Job Title: Senior Residential Support Worker – Children’s Home
Responsible to: Registered Home Manager via Deputy Manager
Location: Stoke-On-Trent
Salary & Package:
GBP 15.50 per hour for 165 hours per month
Sleep-in shifts are paid in addition to the basic salary at £60 per night.
Shift pattern in line with organisational requirements
Overtime shifts are available.
Role Overview
As a Senior Residential Support Worker at Acorns to Oaks Children’s Care and Support, you will help ensure the highest standards of care for children and young people. You will lead shifts, model best practice, support colleagues, and uphold the organisation’s values, safeguarding responsibilities, and commitment to child-centred care.
Core Purpose
- Deliver high-quality, child-centred care in line with the ethos, policies, and standards of Acorns to Oaks.
- Lead and coordinate shifts, acting as a positive role model and confident decision-maker.
- Ensure each child’s daily plans are followed and their practical, emotional, social, and developmental needs are consistently met.
- Promote a culture of safety, accountability, reflection, and continuous improvement.
Leadership and Oversight
- Provide clear direction and support to staff during shifts, challenging poor practice where required and encouraging sound decision-making.
- Monitor care standards and provide constructive feedback to colleagues to support consistent, high-quality practice.
- Lead the development and implementation of daily and weekly shift planners.
- Ensure effective handovers, accurate information sharing, and clear communication across the team.
Safeguarding and Compliance
- Remain vigilant to signs of distress, neglect, abuse, exploitation, or changes in behaviour, and respond promptly and appropriately.
- Apply safeguarding procedures in line with individual risk assessments, care plans, and organisational policy.
- Support compliance with relevant legislation, regulatory requirements, quality standards, and internal procedures.
- Use the whistleblowing policy where necessary to raise and address concerns in the interests of children’s safety and wellbeing.
Communication and Professionalism
- Communicate clearly, respectfully, and professionally with colleagues, external professionals, families, and visitors.
- Accurately represent children’s needs, views, progress, and risks in meetings, reports, and daily records.
- Uphold Acorns to Oaks’ cultural, behavioural, and professional expectations at all times.
- Maintain a positive, respectful, and constructive tone when discussing children, colleagues, families, and the organisation.
Operational Responsibilities
- Maintain accurate, timely records relating to care, safeguarding, health and safety, fire safety, medication, incidents, and petty cash where applicable.
- Support the home’s quality assurance processes, including preparation for Regulation 44 and Regulation 45 monitoring and reporting.
- Help ensure training, guidance, and organisational procedures are embedded in day-to-day practice.
- Contribute to proactive rota planning and safe staffing arrangements in line with the needs of the home.
- Lead by example through flexibility, initiative, professionalism, and accountability.
Team Development and Reflection
- Support colleagues and contribute to a cohesive, respectful, and effective team environment.
- Participate in supervision, team meetings, reflective practice, and ongoing professional development.
- Recognise and make effective use of team members’ strengths to support safe and well-organised shift management.
Personal Qualities
- Warm, resilient, and child-focused, with the ability to remain calm and professional in challenging situations.
- Confident in leading others while remaining approachable, supportive, and reflective.
- Committed to safeguarding, positive outcomes, and continuous improvement within children’s residential care.
Equity and Individualised Care
- Respect, value, and respond to each child’s culture, language, religion, identity, background, and individual needs.
- Provide reassurance, boundaries, comfort, and guidance to children experiencing stress, while maintaining dignity, fairness, and consistency.
- Create and maintain a homely, nurturing, and inclusive environment that reflects the preferences and needs of the children and young people.
Essential Criteria
· Full UK driving licence.
· Experience of working in residential children’s homes.
· NVQ Level 4 qualification, or currently working towards this qualification.
Other Duties
- Undertake any other reasonable tasks as directed by senior management, in line with the seniority of the role.
Pay: £15.50 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Paid training
- Referral programme
Experience:
- Childcare: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- full UK Driving Licence (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
