At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead shifts and provide high-quality care for children in a supportive environment.
- Company: Join a dedicated team in children's residential care in Milton Keynes.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, hands-on experience, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Flexible shifts and a chance to work collaboratively with families and professionals.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in young people's lives while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare and experience with children’s emotional needs.
The predicted salary is between 16.25 - 16.25 £ per hour.
Senior Residential Support Worker – Children’s Residential Care
Reports to: Registered Manager Salary: £15.75 – £16.25 per hour Hours: 40 hours per week Location: Milton Keynes
About the Role
Our client provides high-quality children’s residential care for children and young people in the Milton Keynes area.
The service is committed to providing safe, nurturing and child-centred care, supporting young people to develop confidence, independence and resilience.
The successful candidate will join a supportive children’s home and play an important role in both the day-to-day care of young people and the leadership of the residential care team.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Senior Residential Support Worker who is ready to take on additional responsibility, lead shifts and support the development of colleagues while continuing to provide hands-on care.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead shifts and support the effective day-to-day running of the children’s home.
- Provide high-quality residential childcare in line with individual care plans.
- Safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people at all times.
- Ensure the needs, wishes and feelings of young people remain central to care and decision-making.
- Build positive, trusting and professional relationships with children and young people.
- Support young people with their education, health, activities, life skills and independence.
- Promote positive behaviour using agreed strategies, including Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) approaches.
- Support children and young people with complex emotional, behavioural and additional needs.
- Supervise, mentor and support Residential Support Workers, contributing to inductions, supervision and staff development.
- Lead by example and role model high standards of professional practice.
- Contribute to care planning, risk assessments, behaviour support plans, key working and reviews.
- Work collaboratively with families, social workers, schools, local authorities and other professionals.
- Ensure accurate record keeping, report writing, handovers and documentation.
- Support medication management and ensure health and safety procedures are followed.
- Help maintain a safe, clean, welcoming and homely environment.
- Support the Registered Manager and provide leadership in the absence of the Deputy Manager when required.
- Participate in training, supervision, team meetings and on-call duties where applicable.
- Follow all safeguarding, child protection, regulatory and organisational requirements.
Essential Requirements
- Relevant Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare / Children & Young People, or equivalent.
- Previous experience working with children and young people, particularly those with emotional or behavioural needs.
- Experience supporting or managing challenging behaviour.
- Strong leadership, communication and organisational skills.
- Ability to confidently lead shifts, prioritise workloads and support colleagues.
- Good written, IT and record-keeping skills.
- Strong understanding of safeguarding and child protection.
- Willingness to undertake on-call duties where required.
- Full UK driving licence.
Desirable Experience
At least 12 months’ experience working within a children’s residential care setting.
Experience supervising, mentoring or supporting Residential Support Workers.
Knowledge or experience of trauma-informed care or Positive Behaviour Support (PBS).
Experience with care plans, risk assessments and key working.
Flexible approach to working shifts, including evenings, weekends and sleep-ins.
Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
- General
- This job description outlines the main duties of the role and is not intended to be exhaustive.
Responsibilities may change to meet the needs of the service and the children and young people it supports.
Interested? Please send you CV in as a Word format only
**Please only apply if you are already eligible to work in the UK (indefinitely & without sponsorship),
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Due to the large numbers of responses we receive, despite our best efforts, it is not possible to respond to every application.
Therefore, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for this particular role and if you haven't heard from us within 7 days please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.
Please feel free however to apply for further roles and we will certainly keep your details on file and contact you with suitable vacancies.
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Senior Residential Support Worker in Milton Keynes employer: YourRecruit
At YourRecruit, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that values innovation and collaboration within the educational sector. Our supportive work culture fosters professional growth, offering ample opportunities for development while making a meaningful impact in Further Education. Located in a vibrant community, we provide competitive benefits and a commitment to continuous improvement, ensuring our employees thrive both personally and professionally.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Residential Support Worker in Milton Keynes
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Residential Support Worker in Milton Keynes
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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 YourRecruit:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to YourRecruit! 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 YourRecruit
✨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.
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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.