Children’s Residential Support Worker

Based in and around Sidcup & Bexley.

£26,915.20 per annum rising to £27,955.20 per annum after a successful probation.

Shift work including occasional night shifts.

Overtime available.

Enhanced DBS checks will be required.

Our client is looking for a residential care worker to join their team. The purpose of this role rewarding and fulfilling role will be to provide advice, assistance and support to young people, safeguarding their welfare at all times in a residential environment. To attend to their practical, physical and emotional needs. To act as an appropriate role model and to work closely with them to enable them to address their difficulties and achieve their optimum potential.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Taking responsibility for a small number of young people and ensuring that their needs are fully met
• Attending to practical matters in relation to childcare (cooking, cleaning etc)
• Establishing positive relationships with young people and always offering them unconditional and positive regard
• Meeting the physical, emotional, behavioral, cultural and educational needs of young people
• Acting as a role model and demonstrating appropriate pro-social ways of dealing with problems
• Helping young people gain self-control by understanding behavior’s due to trauma.
• Ensuring that each young person’s care plan is followed and amended as appropriate to reflect their changing needs
• Establishing relationships which young people perceive to be positive, warm and rewarding
• Providing advice, assistance and support on a 1:1 basis to enable young people to address past and present difficulties
• Providing emotional support at times of difficulty or stress
• Being ambitious for young people, helping them achieve their goals and optimise their potential
• Providing support for young people in their education and extracurricular activities
• Keeping accurate records and providing written reports on young people for planning meetings, reviews or any other meetings as directed by the line manager
• Empowering young people and facilitating their active involvement in the decision making about their lives and future
• Acting as an advocate at meetings where the young person is the subject of discussion
• Encouraging the young person to develop links with the community, attend off-site activities and expand their personal social network
• Attending team/ staff meetings and making a positive contribution to them
• Actively contributing to the development of the team
• Being willing to give and receive feedback on performance with colleagues and managers
• Being aware of childcare plans for all young people and providing support for colleagues by
• maintaining consistency in the execution of those plans
• Providing informal practical and emotional support to colleagues experiencing difficulties
• Attending and contributing to regular supervision sessions in line with the National Minimum Standards
• Monitoring the conduct of colleagues and referring on any causes for concern (Whistleblowing)
• Being familiar with all policies and procedures and adhering to them
• Attending young people’s meetings and contributing to them
• Driving company vehicles (current driving license holders subject to procedures)
• Responsibility for the accurate maintenance of financial records appropriate to the duties of the post
• Supporting Young People through nighttime shifts when required.

Essential & desirable skills, qualifications & Experience:

• Childcare qualification – Desirable
• Educated to GCSE Level or Equivalent – Essential
• Ability to relate to and communicate with young people forming and maintaining
• appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with young people - Essential
• Awareness of young people’s needs - Essential
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing - Essential
• Ability to work under own initiative - Essential
• Basic household skills - Essential
• Ability to recognise and acknowledge training needs and respond appropriately -Essential
• Emotional resilience in working with challenging behaviours – Essential
• Understanding challenging behaviour and methods of control – Desirable
• Awareness of National Minimum Standards – Desirable
• Knowledge of Childcare legislation – Desirable
• Outdoor pursuits skills – Desirable
• Previous experience of looking after children – Essential
• Previous residential care work – Desirable
• Work in Juvenile Justice System – Desirable

If this sounds like the role for you, apply now!

*Braundton Consulting is a recruitment agency recruiting on behalf of a client.