Who We Are
CEON Haven's mission is to provide high-quality children's services through a dedicated team that delivers therapeutic support within a family-style environment. Our aim is to nurture young people who present with challenging behaviours by offering a secure and stable placement where they feel valued, respected, and safe. We are committed to creating a trauma-informed, therapeutic environment that helps young people build resilience and self-confidence, equipping them with the tools to make positive life choices and reach their potential. At CEON Haven, we believe residential care is not a last resort, but a meaningful and valuable option for young people who have experienced adversity and require stability, care, and understanding.
Main Purpose of the Job
The Senior Support Worker is a shift leader and role model. You will hold the same direct care responsibilities as a Support Worker, while taking additional accountability for leading the shift, supervising and coaching colleagues, and ensuring the quality and consistency of care delivered in line with the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Quality Standards.
- Lead shifts, allocating tasks and ensuring the home runs safely and predictably.
- Provide daily care, emotional support, and therapeutic intervention to young people.
- Supervise, coach, and support Support Workers, modelling best practice at all times.
- Act as a Key Worker, holding lead responsibility for individual care planning.
- Ensure records, handovers, and reporting meet regulatory and internal standards.
- Deputise for the Registered Manager in their absence, as delegated.
- Work in partnership with families, social workers, schools, health professionals, and Ofsted.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
Leadership of the shift
- Take charge of the shift, briefing the team, allocating duties, and ensuring staffing is deployed safely against the needs of the young people.
- Deliver and receive full handovers, ensuring nothing is lost between shifts.
- Make sound, child-centred decisions under pressure and escalate appropriately to the Registered Manager or on-call.
- Provide guidance and in-the-moment coaching to Support Workers, including newer or less experienced staff.
- Support the induction, shadowing, and probation of new staff.
- Contribute to team meetings, and lead them where delegated.
Care and therapeutic practice
- Safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people at all times, acting as a point of escalation for safeguarding concerns on shift and supporting the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
- Build positive, trusting relationships with young people, always showing empathy and respect.
- Act as Key Worker: lead on care plans, risk assessments, and behaviour support plans for allocated young people, ensuring they are current, individualised, and followed by the whole team.
- Manage and respond calmly to challenging behaviour, applying de-escalation and positive behaviour management strategies, and using approved physical intervention only as a last resort and in line with training.
- Lead debriefs with staff and young people following incidents, ensuring restorative practice and learning.
- Champion young people's education, health, personal development, and participation, including attendance at reviews, PEPs, and multi-agency meetings.
- Support the safe administration, recording, and stock control of medication in line with the home's medication policy.
Records, compliance, and quality
- Maintain accurate, timely, and professional records including daily logs, incident reports, body maps, missing-from-care records, and handover notes.
- Quality-assure recording completed by Support Workers, correcting and coaching where standards are not met.
- Complete health and safety, maintenance, and environmental checks, reporting defects promptly.
- Support Regulation 44 and Regulation 45 processes and contribute to the home's development plan and internal audits.
- Ensure the home remains clean, safe, homely, and welcoming, undertaking domestic tasks alongside the team.
Partnership working
- Work collaboratively with colleagues, managers, and external professionals to deliver consistent, child-centred care.
- Represent the home professionally in meetings with placing authorities, schools, health services, and other agencies.
- Attend supervision, appraisal, meetings, reviews, and all mandatory training as required.
Person SpecificationEssential
Qualifications and Training
- Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) / Level 3 Diploma in Children & Young People's Workforce / NVQ Level 3 in Health & Social Care (Children & Young People), or equivalent — held, not working towards.
- Current, certificated physical intervention / restraint training.
- A good level of literacy and numeracy.
- Basic IT competence (email, digital recording systems, Microsoft Office).
- Willingness to complete all mandatory training and to work towards a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.
Experience
- Minimum 1-2 years' experience supporting children or young people in a residential childcare setting.
- Demonstrable experience of supporting children with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) and complex trauma.
- Experience of writing, implementing, and reviewing care plans, risk assessments, and behaviour support plans.
- Experience of leading or co-ordinating a shift, or of mentoring, supervising, or supporting colleagues.
- Sound working knowledge of safeguarding procedures, the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015, and the Quality Standards.
Skills and Attributes
- High levels of emotional resilience, adaptability, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
- Confident, credible leadership: able to give direction and constructive feedback to peers.
- Excellent communication, observation, and report-writing skills.
- Sound judgement and the confidence to make decisions and escalate appropriately.
- A strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children.
- Reliability, integrity, and professional boundaries.
Desirable
- Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (or working towards).
- Full UK driving licence.
- Training in first aid, medication administration, or therapeutic/trauma-informed approaches (e.g. PACE, attachment).
- Experience of supporting Ofsted inspections or Regulation 44 visits.
What We Can Offer You
- Competitive salary, reflecting the additional responsibility of the senior role
- 28 days annual leave
- Paid overtime
- Funded professional development, including support towards Level 5
- Clear progression route towards Team Leader / Deputy Manager
- Casual dress
- On-site parking
Pay: £17.00-£18.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
