Childrens Support Worker

We are dedicated to providing a nurturing and supportive home for children aged 6-18 who have learning difficulties. Our mission is simple: to empower every child in our care to reach their full potential, no matter the challenges they face. With a wealth of experience and a heartwarming commitment, our skilled staff ensures that each child receives the personalised care and attention they deserve. What We Offer: Tailored Developmental Activities: Our team crafts a personalised journey of growth for each child, fostering their unique talents and interests. From enriching educational activities to inspiring creative pursuits, we provide a holistic approach to development that celebrates individuality. Safe Haven for Thriving: Safety is our top priority. Our residence is not just a house; it\’s a home where children can flourish emotionally, mentally, and physically. With round-the-clock supervision and a compassionate approach, we create an environment that promotes growth and resilience. Fostering Independence: We believe in empowering children to become self-reliant and confident individuals. Our programs are designed to instil life skills and independence, helping them build a strong foundation for a successful future. Social Skills and Academic Progress: Social interaction is vital for personal growth. Our children will engage in a range of activities that encourage teamwork, communication, and positive relationships. Alongside this, we provide academic support that adapts to each child\’s learning style, ensuring they progress academically. Engaging Home-Like Setting: Comfort and engagement go hand in hand. Our residence is a warm and inviting space, offering the familiarity of a true home. With cozy living spaces, inviting common areas, and a great outdoor environment, children can feel at ease while embracing the joy of childhood. Job Purpose The Residential Support Worker is to provide care, guidance, and support to children and young people with learning disabilities who are in need of a safe and nurturing environment. To be responsible for creating a positive and stable living environment, ensuring the emotional and physical well-being of the residents, and helping them develop essential life skills. Working as part of the team and professional network to implement individualised care plans, address behavioural or emotional challenges, and promote the overall development and growth of the children and young people under our care as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. General Duties Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements such as provisions set out in the Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards 2015, Childrens Act 1989, Data Protection Act 1998, Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018. Provide emotional support and guidance to children and young people in the home, helping them manage their feelings, build self-esteem, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Assist with daily routines such as waking up, getting ready for school, meals, personal hygiene, and bedtime, ensuring that children\’s basic needs are met in a nurturing and respectful manner. Maintain a safe and secure environment by closely supervising children\’s activities, both indoors and outdoors, to prevent accidents and ensure their well-being. Implement behaviour management strategies, applying positive reinforcement and appropriate consequences to encourage positive behaviours and address challenging behaviours effectively. Support children\’s personal and social development by planning and participating in age-appropriate recreational activities, educational outings, and social interactions. Administer medications as prescribed, maintain accurate records, and ensure proper communication with medical professionals and guardians regarding children\’s health needs. Maintain detailed and accurate records of daily activities, incidents, observations, and progress, ensuring that information is confidential and shared appropriately with the team and relevant parties. Foster open and effective communication with children, their families, colleagues, and other professionals involved in their care, ensuring that everyone is informed and aligned in providing the best support. Handle crisis situations calmly and appropriately, following established protocols to de-escalate conflicts, manage emotional dysregulation, and ensure the safety of all residents. Assist children with their homework, engage in educational activities, and collaborate with school staff to support their academic progress and address any learning needs. Act as an advocate for children\’s rights and well-being, ensuring that their voices are heard and their needs are met within the home and the broader community. Work collaboratively with colleagues, including social workers, therapists, educators, and healthcare professionals, to develop and implement comprehensive care plans for each child. Teach essential life skills such as cooking, budgeting, time management, and personal responsibility, preparing children for independent living as they grow older. Promote good hygiene practices, including teaching children about personal hygiene, cleanliness, and healthy habits to maintain their physical well-being. Specific Duties Service Delivery: Provide direct care and support to children and young people, ensuring their basic needs such as food, hygiene, and medical requirements are met. Build trusting relationships with residents, offering emotional support, and being a reliable adult figure in their lives. Implement behavioural interventions, routines, and strategies to address challenging behaviours and encourage positive actions. Assist in developing life skills, including hygiene, communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution. Collaborate with educational settings to ensure residents\’ educational needs are met, including homework help and participation in learning activities. Serve as a designated Keyworker to a specific child, establishing a close and supportive relationship to meet their unique needs and developmental goals. People Management: Work closely with colleagues, social workers, therapists, and educators to provide comprehensive care and support to residents. Maintain clear and effective communication channels among team members to ensure coordinated care and sharing of important information. Advocate for residents\’ needs and rights, ensuring their voices are heard and respected within the children\’s home and in external interactions. Resource Management: Manage daily operations of the home, including scheduling, meal planning, transportation, and maintaining a safe and clean environment. Ensure the availability of necessary resources such as food, clothing, personal hygiene items, and recreational materials. Assist in budget management for the children\’s home, ensuring efficient use of resources while meeting residents\’ needs. Quality and Service Development: Effectively demonstrate compliance with the Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards 2015 and the Single Social Care Inspection Framework (SSCIF) Contribute to the development and implementation of personalised care plans for each resident, addressing their unique needs and goals. Participate in training and professional development opportunities to enhance skills and stay updated on best practices in childcare and support. Regularly assess residents\’ progress and adjust interventions as needed to ensure their well-being and development. Oversight of Young People\’s Progress: Monitor residents\’ physical, emotional, and psychological development, identifying areas for growth and potential challenges. Collaborate with residents to set achievable goals and support their progress towards independence and self-sufficiency. Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of residents\’ activities, achievements, and challenges, contributing to individual care plans and reports as required. Keyworker Responsibilities: Develop and implement an individualised care plan for the assigned child, considering their strengths, challenges, and aspirations. Collaborate with the child to set meaningful goals for personal, emotional, and social development, working towards their progress and well-being. Maintain frequent and consistent interactions with the child, providing a safe space for them to share their thoughts, feelings, and concerns. Advocate for the child\’s needs, rights, and preferences within the children\’s home and when interacting with other professionals. Continuously assess the child\’s progress, adapting interventions and strategies as needed to ensure their growth and positive outcomes. Work closely with other staff members, therapists, and external partners to coordinate comprehensive support services for the child. Build a strong and trusting relationship with the child, acting as a mentor, role model, and source of stability in their life. Facilitate smooth transitions for the child, whether it\’s adapting to new routines, educational settings, or preparing for independence. Person Specification Qualifications and Education Level 3 Diploma Children and Young People’s Services; or equivalent; or a preparedness to work towards the same. Preferably holds a relevant qualification in social work, child care, psychology, or a related field. Demonstrate commitment to continuing professional development. Experience * Proven experience working with children or young people in a residential, educational, or care setting. * Familiarity with child development, behaviour management, and safeguarding procedures. Knowledge and Understanding * Familiarity with Children’s Home Regulations and Quality Standards 2015, Single Social Care Inspection Framework (SSCIF), Children Act 1989, Children and Families Act 2014, Care Standards Act 2000, Children Act 2004, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015, Health and Safety at work and associated guidance and regulation. * Policies and procedures pertaining to running a residential children’s home. * Knowledge of care planning, risk assessment, and key principles of supporting children and young people. * Child protection, safeguarding children, impact of abuse and neglect, education and health needs of looked after children, equality and diversity and children’s rights. * Understanding of the education, health, social, emotional and psychological needs of looked after children and young people and how to ensure these needs are met. Skill and Abilities * Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. * Strong interpersonal skills to build rapport with children, families, and colleagues. * Effective problem-solving skills and the ability to handle challenging situations calmly and appropriately. * Empathetic and patient approach when dealing with emotional and developmental needs. * Organisational skills to manage daily routines, activities, and administrative tasks. * Prioritise and organise workload in a manner that maintains and promotes quality, evaluating the quality of own and others’ work and raises any quality issues and related risks to the relevant person. Additional Information * Flexibility in working a variety of shifts which include day, lates, sleep/waking nights, weekends, and public holidays as required by the homes rota system; operating on a 24/7 basis. * Shift patterns range from: Days (Apply online only), Lates (Apply online only) and Nights (Apply online only) * Where applicable, a valid driver\’s license may be required to transport children to school, appointments, family and friend contact visits and activities. * Basic computer skills to maintain accurate records, complete documentation, and communicate effectively. * Upholds a high level of professionalism and maintains strict confidentiality regarding sensitive information related to children, families, and colleagues in line with Data Protection. Equality and Diversity Promote equality and value diversity by interpreting equality, diversity and rights in accordance with legislation, policies and procedures and relevant standards. Respecting and valuing individual differences, cultural backgrounds, and diverse identities among the residents and the staff team. Identify patterns of discrimination and take actions to overcome this and enable others to promote quality and diversity and a non-discriminatory culture that supports people in exercising their rights. Please note: This job description and person specification is a general overview of the role and its responsibilities. Specific duties may vary based on the needs and context of the children\’s home, the policies and procedures of the organisation, and the local regulations governing residential care facilities