Residential Support Worker
Residential Child Care | Nova House | Cove Child Care
Are you a warm, dependable and child focused practitioner committed to providing exceptional care for children and young people? If so, we invite you to explore a rewarding career as a Residential Support Worker with Cove Child Care.
About the home
Nova House is a new children's home operated by Cove Child Care and is currently in the final stages of Ofsted registration. We are recruiting now so that the team is trained, settled and ready before the first child arrives. As an early member of that team you will have real influence over how the home runs, how the team works together, and how we deliver for the children in our care.
All offers of employment are conditional on Ofsted registration being granted. Start dates will be confirmed once the registration certificate is issued, and we will keep successful candidates updated throughout the process.
Your role and responsibilities
We are looking for a Residential Support Worker who can bring nurture, consistency and steady support to the children in our care, and who can work alongside the team in line with the company's ethos.
If you have a passion for working with children who have not had the easiest start in life, then please join us in making that positive change. Our aspirations for our children are high in all aspects of their lives, and we aim to provide a homely environment where children feel safe, loved and nurtured.
We specialise in working with children and young people aged 7 to 18 years. The children and young people have suffered early life trauma, neglect or abuse, and as a result have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The role is therefore both rewarding and demanding. It asks for patience, resilience, and the ability to stay calm and child centred even in difficult moments.
On a day to day basis, you will:
- Take part in the day to day running of the home and complete the documentation that goes with it accurately, helping create a positive environment in which children can express their character, feel safe and enrich their lives.
- Support children in their social and educational activities, family contact, appointments, education, leisure activities, UK trips and work towards holidays abroad.
- Provide care and support that meets each child's physical, emotional, intellectual, social and cultural needs, and build relationships that children themselves experience as warm, positive and worth investing in.
- Respond effectively to complex and challenging behaviour, using de-escalation as the primary approach and physical intervention only as a safe last resort.
- Work to each child's risk assessment and behaviour management plan, and act as key worker or co-worker where allocated, making sure the plans accurately reflect the child's current needs.
- Help prepare children for the next stage of their lives by supporting with practical skills, education or training pathways, self care, healthy habits and emotional resilience.
- Keep accurate, factual records and produce written reports for planning meetings, reviews and any other meeting directed by management.
- Attend to the practical side of childcare and support with cooking, cleaning and general upkeep, and help keep the home well presented, clean, hygienic, homely and personalised to the children.
- Promote equality, diversity and inclusion through anti-oppressive practice, in both conduct and culture.
- Take responsibility for the health and safety of children, colleagues and visitors on your shift, reporting any concerns to the Registered Manager.
Senior Residential Support Worker responsibilities, where applicable:
- Supervising and supporting other support workers, including providing training and development opportunities, and overseeing the day to day operation of the home.
- Contributing to the continuous improvement of the residential care setting, including helping to develop and implement new policies and procedures as required.
To achieve the high level of care we provide, you will be working with a strong team and a supportive manager to make sure the children in your care have all their needs and requirements met.
The age requirement is to be over the age of 21. This is an occupational requirement under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010.
What we offer you
Your starting salary is between £13.50 and £15.50 per hour, pro rata, depending on experience, qualifications and training. Pay is reviewed annually, with progression linked to performance and any change in responsibilities.
- Full time and part time hours available. Full time is 37.5 hours per week worked on a rota covering days, evenings, weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins, with the possibility of waking nights. Sleep-ins attract an additional payment. Rotas are published in advance and we will discuss the pattern with you at interview.
- 32 days annual leave per annum.
- Funded support for relevant and essential qualifications.
- Business vehicle provided where necessary.
- Annual discretionary bonus.
- Referral bonuses.
- Mileage reimbursement for business use, not for commute or personal leisure.
- Ongoing CPD and training, with the detail discussed at interview.
- Paid DBS check.
- Laptop for home use.
- Birthday day off.
- Long service awards, cash or gift rewards at milestones such as 5 or 10 years.
- Kids retreat activities paid for staff.
- Other non-financial perks.
What we expect
We expect a Residential Support Worker who can:
- Work within all relevant legislation and statutory guidance, including the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015, safeguarding frameworks, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and Cove Child Care's own policies and procedures.
- Safeguard and protect children from harm as the first priority of the role, and act promptly when concerns arise.
- Deliver child centred care, supporting children with personal care routines, sensory needs and alternative communication methods such as visual aids, symbols or simplified language where required, and adapting approaches for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities so that dignity, respect and consistency run through every interaction.
- Support children's emotional and social learning, challenging unacceptable behaviour, reinforcing positive choices, and staying curious about what behaviour might be communicating.
- Empower children to take an active part in decisions about their lives, reinforcing their rights at every step.
- Encourage children to build community links, attend off-site activities and grow their personal social network and, where appropriate, support them to maintain and strengthen relationships with their family members.
- Be proactive and curious in practice, noticing what may need further exploration, one to one time or safeguarding action.
- Foster a positive, transparent and respectful team culture by contributing to staff meetings, engaging in regular supervision, and pulling together with colleagues through challenging times.
- Be alert to the conduct of colleagues and refer any concerns through the correct route, in line with relevant policies and procedures.
Essential qualities that we look for
- Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare, or an equivalent qualification relating to children and young people in residential care. A commitment to complete the Level 3 Diploma within two years of appointment is acceptable in place of a current qualification.
- Experience within care services.
- Experience of working as part of a team.
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to communicate with children and establish supportive relationships.
- Knowledge of children's home standards.
- Awareness of issues affecting children and young people in residential care.
- Ability to work on a rota basis. Please note this may include early mornings, late evenings, weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins, with the possibility of waking nights.
- Experience of dealing with challenging behaviour, and an awareness of the impact of trauma on children and young people.
- Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures.
- Self awareness and personal resilience, with the ability to remain calm in challenging situations and use your own initiative.
- A willingness to learn, develop and remain reflective in your practice, with a positive, strengths based approach to work and challenges.
- Ability to use physical intervention safely as a last resort, where behaviour becomes unsafe.
- A full UK driving licence and reliable access to a vehicle. This is an essential car user post and reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants.
Knowledge and experience
- Working knowledge of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Social Care Common Inspection Framework.
- Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of operational practice within a children's residential service.
- A working understanding of relevant legislation and policies, including the Children and Families Act 2014, the Health and Social Care Act, safeguarding frameworks, and person centred planning.
- Knowledge of care standards and the requirements of Ofsted.
- An understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to promoting it through anti-oppressive practice.
How you will work with us
Beyond the technical aspects of the role, we expect every member of the Cove Child Care team to bring the following to their work. These are the behaviours that hold the home together. They will be discussed at interview and revisited throughout your time with us.
- Excellence. You aim for uncompromising quality in the care you provide. You take pride in your work, keep a child centred approach at all times, and bring a proactive, can-do attitude to the day.
- Simplicity. You communicate clearly and openly, without unnecessary complication. You focus on what genuinely matters for children and colleagues, and help the team work smarter rather than harder.
- Trust, respect and safety. You act with professionalism, empathy and integrity. You protect confidentiality, value differing perspectives, and model the behaviours that create safe, respectful, inclusive environments.
- Working together. You collaborate well with colleagues, children, families and external partners. You share information appropriately and draw on the strengths of the whole team so children receive coordinated, high quality care.
- Responsibility. You own your actions, decisions and professional standards. You are reliable, accountable, and follow through on what you commit to.
- Connection. You build strong, meaningful relationships with children and colleagues. You take time to understand each child's needs, experiences and identity, so they feel valued and invested in.
Right to work in the UK
We are not able to offer visa sponsorship for this role. All applicants must already hold the right to work in the UK and be able to evidence it before an offer is confirmed. Every appointment is subject to a right to work check.
We do welcome applications from candidates whose current visa permits part time work. If this applies to you, please tell us in your application how many hours per week you are permitted to work and any other conditions attached to your visa. We will then look at whether a part time rota pattern can be built around those hours.
Safeguarding statement
Cove Child Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect every member of staff to share fully in that commitment. All offers of employment are conditional on satisfactory pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check with the children's barred list.
Pay: £13.50-£15.50 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
