Competitive salary — up to £35,210 per year | All experience levels welcome | Full training provided
Sleep-ins are paid in addition to your salary at £55 per sleep-in.
For this particular home, we are especially keen to hear from candidates with an Early Years background or experience supporting younger children.This could include experience in a nursery, preschool, Early Years setting or another role supporting young children.
Because of the children's age and developmental needs, experience in early childhood development, developmental milestones, and providing nurturing, age-appropriate support would be particularly valuable.
Why Join Us?
This is more than a job. It is an opportunity to genuinely change the course of a child’s life.
At Solent Child Care, we provide specialised therapeutic support for children who have experienced significant trauma and who are not yet ready for foster care. Our goal is to create warm, stable, fun and nurturing homes where children can build the confidence and skills they need to succeed.
Our homes are small and situated in beautiful locations across Wiltshire, Somerset and the New Forest. You will join a close-knit, supportive team where your contribution is seen and valued every day.
We use PACE alongside principles from DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy), providing a therapeutic approach to parenting and care for children with complex emotional needs. Whether you are completely new to residential childcare or an experienced professional, we will invest in your development from day one.
The Role
As a Residential Child Care Worker, you will be a consistent and positive presence in the lives of the children in your home.
Working as part of a small, dedicated team, you will provide high-quality, child-centred care, creating a structured, nurturing and fun environment where every child feels safe, cared for and supported.
Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:
- Providing tailored emotional and practical care to meet each child’s individual needs
- Being a positive role model and building trusting, therapeutic relationships
- Supporting school runs, extracurricular activities and family contact using our home vehicles
- Planning and taking part in recreational and educational activities that promote development, independence and social skills
- Supporting children to work towards individual developmental milestones
- Carrying out household duties, including cooking, cleaning and maintaining a warm and welcoming home environment
- Completing daily records, logs, forms and weekly health and safety checks
- Working collaboratively with social workers, educators and other professionals
- Working 24-hour shift patterns, including weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins
- Sleep-in hours are 22:30 to 07:30
What We Are Looking For
We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels — from people completely new to residential childcare through to qualified and experienced practitioners.
What matters most is your values, character and genuine commitment to supporting children.
Essential Requirements
- You must be aged 21 or over
- Full, clean UK driving licence — home vehicles are used to transport children
- Compassionate, patient and resilient, with the ability to bring warmth, calm and fun to challenging situations
- Flexible and reliable, with the ability to work shifts including weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins
- A genuine commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
- Good communication skills and the ability to maintain clear and accurate records
- Right to work in the UK — sponsorship is not available for this role
If You Are Experienced or Qualified
We also welcome applications from candidates who already hold a Level 3 qualification or above in Residential Childcare, Health and Social Care or an equivalent relevant qualification.
If you have previous experience in a senior, supervisory or team leader role, we would also be keen to hear from you.
For experienced candidates, we will support your continued professional development and progression towards Level 4, Level 5 and beyond.
Desirable — But Not Essential
- Early Years experience or experience supporting younger children
- Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare, Health and Social Care or equivalent
- Experience working with children with complex emotional or behavioural needs
- Awareness of or training in trauma-informed approaches such as PACE or DDP
- Level 4 or Level 5 qualification in Childcare or Leadership and Management
- Experience in a senior, supervisory or team leader capacity
What We OfferHealth & Wellbeing
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) — free, confidential 24/7 support, including GP appointments, counselling and legal advice for you and your family
- Blue Light Card — access to discounts across thousands of retailers, restaurants, holiday providers and entertainment venues
- Company pension scheme with a 3% employer contribution
Practical Benefits
- £55 for each sleep-in, paid in addition to your salary
- Enhanced DBS check fully funded
- Home vehicles provided for school runs and transporting children while on shift — no need to use your own vehicle
- Meals provided while on shift — you eat communally with the children at no cost to you
- Free on-site parking at all home locations
- Casual dress — our homes are homes, not institutions
- 28 days' annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays
- Refer a Friend Scheme — £500 (T&Cs apply)
Training & Development
- Fully funded Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare for those who do not already hold the qualification
- Supported progression to Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications, opening opportunities for senior and management roles
- PACE and DDP therapeutic parenting training from the outset
- Safeguarding, first aid and behaviour support training
- Online learning, webinars and face-to-face training throughout your career
- Regular supervision and one-to-one support from an experienced management team
About Solent Child Care
Solent Child Care is an independent residential childcare provider operating multiple homes across the South of England.
Our homes are small by design. We believe children thrive in intimate, family-like environments rather than large institutional settings.
We specialise in supporting children who have experienced significant trauma. Using therapeutic approaches including PACE and DDP principles, our teams help children build trust, develop emotional resilience and achieve positive outcomes.
We are a values-led organisation where safeguarding underpins every decision we make — and we apply that same commitment to supporting and developing our staff.
How to Apply
Please apply with your CV.
As part of your application, please confirm that:
- You are aged 21 or over
- You hold a full, clean UK driving licence
- You are able to work shifts including sleep-ins, weekends and bank holidays
- You have the right to work in the UK
Salary is competitive and will be discussed on an individual basis, taking into account your experience and qualifications.
We review applications on a rolling basis and aim to be in touch within five working days.
Solent Child Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful applicants will be required to complete an Enhanced DBS check and full safer recruitment vetting before starting in post.
Right to work in the UK is required. Sponsorship is not available for this role.
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: £26,670.00-£35,210.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
Application question(s):
- Are you able to work shifts which include a sleep in, weekends and bank holidays?
- Will you require visa sponsorship now or in the future?
- Do you hold a minimum of a Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare, or an equivalent such as an NVQ in children and young people, or social care qualification?
Experience:
- Child Care: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
