Job Description – Senior Support Worker
CURRENTLY NOT OFFERING WORK SPONSORSHIP (COS)
Location: Cedar House, Southall, West London
Service: 4-Bed Residential Children's Home (LD/Autism)
Responsible to: Registered Manager and Deputy Manager
Responsible for: Shift leadership as Shift Lead; mentoring and supervising Residential Support Workers on shift
1. Job Purpose / Summary
To lead on shift as the senior member of the Cedar House team on duty, delivering high-quality, individualised care that meets the needs of children and young people with learning disabilities and/or autism, coordinating Positive Behaviour Support in the moment and mentoring Residential Support Workers. The Senior Support Worker will support the Deputy Manager and Registered Manager in ensuring the home operates in full compliance with relevant legislation, regulations and standards, including the Children Act 1989; the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Quality Standards; and relevant safeguarding, health and safety and employment legislation.
The home is a 4-bedroom specialist children's home based in Southall, West London, providing care and support to children and young people aged 11–17 with mild to moderate LD/autism.
2. Essential Requirements
- Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (or equivalent) — held (essential).
- Willingness to progress to the Level 4 or Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare, fully funded by Barclay Care Group.
- Prior senior, shift-lead or team-leader experience in a children's or LD/autism residential setting.
- Demonstrable experience supporting children or young people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
- Specialist LD/autism training (Positive Behaviour Support, Total Communication / Makaton, sensory regulation, Mental Capacity Act 2005), or willingness to complete it in post.
- Willingness to train in BILD-accredited safe physical intervention.
- Willingness to train in LD-associated health needs, including epilepsy awareness; eating, drinking and swallowing (dysphagia) risk; and the recognition of pain and distress.
- Working knowledge of the Children Act 1989, the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Quality Standards.
- Sound working knowledge of safeguarding and child protection procedures.
- Confident leading on shift, coordinating PBS in the moment and supporting keywork planning.
- Ability to mentor, motivate and support Residential Support Workers on shift.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including accurate record keeping and report writing.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
- Sound judgement and ability to make evidence-based decisions under pressure.
- Calm, values-led, child-centred and emotionally resilient; honest, reliable and accountable.
- Willingness to provide occasional shift-lead cover as operationally required.
- Willingness to work shift patterns including days, evenings, weekends, waking-night and sleep-in duties.
- Full UK driving licence.
3. Main Responsibilities
3.1 Shift Leadership and Coordination
- Lead the shift as the senior member of the team on duty, ensuring the safe, well-organised operation of the home during that period.
- Coordinate the day's activities, appointments, routines and outings in line with each child's care and PBS plan.
- Allocate and supervise tasks across the Residential Support Worker team on shift, ensuring safe staffing ratios and effective use of resources.
- Ensure a full handover is delivered at the start and end of each shift, with clear communication of risks, needs and priorities.
- Escalate significant events, safeguarding concerns, medical incidents and PBS incidents to the Deputy Manager or Registered Manager without delay, so that any event notifiable under Regulation 40 can be reported to Ofsted within the required timescale.
3.2 Direct Care, PBS and Safeguarding
- Deliver personalised, therapeutic day-to-day care to children with LD/autism, including personal care, mealtimes, routines, activities and community access.
- Coordinate Positive Behaviour Support in the moment: implement PBS plans, use Total Communication and sensory strategies, and de-escalate distress safely.
- Where safe physical intervention is required, ensure only BILD-accredited techniques permitted under the child's PBS plan are used, as a last resort and for the shortest time necessary; ensure every measure of control, discipline or restraint is recorded in line with Regulation 35 and that post-incident review and debrief take place.
- Take shared responsibility with the Deputy Manager and Registered Manager for safeguarding and promoting the welfare, rights and outcomes of the children in placement.
- Remain alert to the heightened vulnerability of children with learning disabilities and autism to abuse, neglect and exploitation — including child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, online exploitation and mate crime — and ensure the team follows the home's Missing Child policy and protocols without delay.
- Ensure practice is consistent, child-focused and free from oppression and discrimination.
- Contribute to the assessment of children's needs and the preparation, review and updating of individual care plans, risk assessments and PBS plans.
- Promote positive, therapeutic relationships between staff, children and families.
3.3 Clinical Practice, Health and Medication
- Ensure the recommendations of the home's commissioned clinical team — the Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist and Positive Behaviour Support / AAC partner — are implemented consistently across the shift.
- Ensure the team uses each child's communication passport and preferred communication methods at all times.
- Ensure PRN medication is administered, recorded, reviewed and escalated in line with STOMP/STAMP principles, and challenge any drift towards medication being used as a behaviour-management tool.
- Ensure staff on shift are alert to LD-associated health needs — including epilepsy; eating, drinking and swallowing (dysphagia) difficulties; constipation; and pain — recognising that distress may present as behaviour.
3.4 Preparation for Adulthood
- Coordinate preparation-for-adulthood activity on shift — life skills, cooking in the education and training kitchen, money awareness, travel and road safety, social communication and independence — and ensure progress is recorded.
- Support each child's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and contribute to annual reviews and liaison with the child's school.
3.5 Mentoring, Recording and Reporting
- Mentor Residential Support Workers on shift — model best practice, provide in-the-moment guidance and feedback, and support their development in role.
- Support the Deputy Manager with the induction and probation of new Residential Support Workers.
- Maintain accurate, timely and professional records of care, incidents, PBS data, medication administration and safeguarding matters.
- Contribute to reflective handovers, team meetings and reviews; support key work planning and case notes.
- Ensure documentation is available for internal audits, Regulation 44 visits and Ofsted inspection as required.
3.6 Multi-Agency Working and Communication
- Support effective communication with parents, carers, social workers, educators, health professionals and other stakeholders as directed by the Deputy Manager.
- Attend and contribute to reviews, meetings and multi-agency discussions when required.
- Ensure professional ethics and behaviours are demonstrated at all times.
3.7 Regulatory Compliance and Governance
- Work in accordance with the home's Statement of Purpose, policies, procedures and Ofsted registration conditions.
- Ensure all required documentation is completed to a high standard and is available for inspection.
- Ensure medication and safe-care practices are conducted in line with current legislation and best practice.
3.8 Health and Safety
- Ensure safe working practices are employed by all staff on shift in accordance with Health and
Safety at Work legislation.
- Cooperate with designated personnel with responsibilities for health and safety.
- Respond appropriately to emergencies and support the team to do the same.
3.9 Other Duties
- Undertake any other duties commensurate with the role that may be required from time to time by the Deputy Manager or Registered Manager.
- This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities but indicates the main areas attached to the post. It may be amended to reflect changes in social care, legislation or organisational requirements.
4. Salary, Hours and Benefits
Salary: Competitive, with structured pay grades, bonus scheme and paid sleep-ins.
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week on a shift pattern including days, evenings, weekends, waking-night and sleep-in duties.
On-call: Occasional shift-lead cover only; no formal on-call rota.
- 28 days' paid annual leave per holiday year, inclusive of the 8 public and bank holidays, rising by 1 additional day for each completed year of service, to a maximum of 5 additional days (33 days inclusive).
- Paid sleep-ins.
- Employer pension contribution (e.g. 3%).
- 100% employer-funded LD/autism, Positive Behaviour Support and Makaton training.
- Free enhanced DBS check.
- Refer-a-friend bonus scheme.
- Comprehensive induction programme.
- Clear pathways for career progression.
- Therapeutic training and consultation for staff.
- Casual dress (where appropriate).
- Commitment to work/life balance, including wellbeing support and team-building events.
5. Safer Recruitment and Pre-Employment Checks
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check including a check of the children's barred list; two written references, including one from the most recent employer involving work with children; proof of identity; a full employment history with a satisfactory written explanation of any gaps; documentary evidence of qualifications; and confirmation of fitness for the role. These requirements are set by Regulation 32 and Schedule 2 of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015. No post-holder will work unsupervised with any child until all pre-employment checks are complete.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £14.50-£18.50 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
