At a Glance
- Tasks: Support young people aged 16-21 in building independent lives and achieving their potential.
- Company: Join St Christopher's, a leading charity dedicated to caring for children and young people.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, tailored career development, generous holiday, and industry-leading training.
- Other info: Flexible shifts, supportive environment, and opportunities for internal promotion.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in young people's lives while growing your own skills and career.
- Qualifications: Experience with young people and a genuine commitment to their wellbeing and development.
The predicted salary is between 27823 - 27823 £ per year.
£27,823 per annum – Day Support Worker (primary base: North Kensington or Lewisham)
£29,528 per annum – Day Support Worker (primary base: Camden)
£30,119 per annum – Waking Night Support Worker (primary base: North Kensington only)
Shifts: 40 hours per week on a shift rota, including weekends and bank holidays.
- Day Shifts: work between 8 am and 10:30 pm
- Waking Night Shifts: work between 10 pm and 8 am
Contract: Full time / Permanent
Overtime: Paid at time and a half for hours worked beyond 40 hours per week and for bank holiday working.
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 and gender-diverse identities.
St Christopher’s Academy
At St Christopher’s, we offer more than a job in social care—we offer a real career pathway. You’ll have the chance to build your skills, grow your knowledge and make a lasting difference to young people’s lives as well as your own. When you join us, you will receive a tailored development plan designed around your goals. Whether you want to move into a different service, progress into a leadership role or just explore your current role further, we will support you every step of the way. Our development programme, St Christopher’s Academy, is built to help you reach your full potential — and the results speak for themselves: 84% of our Team Leaders, Deputies and Managers are promoted internally.
About the Role
As Support Worker in one of our Semi-Independent Homes, you will play a key role in helping young people aged 16–21 build independent and fulfilling lives. You will develop meaningful relationships with residents, ensuring their safety and wellbeing, offering guidance and maintaining accurate support records. You will also liaise with other professionals involved in their care. Support is always available—you will have the additional support of an on-call manager should there be any emergencies. You will be involved in monthly team meetings and receive monthly one-to-one supervision with your manager.
As part of our commitment to a collaborative and supportive, resource sharing culture, successful candidates may be asked to work across different services from time to time (during their probationary period and throughout their employment). This will be discussed openly, supported appropriately and aligned with both organisational needs and individual development.
Applicants should have:
- At least one year’s experience working with young people in a professional support role, such as children’s homes, semi-independent or supported accommodation, youth work or a related setting, caring for Young People with complex or additional needs, which may include neurodiversity, mental health, sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation or risk-taking behaviours.
- 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 Young People and an 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.
- 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 opportunities for performance-based pay increases.
- 4 weeks full induction and training program (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 rights and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.
- 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.
- 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 programs for you to explore and attain new and relevant skills.
- Employee awards based on performance and length of service.
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 form which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked. Applicants should ideally be registered with the DBS Update Service otherwise, DBS check will be completed by St Christopher's before employment begins.
Support Workers – Day and Night shifts – Semi-Independent Accommodation employer: St. Christopher's Fellowship
St Christopher’s Fellowship is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work culture where every team member can thrive. With a strong commitment to employee development, we provide industry-leading training and clear career progression opportunities, ensuring that you can grow your skills while making a meaningful impact on the lives of young people in Croydon. Our competitive salary, generous benefits, and focus on well-being make us a rewarding place to work for those passionate about supporting children and young people.
Contact Details:
St. Christopher's Fellowship Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Support Workers – Day and Night shifts – Semi-Independent Accommodation
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at St. Christopher's Fellowship.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from St. Christopher's Fellowship!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like St. Christopher's Fellowship, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at St. Christopher's Fellowship or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Support Workers – Day and Night shifts – Semi-Independent Accommodation
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 St. Christopher's Fellowship:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to St. Christopher's Fellowship! 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 St. Christopher's Fellowship
✨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.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
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.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
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.
