Description

The starting salary for this role is £29,697 per annum for working 36 hours per week. This role requires shift working on a rota basis so may not suit everyone. On average you would be required to work two sleep ins per week and approximately one weekend in three as part of a 24-7 caring service. We provide enhanced rates of pay for any unsociable hours you work including sleep ins, weekend and bank holiday working.

Rewards and Benefits:

• 26 days' holiday rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave.
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme to support health and wellbeing.
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave.
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more.
• Two paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources.
• Relocation bonus
• Refer a friend payment of £750 as a thank you for finding the right residential worker.

The Role:

Residential Support Workers are the backbone of our children's homes, working directly with our children to provide them with a safe, nurturing, and supportive home environment. They proactively engage our children in activities that promote positive physical, emotional, and social development, helping them recognise the benefits and sense of purpose these can provide.

Hornbeam, our children's home located in Elmbridge supports children who experience social and emotional difficulties, is looking for motivated and engaged individuals to join the team to work directly with our children. No two days in our home are the same, so being prepared to expect the unexpected and to react and respond calmly and confidently to any challenging behaviours or situations is key. Day-to-day, you may encounter challenges similar to those found in any family environment—debates over screen time, sticking to rules and routines, pushing and testing boundaries, and navigating complex relationships. You will have the privilege of supporting the children through some of their formative years and hardest times as they process the realities of growing up against the backdrop of trauma, and develop the life skills they will need to develop independence.

In this role, you will wear many hats, from parent to sympathetic listener, teacher, and role model. Each role will help shape, influence, and promote a positive culture within the home and instil this within our children. You will work restoratively with them, focusing on building strong, healthy relationships and promoting accountability through open communication. Ensuring the children remain active and focused on what they can achieve is something that works well in our home and we hope this is something you will relish and help us to build upon, opening opportunities and creating positive experiences and memories.

While the challenges of a career in children's residential care can be significant, the rewards of watching a child or young person develop are unparalleled. This opportunity would suit someone with a calm, proactive, and solution-focused outlook, who has the ability to engage meaningfully and build relationships based on trust and mutual respect. Previous experience in residential, mental health, youth, probation, or family services would align well with the support that we provide. Equally, varied transferable experience such as working in a pupil referral unit, an EBD school environment, or direct work with individuals such as personal training would also align well to our residential worker roles. Understanding what motivates our children and proactively engaging them in activities that promote healthy behaviours will set you up for success in this role.

Supporting You:

We are dedicated to providing consistent care and building effective relationships, not just with our children and young people, but with each other and with our partner organisations and colleagues who support us with our work.

We will support and invest in you to achieve the mandatory, nationally recognised, Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (within two years of starting) if you do not already have this. We have a proven track record of supporting staff to pass their qualification and are proud of the achievements of all staff we invest in.

Gaining this qualification will unlock opportunities for you to progress to a Senior Residential Worker (starting at £32,512 per annum) and will help you grow the skills and confidence needed to be an effective Residential Worker. Working in children's residential services is a great opportunity and gateway to developing a career within care. We offer a clearly defined career pathway and progression opportunities with our expanding children's residential service as we continue our journey to open further homes this year and beyond. You will have access to a wealth of personal development and resources to ensure you feel confident to succeed and progress in your role, working as part of a wider network with support from professionals such as psychologists and our Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) service to enrich your practice. 

Shortlisting Criteria:

To apply you will need to upload your CV and answer the following questions:

• Looking at our advert please tell us what it is about the role that has motivated you to apply?
• Please tell us about the relevant experience or transferable skills you have in relation to this role.
• What three qualities do you have that would make you a good Support Worker and why will these be important?
• Please tell us how you would you handle a situation where challenging behaviour was present? Please offer a relevant example if you can.

Our Requirements:

Due to our legal obligations, we can only accept applications from people 22 years old and above.

This role requires a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare or an equivalent qualification. If you do not currently hold this qualification (or equivalent) but are successful in the interview and meet the enrolment criteria (including English and Maths skills), you will be enrolled in a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare, subject to funding.

In addition to the above, to meet the criteria of the Level 3 Diploma, you must have lived in the UK/EEA for the last 3 years and you must also have the right to remain and work in the United Kingdom for the duration of the study programme. Failure to achieve the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare or losing your right to remain and work in the United Kingdom may result in the termination of your employment.

We are unfortunately not able to offer sponsorship at this time. 

Our residential workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and to use home cars located on site to support our young people to attend a wide range of places including appointments, activities or trips as agreed. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long-term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

Working in our homes represents a unique opportunity to support our children and young people with their everyday lives. To do this safely you will be asked to tell us about any allergies you have that may need to be reasonably managed to ensure your safety and wellbeing with minimal impact to the children and young people we care for.

Contact Us:

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills, or any barriers to employment. If you have any questions about these roles please contact Sarah via email at residentialrecruitment@surreycc.gov.uk

Applications will be reviewed and considered on an ongoing basis.

What Next?

If your application is shortlisted, you will be invited to a short first round virtual interview to explore your answers to the above questions (lasting approx. 10-15 min), and if successful following this, invited to meet us at one of our homes for an interview.

An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role.

We are committed to the safe recruitment of staff in our Residential homes across Surrey therefore if you are successful in being offered a role within our service, we will work with you to collect all required checks in line with government guidance. You can find out more about what information you will be asked to provide HERE.

Our Values:

Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our values.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description. Our Life at Surrey handbook also provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Our Commitment:

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application.

The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form.

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. 

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.

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