Residential Night Childcare Worker - Green Waves

About Us

WSCC operate a range of children\’s homes which provide a diverse range of services to some of the most vulnerable and \’at risk\’ children in the County, ranging in age from 7 to 18 years. These services include full time care (Looked After Children), short breaks, shared care, outreach services, day care and access to clubs and activities in the homes. The children looked after within our homes present varying levels of risk to themselves and others. The services we provide to those not looked after on a full-time basis have a significant and direct impact in reducing the risk of familial breakdown.

Our aim at WSCC is to put the children first and secure the best outcomes for them by listening to their needs and ensuring they have a voice and are heard. All children in residential care should be loved, happy, healthy, safe from harm and able to develop, thrive and fulfil their potential. It is our responsibility to ensure that this happens.

Joining our children\’s residential service will mean being able to make a genuine difference to the lives of children, young people and families. You will be a part of a friendly and supportive team who are passionate about their work.

For more information, please visit our dedicated Residential website Children\’s residential care careers (westsussex.gov.uk)

The Opportunity

Salary: £25,584 – £25,992 per annum (plus an unsociable hours enhancement for every shift worked, equivalent to time and a fifth on week days and time and a half at weekends and sleep-in payments)
Working Pattern: Part time and full time hours available (37 hours full time)
Contract: Permanent
Location: Worthing

Children\’s Residential Recruitment and Retention Payment scheme – £1500 during your first 18 months

To support recruitment into this vital area West Sussex County Council offer £1,500 during the employee\’s first 18 months where they are recruited to a new permanent role which is identified as hard to recruit and remain in the County Council\’s employment during this time.

The scheme consists of two payments: £500 after successful completion of 6 months employment (including successful completion of probation where relevant) and £1,000 after 18 months

As a Night Childcare Worker, you will ensure that all children\’s and young people\’s physical and emotional night care needs are met. This may include managing challenging behaviour and providing personal care, advice, assistance and support.

Your main responsibilities will be to help children and young people settle into night-time and morning routines, such as washing, getting up in the morning and getting ready for bed and to assist in the provision and preparation of meals in the Home. The support given enables our children and young people to maintain and improve their skills and daily lives in line with individual care plans.

There are many challenges, but we support each other to overcome these and work closely with many other professionals too. This enables us to continue to provide the high quality of care to our children, in a homely and caring environment.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply at your earliest convenience.

Experience and Skills

Essential

• Good standard of literacy e.g. ability to write reports around individual young people and significant incidents and to be able to write application for level 3 diploma. Could be gained through formal education or vocational experience.
• Grade D or above (3+) in GCSE (or equivalent) Maths and English (Grade C or above (4-9) preferred)
• A Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare or equivalent qualification (this can be gained on the job but must be applied for within one month of commencing employment and must be completed within 2 years of the date of commencement of employment)

Desirable

• Awareness of the development needs of children in residential care.
• Knowledge of Children\’s home regulations 2015 (England).
• Knowledge of how to support children who have experienced trauma, harm or abuse.
• Previous childcare experience, preferably in a residential setting.
• Experience of working with children with disabilities, complex high-risk adolescents or related experience e.g. adults with disabilities.

If you do not hold a Maths and English GCSE at grade D/3 or equivalent, you will need to apply for Maths and English Functional Skills before being considered for this role. You can find out more about gaining a Maths and English Functional Skills on the Government website Improve your English, Maths and IT Skills.

Please be advised you are required to bring certificates for your Maths and English (C and above) and any Childcare qualifications you hold.

Rewards and Benefits

As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance, and are rewarded for the work they do.

In addition to working within a great team and a competitive salary you will have access to:

For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further Information

The reference number for this role is CAFHE05351.

For an informal conversation or further information regarding the role, please contact one of the following people;

To apply, upload your CV and cover letter, explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role, ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and an occupational health check. A fully employment history will be requested and covered for this role.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.

Note for Recruitment Agencies: We prefer to hire people directly, but we do have a supplier list for when we need a helping hand. We\’ll be in touch directly if we need you!

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