportunities where appropriate.
- Safeguarding, trauma-informed practice, attachment, ACEs and PACE-informed relational approaches.
- Emotional regulation, co-regulation, restorative practice and children's mental health.
- Exploitation, contextual safeguarding, missing-from-care and online safety.
- First aid, medication, health & safety, food hygiene and approved behaviour-support training.
- Leadership development, reflective supervision and ongoing CPD.
- E-Learning platform for flexible, continuous professional development.
Looking After the People Who Look After Our Children
Residential childcare is rewarding and can also be emotionally demanding. We believe staff wellbeing and children's wellbeing are connected. When colleagues feel supported, valued and able to develop, they are better equipped to provide the safe and emotionally available care children need.
Employee Perks, Wellbeing & BenefitsHealth & Wellbeing
- Virtual GP – convenient access to virtual medical support where included within the applicable employee benefit scheme.
- Bright Wellbeing – access to wellbeing information, tools and resources.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Support – confidential support with personal or work-related challenges.
- Counselling & Wellbeing Support – confidential emotional and wellbeing support where available.
- Mental health and wellbeing resources.
- Private medical insurance where applicable and subject to eligibility.
- Regular reflective supervision and professional support.
- Pay, Pension & Recognition
- £12.71–£17.71 per hour, dependent on role, experience and qualifications.
- £60 per sleep-in.
- Enhanced payments for overtime/Bank Holiday shifts where applicable.
- Attendance, punctuality and commitment recognition arrangements where applicable.
- Workplace Pension Scheme with employer contributions in accordance with the applicable scheme and statutory requirements.
- Salary sacrifice pension option where available.
- Employee referral programme and recognition/service-related rewards.
Annual Leave & Everyday Benefits
- 224 hours paid annual leave inclusive of bank holidays for full-time employees, subject to contractual entitlement and working arrangements.
- Additional annual leave linked to length of service where applicable.
- Free or discounted meals while on shift where applicable.
- Blue Light Card/discount eligibility where applicable.
- Casual dress appropriate to a homely children's residential environment.
- Supportive management, team meetings, reflective practice and genuine internal career progression.
Working Pattern
Children's homes operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Residential Support Workers & Senior Support Workers must therefore be willing to work flexibly according to the needs of the children and the home's rota. This may include days, evenings, weekends, bank holidays, sleep-ins and waking nights where required.
Safer Recruitment & Safeguarding
Nest Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, and every employee is expected to share this commitment. Applicants must have the right to work in the United Kingdom.
- Enhanced DBS and relevant barred-list checks where applicable.
- Verification of identity and right to work.
- Full employment history and exploration of gaps.
- Appropriate references and qualification verification.
- Exploration of reasons for leaving previous roles involving children or vulnerable people.
- Safeguarding-focused and values-based suitability assessment.
- Other checks required by applicable legislation, regulation or Nest Care policy.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Nest Care is committed to an environment where children and employees are treated with dignity, fairness and respect. We welcome different backgrounds, cultures, experiences and perspectives and expect employees to promote equality, challenge discrimination, respect identity and work in an inclusive and anti-discriminatory way.
Professional Standards
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.
- Follow Nest Care policies, procedures and safeguarding expectations.
- Raise concerns about unsafe practice and engage constructively with supervision.
- Maintain required training, competencies, attendance and punctuality.
- Treat children, colleagues and professionals respectfully.
- Act as a positive representative of Nest Care.
Terms & Additional Expectations
The role requires flexibility in response to the needs of children and the home. Employees may reasonably be required, in accordance with their contract, to participate in rota changes, sleep-ins, training, meetings, household tasks, activities, trips and other duties consistent with the nature and level of the role.
This job description is not exhaustive. It may be reviewed periodically to reflect the needs of children, the home, regulatory expectations and employees' professional development, following appropriate consultation.
- Probationary Period: All appointments are subject to an initial six-month probationary period, providing an opportunity for both the employee and Nest Care to review suitability, performance, development and overall fit within the role.
- Successful Completion of Probation: Confirmation in post will be subject to satisfactory performance, conduct, attendance, completion of mandatory training and demonstration of the competencies, professional standards and values expected by Nest Care.
- Rota Changes: Nest Care aims to provide rotas with reasonable notice wherever possible, supporting employees to maintain a positive work-life balance. However, due to the nature of residential childcare, there may be occasions where changes are necessary to respond to children's needs, staffing requirements, safeguarding considerations, emergencies or other operational circumstances. Where changes are required, employees will be informed as early as reasonably practicable.
Why Join Nest Care?
We believe the quality of a children's home is shaped by the quality of the relationships within it.
We will expect you to safeguard children, remain curious, reflect on your practice, learn continuously, work as part of a team and keep showing up for young people – including on the difficult days.
In return, we want Nest Care to be an organisation that invests in you, develops you and gives you the opportunity to build a meaningful long-term career.
Could You Be Part of Their Story?
Children do not need perfect adults. They need adults who are safe, consistent, compassionate, emotionally available and willing to keep showing up.
A conversation, a boundary delivered with kindness, a shared meal, a school run, a moment of laughter or simply remaining present during a difficult evening may become part of a young person's experience of learning that adults can be trusted.
JOIN NEST CARE | NURTURE - EMPOWER - SAFETY - THRIVE
Pay: £26,437.00-£36,836.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Paid training
- Referral programme
- Store discount
Work Location: In person
