Senior Residential Support Worker

Children's Residential Care

Wellingborough, Northamptonshire

£30,000 to £33,000 per annum + £65 per sleep-in

1x admin day per week (9am to 5pm) + 2x 24hr shifts

This is a Senior Residential Support Worker position within a small children's residential home in the Wellingborough area, supporting young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties and mild learning disabilities. The salary is between £30,000 and £33,000 depending on experience, sleep-ins are paid at £65 per night, and the rota includes a dedicated admin day each week so you can manage your responsibilities without having to fit everything around shifts.

The provider runs two homes in Northamptonshire and operates a therapeutic model of care underpinned by PACE; Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy. Every member of staff is trained in it, and it shapes how the team responds to the young people they support on a daily basis. The focus is on understanding what a child is experiencing and responding to that, rather than managing surface-level behaviour. It's a meaningful distinction if you've worked in this sector for any length of time, and it tends to attract staff who are in this work for the right reasons.

This is a home that values consistency and collaboration, and the Team Leader coming into this role will work closely alongside the Registered Manager and the existing team. There's an expectation that you'll take time to understand how the home operates before making changes, and that you'll lead through your presence on shift as much as through any formal authority. If that sounds like how you naturally work, it's probably worth reading on.

What the role involves

• Managing the day-to-day running of the children's home in line with Children's Homes Regulations 2015

• Acting as shift lead when on shift and taking part in the on-call rota

• Coaching and supporting residential support workers through supervisions and day-to-day guidance

• Ensuring the 9 Quality Care Standards are met, including within key worker sessions

• Managing the home's weekly budget and completing the Team Leader checklist each shift

• Liaising with social workers, external agencies, and other professionals to ensure young people have the right support in place

• Identifying staff training needs and supporting the ongoing development of the team

• Promoting a positive safeguarding and health and safety culture throughout the home

• Providing additional support across both homes where needed

What you'll need

• A Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare, Health and Social Care, or Children and Young People, or a professional social work qualification

• At least one year of supervisory experience within a care setting

• A minimum of one year's direct experience in children's residential care

• A solid understanding of safeguarding and the regulatory framework for children's homes

• The confidence to manage a team and support staff through the realities of shift-based residential work

• Good written skills and the ability to keep records and documentation to the standard required by Ofsted

Working pattern

The rota is planned ahead with some flexibility built in where the team and shift pattern allow for it. There is one admin day per week, roughly 9am to 5pm, with remaining contracted hours made up through shifts including sleep-ins. Sleep-ins are paid at £65 per night. The rota is not a fixed rolling pattern at present, and staff preferences are taken into account where possible.

If this sounds like the right kind of role for where you are in your career, get in touch with your CV and a brief note about your background and we'll take it from there.