Children and Youth Support Worker

Children and Youth Support Worker

Location: Community-based roles across Dorset

Salary: Up to £32,175 per annum, full-time equivalent

Contracts available: 16, 20, 25, 30 or 37.5 hours per week

Contract type: Full time or Part time

Essential: Full UK driving licence and access to a reliable vehicle

Freedom Care is recruiting Specialist Support Workers to join our growing permanent team across Dorset.

We are a family-run, CQC-regulated organisation providing relationship-based support, respite and short breaks to children and young people, including autistic children, children with learning disabilities and those with additional support needs.

This is a permanent role with guaranteed contracted hours. It is not an agency or zero-hour position.

Salary and contracted hours

The full-time equivalent salary is £32,175 per annum, based on 37.5 hours per week.

• 16 hours – £13,728 per annum
• 20 hours – £17,160 per annum
• 25 hours – £21,450 per annum
• 30 hours – £25,740 per annum
• 37.5 hours – £32,175 per annum
• 
  

Employees also receive paid annual leave and access to a workplace pension.

About the role

You will provide consistent, person-centred support to children and young people in their homes and local communities.

The role may include:

• Providing respite, short breaks and community-based support
• Supporting communication, emotional regulation, confidence and independence
• Helping children access activities and opportunities that are meaningful to them
• Following individual support plans, risk assessments and agreed strategies
• Completing clear records and communicating with families and managers

You will usually work with a small number of children and families as part of a consistent team. Our relationship-first approach means we aim to match staff carefully and build stable, trusted support arrangements.

Working pattern

Our services operate across seven days, generally between 8:00am and 8:00pm.

You will not work these full hours every day or work seven days in a row, but you must be able to offer flexibility across mornings, afternoons, evenings and weekends.

Working patterns will be planned around your contracted hours, agreed availability and the needs of the children and families you support.

Travel requirements

As this is a community-based role, you must:

• Hold a full UK driving licence
• Have access to a reliable vehicle
• Willingness to travel
• Have business-use motor insurance

Authorised business mileage is paid in accordance with Freedom Care’s mileage policy.

What we are looking for

We are particularly interested in applicants who have:

• Experience supporting autistic children or children with learning disabilities, SEN or SEND
• A Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care, Children and Young People, or a related subject
• A calm, dependable and relationship-focused approach
• Good communication, observation and record-writing skills
• The flexibility to work some evenings and weekends

Applicants without a Level 3 qualification may still be considered where they have strong relevant experience and a willingness to develop.

What Freedom Care offers

• Permanent contracted hours with part-time and full-time options
• Paid annual leave, workplace pension and qualifying mileage payments
• Regular supervision, specialist training and ongoing professional development
• Consistent work with a small number of children and families
• A structured progression route into senior support, supervision, case management and coordination roles
• The opportunity to grow within a rapidly expanding family-run organisation

How to apply

Please apply through Indeed with your CV and a short supporting statement outlining your relevant experience, preferred contracted hours, general availability and the area of Dorset in which you are based.