Overview
Solara House Children’s Residential Home
Purpose of the Role
Residential Support Workers at Solara House play a vital role in providing trauma-informed, neuro-affirming, emotionally intelligent care to children aged 8–17. The role focuses on building safe, trusting relationships, supporting emotional regulation, promoting independence, and creating a stable, nurturing home environment where children can heal, grow, and thrive.
Key Responsibilities
1. Direct Care & Daily Support
- Provide consistent, warm, attuned care to children in line with Solara House’s trauma-informed and neuro-affirming model.
- Support children with daily routines including waking, meals, school preparation, activities, and bedtime.
- Promote independence through life-skills teaching (cooking, budgeting, self-care, organisation).
- Maintain a calm, predictable environment that supports emotional regulation and safety.
2. Emotional Intelligence Mentoring
- Deliver Solara House’s in-house emotional intelligence mentoring model through planned sessions and daily interactions.
- Support children to understand emotions, identify triggers, develop coping strategies, and build resilience.
- Engage in reflective conversations that promote accountability without shame.
- Model healthy communication, boundaries, and emotional expression.
3. Trauma-Informed & Neuro-Affirming Practice
- Respond to behaviour as communication, using curiosity, empathy, and co-regulation.
- Adapt communication and environment to meet sensory, cognitive, and neurodiverse needs.
- Reduce shame, promote emotional safety, and support children to feel understood and valued.
- Use PACE, restorative practice, and non-restrictive behaviour support strategies.
4. Safeguarding & Risk Management
- Maintain a strong safeguarding culture, ensuring children’s safety at all times.
- Follow all safeguarding procedures, reporting concerns immediately.
- Contribute to risk assessments, safety plans, and missing-from-care protocols.
- Support children to make safe, informed choices and understand risks.
5. Relationship Building
- Build trusting, stable relationships with children through consistency, reliability, and emotional presence.
- Support children to develop positive relationships with peers, family, and professionals.
- Engage in restorative conversations after incidents to repair trust and strengthen connection.
6. Education, Health & Wellbeing
- Support children’s engagement with school, college, or training.
- Promote healthy routines, sleep, nutrition, and physical wellbeing.
- Attend appointments with children and support health plans.
- Encourage hobbies, interests, and community participation.
7. Record Keeping & Professional Standards
- Complete high-quality records including daily logs, incident reports, key-work notes, and placement updates.
- Maintain confidentiality, professional boundaries, and ethical conduct at all times.
- Follow all policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
8. Teamwork & Professional Development
- Work collaboratively with colleagues, managers, and external professionals.
- Attend training, reflective supervision, and team meetings.
- Contribute to a positive, supportive team culture.
- Engage in continuous learning to strengthen trauma-informed and neuro-affirming practice.
Person Specification
Essential
- Warm, compassionate, emotionally intelligent, and child-centred.
- Ability to build safe, trusting relationships with children who have experienced trauma.
- Resilient, reflective, and able to remain calm under pressure.
- Strong communication skills and ability to adapt to different needs.
- Commitment to safeguarding, equality, and children’s rights.
- Willingness to work shifts, including evenings, weekends, nights and sleep-ins.
- Ability to work as part of a consistent, supportive team.
Desirable
- Experience working with children with trauma, attachment needs, or neurodiversity.
- Knowledge of trauma-informed practice, PACE, restorative approaches, or emotional intelligence frameworks.
- Experience in residential childcare, education, youth work, or social care.
- Full UK driving licence.
What We Offer
- A nurturing, emotionally intelligent workplace culture.
- Comprehensive training in trauma-informed practice, neuro-affirming care, and emotional intelligence mentoring.
- Regular reflective supervision and wellbeing support.
- Opportunities for progression within Solara House.
- The chance to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people.
Pay: £13.50-£15.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Flexible schedule
- On-site parking
- Paid training
Work Location: In person
