Senior Children’s Residential Support Worker
Location: Rowan Lodge, Coventry
Salary: Up to £36,000 per year, inclusive of sleep-in payments
Job type: Full-time, Permanent
Why join Oak Children’s Care?
Oak Children’s Care was founded and is led by experienced residential childcare practitioners. We understand the realities of working in children’s homes because we have done the job ourselves.
Our priority will always be the children in our care. We also know that children receive the best care when the adults supporting them feel valued, confident and properly supported. That is why we invest in our staff through high-quality training, regular development opportunities and direct support from an experienced senior leadership team.
We are building a culture where every member of the team is respected, listened to and recognised for the contribution they make.
Our approach is already having a positive impact. Feedback from professionals has included:
“We wish all children were placed with Oak.”
In our staff appraisals, 100% of team members said they feel supported, alongside extremely positive feedback about the leadership, culture and support available within the organisation.
This Senior Support Worker role is an opportunity to take an active leadership role within Rowan Lodge, support the development of the staff team and help us maintain the high standards of care we expect for our children.
What you can expect from us
- Experienced leaders who understand residential childcare
- A genuinely child-centred approach in which your professional judgement and ideas are valued
- High-quality training and ongoing professional development
- Recognition and incentives for completing training
- A clear development pathway towards Deputy Manager and other management roles
- Regular supervision, guidance and support from the management and senior leadership teams
- Opportunities to lead areas of practice and contribute to the development of the home
- A positive culture that values staff wellbeing
- Fixed rotas to help you plan ahead and maintain a healthy work-life balance
- A workplace where every member of the team is treated with respect
About the role
As a Senior Residential Support Worker at Rowan Lodge, you will combine direct work with children and young people with responsibility for leading shifts and supporting the staff team.
You will help ensure that children receive safe, consistent and nurturing care while providing clear guidance and leadership to colleagues. You will be expected to lead by example, maintain high standards of practice and help create a calm, structured and positive environment within the home.
This is a hands-on role. You will work directly with children, participate in activities and routines, manage challenging situations and support staff throughout the shift.
You will also play an important role in developing the team, monitoring the quality of practice and ensuring that the plans and processes put in place by the Registered Manager are followed consistently.
Your responsibilitiesSupporting children and young people
- Build positive, trusting and appropriate relationships with children
- Provide safe, consistent and nurturing care to children with emotional and behavioural difficulties
- Support children to develop emotional regulation, confidence, independence and practical life skills
- Promote routines, structure and appropriate boundaries in line with individual care plans
- Take an active part in therapeutic, recreational and community-based activities
- Support children with education, appointments, family time and other important areas of their lives
- Ensure children’s wishes, feelings and experiences remain central to the care they receive
- Recognise and celebrate children’s progress, including the smaller achievements that can mean a great deal
Leading shifts
- Take responsibility for leading shifts safely and effectively
- Allocate responsibilities and provide clear direction to staff
- Ensure care plans, risk assessments, routines and management guidance are followed
- Make appropriate day-to-day decisions in the best interests of the children
- Maintain oversight of the home throughout the shift
- Respond calmly and confidently to incidents or changes in risk
- Ensure important information is communicated and handed over clearly
- Escalate concerns appropriately to the management team
- Lead by example and maintain a visible presence within the home
Supporting and developing staff
- Provide day-to-day guidance, coaching and support to Residential Support Workers
- Help staff reflect on their practice and develop their confidence
- Support the induction and development of new team members
- Address practice concerns constructively and raise them with management where necessary
- Promote positive communication, accountability and teamwork
- Help create a culture in which staff feel able to ask questions, contribute ideas and learn from experience
- Act as a positive role model in line with Oak Children’s Care’s values and expectations
Safeguarding and compliance
- Promote and safeguard the welfare of children at all times
- Recognise and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns and disclosures
- Ensure incidents and concerns are managed, recorded and reported correctly
- Maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality
- Work in accordance with the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015, the Quality Standards and the home’s policies and procedures
- Ensure staff working on shift understand and follow safeguarding procedures
- Support effective risk management while enabling children to take age-appropriate and positive risks
Recording and care planning
- Maintain accurate, detailed and child-focused records
- Monitor the quality of daily logs, incident reports and other records completed during the shift
- Contribute to care plans, risk assessments and behaviour support plans
- Ensure significant information is shared with the appropriate people
- Contribute to children’s reviews and professional meetings when required
- Promote recording that reflects children’s progress, experiences, wishes and feelings
Working with professionals
- Communicate professionally with social workers, education providers, health professionals and other agencies
- Support effective partnership working in the best interests of the child
- Attend or contribute to meetings when required
- Represent Rowan Lodge professionally and provide clear, accurate information
Supporting the running of the home
- Help manage the day-to-day running of the home, including shopping, budgeting and organising activities
- Contribute to maintaining a safe, clean, comfortable and welcoming environment
- Take part in team meetings, reflective discussions and improvement planning
- Support the Registered Manager and Deputy Manager in maintaining high standards across the home
- Take responsibility for delegated areas of practice where required
- Participate in on-call duties where required
What we are looking for
We are looking for someone who is confident enough to lead a shift while remaining approachable, reflective and willing to learn.
You should be able to support colleagues, make sound decisions and maintain high standards without losing sight of the children at the centre of the work.
You will need:
- A Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare, Children and Young People, or an accepted equivalent
- Previous experience working with children and young people
- The ability to lead, guide and support other staff
- A good understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries
- The ability to develop, understand and follow care plans and risk assessments
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Good IT skills for maintaining records and professional communication
- A full valid driving licence
- The flexibility to work evenings, weekends and sleep-in shifts
- The ability to remain calm and make appropriate decisions during challenging situations
Previous experience within a children’s residential care setting and experience of leading shifts would be particularly welcomed.
If you are passionate about improving children’s lives and ready to take the next step in your residential childcare career, we would be pleased to hear from you.
Benefits
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Health and wellbeing programme
- Free on-site parking
- Fixed rotas
- Training incentives
- Ongoing professional development
- Clear pathways into management
- Support from an experienced management and senior leadership team
Job types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: Up to £36,000 per year, inclusive of sleep-in payments
Work location: In person at Rowan Lodge, Coventry
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: Up to £36,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
