Residential Support Worker (Children’s Home, EBD and SEMH) Swinton, Salford

There’s a world of difference between a children’s home that feels like a workplace and one where the walls are covered in the young people’s own photos and artwork, and this two bed EBD and SEMH home in Swinton is very much the second kind. It’s run by a small, close knit Salford provider caring for young people aged 8 to 17 on a medium to long term basis, which means you get the time and space to build the kind of relationship that changes how a young person sees adults, school and their own future.

What’s in it for you is pretty clear from the start, with realistic earnings of up to £36,160 including sleeps, a one on, two off rota that gives you proper time to recharge, a home judged good in every area by Ofsted, and a growing provider where progression into senior roles is a genuine, visible route.

The role at a glance

• Residential Support Worker in a two bed, Ofsted registered EBD and SEMH children’s home caring for young people aged 8 to 17

• Based in Swinton, Salford, with quick links onto the M60 and M61 and easy travel from right across Greater Manchester

• Base salary of £27,040 to £30,160 per year depending on your experience and qualifications

• Sleep in allowance of £50 per night, averaging around ten sleeps a month, which adds roughly £6,000 to your yearly earnings

• Realistic total earnings of £33,040 to £36,160 per year once sleeps are included

• Full time, permanent position on a one on, two off rota, giving you two full days to switch off and recharge after every shift

What Ofsted found

• The home was judged good across every area at full inspection, covering children’s experiences and progress, how well children are helped and protected, and the effectiveness of leaders and managers

• Inspectors described a nurturing and loving staff team who listen closely to young people and act on their wishes quickly, including helping one young person join local gymnastics and cheerleading shortly after moving in

• Relationships between young people and staff were found to be stable and positive, with skilled de-escalation handling every situation and zero physical interventions recorded across the whole inspection period

• High ambition for education stood out, with the manager arranging a tutor and then successfully championing a young person’s place at a local mainstream school

• Family time is planned around fun shared experiences, like trampolining sessions with siblings, so young people stay close to the people who matter most to them

• Partnership working with social workers, virtual schools and health professionals was rated highly effective, with leaders sourcing specialist training from partner agencies around each young person’s individual needs

Why people love working here

• A four pillar approach to care built around positive progression, achieving goals, transforming lives and healthy lifestyles, which gives every shift a clear sense of purpose and direction

• A therapeutic approach grounded in PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy), so the whole team shares a common language and a consistent way of being with young people

• Sport sits right at the heart of the home, with links to local sports clubs and associations and young people already thriving in everything from boxing to cheerleading

• Care that reaches well beyond a roof and a bed, with personalised programmes, career introductions, life skills and positive role models woven into everyday life

• Just two young people living in the home, so your key work, your relationships and your ideas carry real weight on every single shift you work

• A family style team where people who’ve worked here rate the management, culture, progression and work life balance at the very top of the scale

• A provider that’s growing across Greater Manchester with a new home on the way, opening up genuine routes into Senior Residential Support Worker, Team Leader and management roles

What your shifts will look like

• Supporting daily routines, school runs, health appointments and community activities with the kind of consistency a young person can build their confidence around

• Using trauma informed, PACE based practice to build trust, help young people make sense of big feelings and repair relationships so connection keeps growing

• Acting as key worker, shaping placement plans, risk assessments and reviews, and writing clear, meaningful records that help the whole team understand each young person

• Spotting safeguarding concerns early, sharing them through the right channels and taking part in open, reflective conversations with your manager afterwards

• Helping young people set goals and encouraging them into sport, hobbies, education and new experiences that help them discover what they’re good at and what excites them

• Creating a warm, homely environment through cooking together, keeping the home welcoming and making sure the space reflects the young people who live there

• Working closely with your Team Leader, Home Manager and the wider network of professionals involved in each young person’s care

What you’ll bring

• At least nine months’ experience working in a children’s residential care setting

• A Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare completed, in progress, or a clear intention to start it with full support from the team

• A full UK manual driving licence and the confidence to drive the home’s vehicle for school runs and activities

• A child centred outlook, plenty of patience and strong written and verbal communication skills

• Willingness to complete an Enhanced DBS check as part of the home’s safer recruitment process

What’s on offer

• Paid, in person training that builds real therapeutic practice, alongside specialist training sourced around the needs of the young people you support

• Structured monthly supervision with a manager who invests in your development, plus monthly team meetings where external agencies regularly come in to share their expertise

• 28 days annual leave including bank holidays for full time staff

• Workplace pension, an Employee Assistance Programme and free parking on site

• A clear progression pathway towards Senior Residential Support Worker and Team Leader roles as the provider continues to grow

If you love the everyday moments that make residential childcare so worthwhile, like the school run where a young person finally opens up, the handover that sets the next shift up brilliantly or the Saturday spent cheering someone on at their new boxing club, this Swinton home deserves a proper look. Give us a shout and we’ll talk you through what a typical week looks like, who you’d be working alongside and how the progression route works, so you can make your decision with the full picture in front of you.