Youth Support Worker

Children's Residential Support Worker

Crook, County Durham | Full Time | Residential Childcare | Shift Work

£33,488 per annum

Be the person a child remembers for the right reasons.

Some jobs are about earning a living. Others give you the opportunity to change a life.

As a Children's Residential Support Worker, you could be the person who listens when a young person feels nobody else will. The calm voice at the end of a difficult day. The trusted adult who keeps showing up, keeps believing in them and helps them discover that their past does not have to define their future.

We are looking for a compassionate, resilient and committed Children's Residential Support Worker to join our team in Crook, County Durham, supporting children and young people who may have experienced trauma, instability, emotional difficulties or challenging circumstances.

This isn't always an easy job.

There will be difficult days. There will be moments that test your patience, your resilience and your ability to remain calm under pressure.

But there will also be moments that make it all worthwhile — a young person beginning to trust you, achieving something they didn't believe they could, opening up after weeks of silence, or simply feeling safe enough to smile.

Those moments matter. And so will you.

Your role

Working in a specialist children's residential home, you'll help create a place where young people feel safe, valued, listened to and cared for.

You'll build genuine, trusting relationships and provide the consistency and encouragement that can make such a difference to a child who has experienced uncertainty.

Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Supporting children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD)
• Providing emotional support, reassurance and positive role modelling
• Creating a safe, warm and nurturing home environment
• Building trusting relationships based on respect, patience and consistency
• Encouraging positive behaviour while maintaining clear and appropriate boundaries
• Carrying out welfare checks in line with care plans and risk assessments
• Responding calmly and appropriately to incidents, safeguarding concerns and emergencies
• Supporting morning routines and the everyday rhythm of family life within the home
• Maintaining accurate records, reports and handovers
• Completing appropriate safety, security and fire checks
• Helping to keep the home clean, welcoming and comfortable
• Working closely with colleagues, managers, families and external professionals
• Following care plans, safeguarding procedures, Children's Homes Regulations and organisational policies

Who we're looking for

You don't have to have the perfect CV.

What matters most is who you are and how you treat people.

We'd love to hear from you if you have experience in:

• Children's residential care
• Residential childcare
• Children's support work
• Youth work
• Social care
• Care work involving children or young people
• Behaviour support
• SEN or SEMH settings
• Foster care
• Supported accommodation

Experience working with children and young people is important, and residential childcare experience is desirable.

We're looking for someone who is:

• Patient when things are difficult
• Compassionate without losing professional boundaries
• Calm when others may be struggling
• Resilient enough to keep going after challenging days
• Consistent, because children need adults they can rely on
• A good listener who understands that behaviour is often communication
• Positive and encouraging, even when progress feels small
• Professional and trustworthy
• Comfortable working independently and as part of a wider team
• Committed to safeguarding and putting the child's needs at the heart of everything they do

A full UK driving licence is desirable.

Why this role matters

Children in residential care don't simply need someone to supervise them.

They need adults who will see them.

Someone who notices when they're having a bad day. Someone who celebrates the little victories. Someone who can hold a boundary while still showing kindness. Someone who can help them understand that they are worthy of care, respect and opportunity.

You may never know the full impact you have on a young person's life.

But years from now, they may remember the adult who believed in them when they struggled to believe in themselves.

That could be you.

What you'll receive

In return for the commitment you bring to this important role, we offer:

£33,488 per annum

Alongside a supportive working environment, you'll also receive:

• Ongoing training and professional development
• Opportunities for career progression
• Support from an experienced care team
• The opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with young people
• The chance to build a rewarding career in residential childcare
• The satisfaction of knowing your work genuinely matters

The reality of the role

This is a full-time position working weekends and bank holidays.

Sleep-ins and participation in an on-call rota may be required, and occasional changes to the rota may be necessary to provide continuity and stability for the young people in our care.

We know that this kind of work asks a lot of you.

That's why we want people to join us who understand that care is more than a job title.

It's about turning up. Being dependable. Staying compassionate when things are difficult. And creating a home where young people have the opportunity to feel safe and begin to thrive.

Safeguarding

The safety and wellbeing of children and young people is at the heart of everything we do.

This position is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. All shortlisted candidates will be required to disclose convictions or cautions that are not protected under current filtering legislation.

All appointments are subject to safer recruitment procedures, including an Enhanced DBS check and satisfactory pre-employment checks.

Could you make a difference?

If you're looking for a role where you can simply clock in, do your hours and go home, this probably isn't the job for you.

But if you want a career where your patience, your compassion and your presence can genuinely change the direction of a young person's life, we'd love to hear from you.

You don't need to have all the answers.

You just need to care, be willing to learn, and be prepared to keep showing up.

Apply today and take the opportunity to become one of the safe, trusted adults a young person can count on.