Residential Support Worker
Duston, Northamptonshire
£13.22 to £14.14 per hour
Full time contract - 160 hours per month

The home sits in Duston, Northamptonshire, supporting young people who need consistency, boundaries and adults who actually show up for them. It’s a proper residential environment. Structured, well run, and built around relationships that develop over time.

The team is experienced, the leadership is visible, and the expectations are clear. Residential childcare works best when staff feel supported and know exactly what good practice looks like. That’s the culture here.

If you’ve worked in children’s homes before, you’ll recognise the difference straight away.

The role

As a Residential Support Worker you’ll be part of the day to day life of the home.

That means supporting young people with routines, education, activities and the normal things that make up everyday life. Some days you’ll be out doing activities or appointments. Other days you’ll be helping cook tea, chatting about school, or just being present when a young person needs someone around.

It’s practical work too; keeping the house running well, maintaining standards in the home, cooking meals, helping young people take pride in their environment and supporting them to develop independence.

You’ll work closely with colleagues, social workers and other professionals involved in the young person’s care. Good recording and safeguarding practice are part of the job and are taken seriously across the service.

Residential care only works when the team works well together. That sense of shared responsibility is something staff here talk about a lot.

Shift pattern

The rota follows a 1 on, 2 off pattern, starting at 8am.

Long shifts, yes, but it also means consistent time away from work between shifts which many staff really value.

Sleep-ins form part of the rota and are paid at £50 per night.

Pay

• Hourly rate: £13.22 to £14.14 per hour

• Contracted hours: 160 hours per month

• Overtime becomes available once contracted hours are met and is paid at £15.72 to £16.64 per hour.

• Many staff choose to pick up the odd extra shift each month. With just one overtime shift per month, example annual earnings typically sit around: £34,826.40 to £36,760

• Sleep-ins are paid separately on top.

Progression and pay reviews

Something staff appreciate here is how clear progression is.

Pay increases are linked to development within the role. The Registered Manager reviews performance against agreed expectations and targets set through Personal Development Plans and annual appraisals.

Pay reviews take place twice each year in March and October.

If someone completes probation, they move to the next pay band at the earliest review window. For example, completing probation in August would mean the pay increase applies from October.

It’s structured and transparent. Staff know what progression looks like.

What you’ll receive

Alongside salary and overtime opportunities, staff receive a range of benefits that reflect the value placed on the team:

• Paid face to face training

• Company pension scheme

• Employment Assistance Programme

• Annual appraisal bonus

• Probation completion bonus

• Ofsted inspection bonus

• Referral payment for recommending new staff once they complete their first shift

• Paid Christmas party each year

And something small but appreciated by staff…

An additional 8 hours annual leave for your birthday.

What makes the difference here

Homes work best when staff feel supported.

Training is delivered face to face, supervision happens properly, and leadership stays close to the homes rather than feeling distant. It creates a working environment where staff can focus on what matters most, the young people.

Residential childcare is challenging work sometimes, but it’s also incredibly rewarding when relationships grow and young people start to believe in themselves again.

You see it happen gradually. A young person starts attending school more regularly. Someone learns to trust adults again. Another begins to think about their future.

Moments like that are why people stay in this sector.

What they’re looking for

Experience working with young people in residential care or a similar environment is beneficial.

A Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare or working through it, though development opportunities are available for those building their career in the sector.

You’ll need good communication skills, the ability to work as part of a team, and the emotional awareness that residential childcare asks of people.

A full UK driving licence as activities and appointments form part of everyday life within the home.

If that sounds like the sort of work you take pride in, this could be a role worth exploring.