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- Tasks: Provide direct support and care for young people with emotional and mental health difficulties.
- Company: St Christopher's, a leading charity dedicated to caring for children and young people.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, extensive training, 25 days holiday, and employee assistance programmes.
- Other info: Inclusive workplace with opportunities for growth and creativity.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of young people while developing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience supporting young people and a commitment to professional development.
The predicted salary is between 24000 - 30000 £ per year.
Contract type: Full time, Permanent
Specific Hours: 40 hours per week shift work including weekends, bank holidays and occasional sleep‑ins
- Day Shifts: work between 8:00 am and 10:30 pm
- Waking Night Shifts: work between 10:00 pm and 8:00 am
Overtime / bank holidays paid time‑and‑half and 2 weekends off per month.
About Us
Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future. St Christopher's is a leading charity caring for children and young people. We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK. We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do. We provide positive and life‑changing support experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home. Our offering is underpinned by therapeutic expertise and young people in our care also benefit from extensive life‑skills and participation opportunities as well as learning support regarding their education. We are an equal‑opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong. We hope to attract applications from under‑represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender‑diverse identities.
About the Role
As a Support Worker in a Children’s Home, you will provide direct support and care for our young people, who have complex emotional and mental health difficulties (such as trauma and loss), and can struggle to regulate their emotions. Working within a therapeutic framework, you will develop a direct programme of work aimed at developing authentic relationships with our children and young people (aged between 12 and 17 years old). You will also have responsibility for ensuring those in our care are safe, providing support, liaison with other external professionals and completion of support documents to record information. If applying for the Waking Night role, you will have the additional support of an on‑call manager should there be any emergencies. Further to this, you will be involved in monthly team meetings and receive monthly one‑to‑one supervision with your manager.
Applicants should have:
- Minimum of 1 year of experience working and supporting Young People in residential, semi‑independent, fostering settings or Youth work centres, caring for Children and Young People with emotional behavioural difficulties, neurodivergent or SEND.
- Willingness to achieve the Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare within 2 years as per Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 (England).
- Genuine commitment to working with and supporting children and Young People to achieve their full potential; with the ability to build and promote trusted relationships while maintaining professional boundaries.
- An understanding of the issues facing children and Young People and a basic understanding of safeguarding Regulations and Procedures.
- The ability to cope effectively with challenging behaviour.
- Good communication and team working skills.
- Flexibility to work shifts, including weekends and bank holidays, and if applicable, sleep‑ins.
- Commitment to undertake any mandatory training (outside of working hours) and continuous learning to ensure a high level of service.
- Creativity, enthusiasm and energy to inspire and encourage young people to achieve their goals.
What you should expect from us:
- Competitive salary with potential to rise based on performance.
- 4 weeks full induction and training programme (paid).
- Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services, tailored career development plan through our St Christopher’s Academy.
- Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.
- 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro‑ratio.
- Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme.
- UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.
- BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK both in store and online.
- Discretionary funded training programmes for you to explore and attain new and relevant skills.
- Employee awards based on performance and length of service.
Additional Regulatory Information
This post has a minimum age restriction of 21 years for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’. It is illegal to apply for any role that involves working with children and young people under the age of 18, if you know you are barred from working with children. All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit a Self‑Declaration and Disclosure form which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked.
**Support Workers – Days or Waking Nights shifts – Children's Homes in Croydon employer: St Chris
Contact Detail:
St Chris Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land **Support Workers – Days or Waking Nights shifts – Children's Homes in Croydon
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the organisation! Research St Christopher's and understand their mission. When you show genuine interest in their vision for children and young people, it’ll really shine through in your conversations.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share specific examples from your experience that highlight your ability to connect with young people. Use real-life situations to demonstrate how you’ve made a difference in their lives.
✨Tip Number 3
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees on LinkedIn. They can provide insider tips about the interview process and what it’s really like to work at St Christopher's.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! After your interview, send a quick thank-you email. It shows your appreciation and keeps you fresh in their minds as they make their decision.
We think you need these skills to ace **Support Workers – Days or Waking Nights shifts – Children's Homes in Croydon
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your passion for supporting young people shine through. Share personal experiences or motivations that drive you to work in this field, as we love to see genuine commitment.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of Support Worker. Highlight relevant experience, especially with children and young people facing emotional and behavioural challenges. We want to see how your background fits our needs!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application clear and to the point. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see your qualifications and enthusiasm.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our team at St Christopher's.
How to prepare for a job interview at St Chris
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, make sure you understand the role of a Support Worker and the specific needs of children and young people. Familiarise yourself with the challenges they face, such as emotional and mental health difficulties, and think about how your experience aligns with these needs.
✨Show Your Passion
During the interview, let your genuine commitment to supporting young people shine through. Share personal stories or experiences that highlight your enthusiasm for making a difference in their lives. This will help you connect with the interviewers on a deeper level.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that ask how you would handle specific situations, especially those involving challenging behaviour. Think of examples from your past experience where you successfully managed similar scenarios, demonstrating your problem-solving skills and ability to maintain professional boundaries.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
At the end of the interview, don’t forget to ask insightful questions about the team dynamics, training opportunities, and the support provided to staff. This shows your interest in the role and helps you gauge if the organisation is the right fit for you.