Children's Support Worker in London

Job Purpose: To provide high-quality, person-centred care and keyworking support to children and young people living in residential care settings. The role focuses on promoting emotional stability, safeguarding, development, and independence through therapeutic and trauma-informed practice, in line with care plans and organisational policies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Direct Care & Support: Establish consistent, nurturing, and supportive relationships with children and young people. Act as the named Keyworker for assigned young people, supporting their care journey and advocating on their behalf. Assist with personal care where required and support children in maintaining hygiene, health, and daily routines. Support children with emotional regulation, behaviour management, and de-escalation using approved strategies (e.g., PRICE, Team Teach).
• Keyworking Duties: Develop, implement, and review individual care plans, placement plans, and risk assessments in collaboration with the team and multi-agency professionals. Maintain accurate and detailed records, including keywork sessions, progress updates, incidents, and safeguarding concerns. Attend and contribute to Looked After Child (LAC) reviews, statutory meetings, and staff handovers.
• Safeguarding & Compliance: Actively promote and adhere to safeguarding procedures to protect children from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and harm. Remain vigilant and report any safeguarding concerns promptly in line with local authority and organisational protocols. Ensure a safe and structured environment by adhering to health and safety procedures and completing daily checks.
• Emotional and Behavioural Support: Support children who present with emotional and behavioural difficulties, mental health needs, trauma, attachment disorders, and developmental challenges. Deliver consistent boundaries, routines, and responses to challenging behaviour using trauma-informed approaches. Help young people understand and manage their feelings and behaviours, encouraging resilience and coping strategies.
• Promoting Development & Independence: Encourage and support children to engage in education, social activities, and life skills development. Promote independence in areas such as budgeting, cooking, laundry, transport, and managing appointments (as age-appropriate). Celebrate achievements and milestones, helping to build confidence and self-worth.
• Teamwork & Communication: Work effectively within a multidisciplinary team to deliver continuity of care. Communicate professionally with colleagues, external agencies, families (where appropriate), and other stakeholders. Support colleagues during incidents or crisis situations, following agreed procedures and using de-escalation where necessary.

Requirements:

Essential: Experience working with children and young people in residential, education, or care settings. Strong understanding of safeguarding and child protection practices. Knowledge of trauma-informed and attachment-based care approaches. Ability to form trusting and therapeutic relationships. Flexibility to work varied shifts, including weekends and nights. NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare or equivalent. Enhanced DBS (Children's Workforce) – registered on the Update Service or willing to undergo a new check. Right to work in the UK.

Desirable: Training in behaviour management techniques (e.g., PRICE, Team Teach, MAPA).

Personal Attributes: Calm, patient, and empathetic. Resilient and emotionally intelligent. Professional and reliable. Child-focused and committed to positive outcomes. Able to maintain professional boundaries.

Note: This role is delivered on a temporary basis through Carestaff Solutions' provision of staff to residential children's homes. As such, the successful candidate will be expected to represent Carestaff Solutions professionally while adhering to the policies and culture of each individual placement.

About Carestaff Solutions: We are a specialised health and social care staffing supplier, training and compliance provider to a variety of sectors including statutory, private and third sector organisations across the UK with concentrated support in the North West of England and Greater London areas. The success of Carestaff Solutions is based around the reputation built up over the past 16 years on the quality of our service delivery, progressive approach, person-centred approaches, partnership working, reliability plus the standard and the high support and training levels for our staff supplied. Carestaff Solutions are flexible, responsive and there for you 24 hours a day, so right when you need us the most we are ready and willing to support you, we never close.