At a Glance
- Tasks: Support young people with their daily needs and help them thrive in a safe environment.
- Company: Join the vibrant London Borough of Waltham Forest, a diverse and inclusive workplace.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career progression, and a supportive work culture.
- Other info: Flexible working options available to suit your lifestyle.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of young people while developing your skills.
- Qualifications: NVQ Level 3 in Children's Residential Care or equivalent preferred.
The predicted salary is between 32535 - 34488 £ per year.
Organisation: London Borough of Waltham Forest
Salary: Scale 5 £32,535 - £34,488
Contract Type: Full-time/Permanent
Working hours per week: 36 (across 7 days including bank holidays and weekends on a rota)
Application Deadline: 07/08/2026
Proposed Interview Date(s): W/C 17/08/2026
Reference: 2220
About Us:
Bursting with culture, energy, and opportunity, the London Borough of Waltham Forest is a fantastic and exciting place to work. We are a highly ambitious borough. Driven by culture and the innate creativity of our residents, we have developed new and innovative ways to build our communities. Our Council is relentlessly resident-focused, insight-led, digitally driven and commercially minded; a Council focused on meeting the needs of our existing and future residents.
London Borough of Waltham Forest is one of the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard employers. This accreditation is proof of our commitment to creating a healthy, fair and inclusive workplace. This includes fair pay and conditions, workplace well-being, skills and progression and diversity and recruitment.
The Council’s preference is for online application. However, if you have a disability and are unable to complete an online application, please email recruitment@walthamforest.gov.uk so we can arrange an alternative application method.
About the role:
You will provide support and assistance to four young people who live at Leyton Green Road. You will attend to their practical, physical, and emotional needs, act as an appropriate role model and work closely with them to enable them to address their difficulties and achieve their optimum potential. You will have a lead role in ensuring the care and welfare of each child, give guidance and support to children and their families in the planning of their care by considering their wishes, feelings, and seeking their opinion in all matters that affect them. Offer support which seeks to meet and exceed The Care Act and the Children and Families Act (2014). To raise any concerns with the Registered Manager as appropriate. Our aim is to safeguard children and young people, provide a good standard of living, promote the wellbeing of our young people, taking all wishes, thoughts, feelings & preferences from them into account. Overall, we aim to provide a safe, loving environment that allows young people to develop and achieve; leading to as independent a life as possible in the future.
Key Responsibilities:
- Key tasks are carried out which may arise during the shift as part of good childcare practice, tasks such as:
- Each shift thoroughly planned prior to and after handover. Detailed and allocated tasks are set to each person on duty using our shift planner.
- Children and young people are supported with personal care considering their dignity and respect.
- Children and young people’s medication is administered in line with our medication policy.
- Young people are encouraged and supported to attend education and in any home learning projects.
- You will assist in the preparation and cooking of meals as well as shopping and other domestic tasks. Meals are planned weekly considering children choices, preferences and dietary needs.
- You will ensure that children and young people are encouraged and supported to take part in activities, including developing independence skills at an appropriate level.
Qualifications and Requirements:
To be considered for this position, you should meet the following requirements:
- English and Math Qualification
- Relevant NVQ 3 qualification
- Ideally you will hold a minimum Level 3 in Children’s Residential care or equivalent. If you don’t hold this qualification you will be required to work towards it within 2 years.
- Knowledge and experience of working with children and young people with learning disabilities and complex needs.
- Knowledge of a range of legislation and policy frameworks in relation to children and young people.
- Experience of working with children and families with specific, multiple, and complex needs.
- Knowledge and understanding of families from a range of cultures and communities.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Experience of partnership working.
- Good planning and organisational skills.
- Proven initiative and judgement to identify and resolve problems.
- Good ICT skills - both standard Microsoft applications and specialist systems.
- Ability to work with minimum supervision, using problem solving skills and initiative to provide a customer focused support service.
- Excellent levels of literacy and numeracy.
- Ability to work flexibly, balancing competing priorities and meeting deadlines whilst understanding the needs, timescales, and deadlines of others.
- Ideally the successful candidate will hold a full clean driving license and be prepared to drive the home's minibus (not essential).
Terms and conditions:
The below terms and conditions apply to this role:
- Satisfactory employment references and CIFAS identity checks;
- Satisfactory declaration of interest;
- This role is subject to safer recruitment practices as it involves work with children and/or vulnerable adults;
- Satisfactory DBS check;
- Suitable driver’s license;
- As a public authority, we must ensure that members of staff in public-facing roles are able to speak fluent English. This means that they must have a command of spoken English, with confidence and accuracy, sufficient for the effective performance of their role.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications online by pressing the ‘Apply’ button below. This includes a supporting statement that outlines how your skills and experience make you a good candidate for this vacancy. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral to both service delivery and employment of its staff. The Council is proud of its rich mix of communities and as the largest employer in the area, it works hard to respond to the changing needs of its population. We use our statutory duties on race, gender and disability equality and best practice in respect of age, faith and sexual orientation to ensure equality of opportunity in the workplace. The Council is committed to meeting its 4 equality objectives:
- Promoting equality of opportunity
- Opposing all forms of discrimination, intolerance and disadvantage
- Ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse communities of Waltham Forest at all levels.
- Providing fair, appropriate, accessible and excellent services to all.
Respecting Diversity is a core Council value.
To support the above and reduce the risk of bias in its recruitment activities, the council is operating an anonymous shortlisting process, which hides personal information that can identify individuals until their application has been considered for shortlisting. The council also operates a scheme whereby, for jobs graded up to and including scale SO2, internal candidates are considered first. This includes those candidates who self-identify as having a disability for the purposes of the Disability Confident scheme.
We are keen to support employees to balance their working life with other commitments. Therefore, wherever possible, we will consider working arrangements that suit an individual's personal circumstances whilst still meeting the needs of the Council. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below or feel free to discuss this during your interview.
For more information on the benefits of working for the Council, please visit here.
Contact Information:
If you have any questions about this vacancy or the application process, please contact David Ballard Registered Manager at david.ballard@walthamforest.gov.uk. If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post, please contact our Recruitment Team via email at recruitment@walthamforest.gov.uk.
Fraud Awareness Notice: The London Borough of Waltham Forest only advertises vacancies via our official website and approved recruitment platforms (e.g. Jobsgopublic). We will never ask for payment or request sensitive personal or financial information as part of our recruitment process. If you are contacted by a third party claiming to represent the Council, please verify the vacancy via our official careers website before sharing any information. If you have concerns about a job advert or communication, please report it to: fraud@walthamforest.gov.uk.
Assistant Support Worker in London employer: Borough of Waltham Forest
The Borough of Waltham Forest is an excellent employer that prioritises a supportive and inclusive work culture, making it an ideal place for HR professionals to thrive. With a strong commitment to employee development and a focus on equality and diversity, the council offers meaningful opportunities for growth and advancement in the field of human resources. Working here means being part of a dedicated team that values collaboration and strives to create a positive impact within the community.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Support Worker in London
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We think you need these skills to ace Assistant Support Worker in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Borough of Waltham Forest:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Borough of Waltham Forest! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Borough of Waltham Forest
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
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In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
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Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
