Children’s Residential Support Worker

 FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

Employer:Homes 2 Inspire

Position:Children’s Residential Support Worker

Salary: £29,767 – £31,579 per annum (£14.31 – £15.18 per hour)  

Job Type:Permanent, Part-time, Full-time

Work location:Henlade, Somerset 

Sleep-In Payment: £50.00 per sleep-in

Essential Requirement: Applicants must have previous experience working within a children’s residential care setting. Due to the complex needs of the children we support, we are unable to consider candidates without residential childcare experience for this role.

Looking for a Career That Changes Lives?

At Homes2Inspire, we believe every child deserves a place where they feel safe, loved, supported, and able to thrive.

Our 3-bed children’s home in Henlade, Somerset, provides a safe, nurturing, and therapeutic environment for children and young people who have experienced significant trauma, loss, and disruption in their lives. Working as part of a dedicated team, you’ll help children build trust, develop resilience, and create positive experiences that can change the course of their future.

We are seeking resilient, committed professionals who understand the realities of residential childcare and can provide the consistent, therapeutic support our children need to feel safe and succeed.

Located just outside Taunton, Henlade offers the perfect balance of rural surroundings and access to local amenities, education, leisure opportunities, and community activities. These opportunities play an important role in helping children build confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging.

This is more than a care role. It’s about being the consistent, caring adult who helps a child feel safe enough to grow, heal, and achieve their potential.

What You’ll Do

As a Children’s Residential Support Worker, you’ll play a vital role in helping children recover from past experiences and build positive futures.

You will:

• Build positive, trusting relationships with children and young people.
• Provide day-to-day care, guidance, and emotional support.
• Help children develop independence, confidence, and essential life skills.
• Support children to access education, hobbies, activities, and community opportunities.
• Safeguard and promote the welfare of children at all times.
• Respond calmly, professionally, and therapeutically to challenging situations.
• Provide consistent boundaries and routines that help children feel safe and secure.
• Work closely with colleagues, social workers, education professionals, and clinicians.
• Contribute to care planning, record keeping, and celebrating children’s achievements.

No two days are ever the same, but every day gives you the opportunity to make a genuine and lasting difference.

About Our Henlade Home

Our children’s home in Henlade provides a safe, nurturing, and therapeutic environment where children and young people can feel valued, supported, and empowered to achieve their potential.

The children we support have often experienced trauma, adversity, and disrupted relationships. As a result, they require patient, resilient, and emotionally available adults who can provide consistent care, understanding, and positive role modelling.

Located just outside Taunton, the home is easily accessible from Taunton, Wellington, Bridgwater, Ilminster, Burnham-on-Sea, Chard, and surrounding Somerset areas.

The home benefits from excellent access to local education, leisure facilities, green spaces, and community opportunities, helping children develop confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging within a supportive environment.

What We’re Looking For

Due to the nature of the service and the needs of the children we support, previous experience working within a children’s residential care setting is an essential requirement for this position.

Our children can present with complex emotional and behavioural needs, and we are looking for individuals who understand the challenges of residential childcare and are able to provide the resilience, consistency, and therapeutic support necessary to help children thrive.

You’ll need:

• Previous experience working within a children’s residential home or residential childcare setting (essential).
• Experience supporting children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties, trauma, complex needs, or behaviours that challenge.
• A strong understanding of safeguarding and child-centred practice.
• Proven emotional resilience and the ability to remain calm and professional during challenging situations.
• Confidence in managing difficult situations using therapeutic and trauma-informed approaches.
• The ability to build positive, trusting relationships while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• A genuine passion for helping children achieve positive outcomes.
• A full UK driving licence.
• The ability to work shifts, weekends, bank holidays, and sleep-ins.
• A willingness to complete the Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare if not already qualified.

Please note: Applications from candidates without previous residential childcare experience will not be considered. This role requires individuals who understand the unique demands of residential care and who can provide the consistent support, resilience, and therapeutic approach our children need.

Most importantly, we’re looking for people who can see beyond behaviour and recognise the experiences, emotions, and unmet needs behind it.

What We Offer

• Salary of £29,767 – £31,579 per annum (£14.31 – £15.18 per hour).
• £50.00 per sleep-in.
• Ofsted Bonus Scheme for homes achieving Good or Outstanding inspection outcomes.
• Annual Attendance Bonus.
• Enhanced Family Friendly Leave.
• Award and Recognition Vouchers celebrating outstanding achievements and contributions.
• Comprehensive induction and specialist training.
• Fully funded Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare.
• Clinical support through our Homes & Horizons therapeutic model.
• Career progression opportunities within a growing national organisation.
• 28 days annual leave, increasing with service.
• Free meals whilst on shift.
• Unum Healthcare, providing healthcare reimbursements, remote GP access, wellbeing resources, and mental health support.
• Aviva Digicare, including Digital GP consultations, annual health checks, and mental health assessments.
• Employee discounts on shopping, cinema, travel, and holidays.
• Blue Light Card eligibility.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Access to confidential counselling and wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme.
• Christmas recognition vouchers and long-service awards.
• Ongoing learning, development, and support from experienced leaders.

Important Information

All successful candidates will be subject to pre-employment safer recruitment checks in line with Ofsted regulatory requirements and the Homes2Inspire Safer Recruitment Policy.

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Applications will be reviewed regularly, and we reserve the right to interview and appoint before the advertised closing date.

Due to partnership working with Somerset Council, personal information provided during the recruitment process may be shared with partner organisations.

Interviews for this role will take place in person during planned assessment days. Please contact our Careers Team if you require any reasonable adjustments.

It is an important part of Homes2Inspire’s recruitment process to ensure candidates are matched to the most appropriate service based on their skills, experience, and the needs of the children in our care. On occasion, this may result in an offer being made for an alternative service to the one originally applied for.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

At Homes2Inspire, we’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace where everyone feels valued and respected.

We actively encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and welcome applications from all sections of society, including those with lived experience of disability, social exclusion, or care experience.

Homes2Inspire is proud to support care leavers through our Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you have lived experience of care and meet the minimum criteria for the role, please tell us as part of your application.

Male colleagues are currently underrepresented within our residential children’s services and, while appointments are made solely on merit, we welcome applications from men who share our passion for helping children achieve positive outcomes.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you have experience working within children’s residential care, are emotionally resilient, and are committed to helping children overcome challenges and achieve their potential, we’d love to hear from you.

Join us and help create a home where children feel safe, supported, loved, and able to thrive.

For an informal discussion or to request a full job description:

careers@homes2inspire.co.uk
01788 487057

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted or free food
• Employee discount
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Referral programme
• Sick pay

Experience:

• children’s care: 1 year (required)

Licence/Certification:

• full UK driving license (required)

Work Location: In person

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