Night Support Worker - Children's Homes (Sunderland)

£30,849 - £33,896 assuming good attendance

Hours: Waking nights (4 on / 4 off)

Working in our Children’s Homes means being a part of a young person’s day to day life. This means being there for the highest highs and lowest lows. Our night support workers are a part of enabling our young people to get their childhood back and create pathways to become well rounded adults – an incredibly rewarding role to have. There will be challenges along the way but there will also be the smallest moments which feel like a huge small victory!

Our homes accommodate young people with social, emotional and mental health needs, and our aim is to create the best possible outcome for the young people in our care. Our night support workers are fulfilled by the idea of affecting even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate the little things.

You’ll take care of the home and our young people through the night. There will be times when a young person wakes up in the middle of the night dealing with severe trauma, feeling ill, upset or just unable to sleep - having someone there that understands them and provides support in that moment can make a huge difference. Building a rapport and becoming someone our young people can trust in their time of need is what we are looking for. In quieter times we will need you to take care of tasks around the home such as paperwork, cleaning and laundry. Working here is never dull, and the work really matters. It’s about tapping into each young person’s needs, personality and potential - and guiding them toward a positive future.

We know you’re going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the care sector. With us, you’ll get to make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people – plus you’ll get:

• Salary: Base salary of £29,449 - £32,496
• Bonuses: £1,400 Attendance Allowance – assuming good attendance
• Training: A full 4-week induction on our Care Academy
• Holiday: You’ll work hard at WG, so you’ll be rewarded with 7 weeks’ holiday
• Progression: If career development is your thing, most of our team leaders and managers have been promoted from within our group – plus you could join our ‘Aspire’ future managers programme
• Flexible benefits package: meaning you can increase/decrease your holiday allowance, pension and life insurance
• Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance
• Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an opticians or dentist appointment and a host of high-street discounts
• Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities
• A recommend a friend scheme that offers a £1,000 bonus every time

Here at Witherslack Group, we celebrate everyone’s differences as that’s what makes us the best at what we do. Our young people come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs – and our workforce reflects that diversity, so that our teams can engage, encourage and inspire our young people to be themselves. You don’t need experience, but there are a few things we’ll be looking for from you:

• A ‘can do’ attitude – a team player who rolls up their sleeves to help others
• We genuinely care about our young people (and each other) so honesty and empathy is a must
• The resilience to be able to deal with challenging situations
• A full UK driving licence which you’ve held for at least 12 months
• If you don’t have a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or equivalent), we’ll pay for you to study and support you every step of the way

You’ll start life as a NSO by joining our ‘Care Academy’ – 4 weeks of off the job training with experienced WG professionals to help you feel confident and ready to support our young people.

At Witherslack Group, inclusion is part of who we are. We’re committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, valued and that they truly belong. As a specialist provider of education and care for children and young people with special educational needs, we understand the importance of embracing individuality and championing difference - especially when it comes to neurodiversity. We celebrate diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and the unique strengths that each person brings to our community.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities. We are proud to be recognised as an inclusive employer and are committed to making our recruitment and workplace practices inclusive and accessible. If you need any adjustments to support you through the recruitment process or in the workplace, we’ll be there every step of the way.

By building a diverse and inclusive team, we’re better able to support the children, young people and families we serve and ensure every member of our team can thrive, grow, and be their authentic self.

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost) and an online search. We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.