Job Description

Residential Support Worker

Salary: up to £15.05 per hour (dependent on skills and experience)

Location: Belper

Benefits: Paid annual leave, pension scheme, career progression, fantastic training opportunities, employee wellbeing support, employee discount portal with all your favourite brands

Type: Casual – Flexible working opportunities to work around your availability while making a real difference as part of our nursery team when additional support is required.

“I love working as a casual member of staff – I get to build my knowledge, my experience and work with a friendly and funny bunch of people staff and young people alike! It works around my family life and I choose when I work – what's not to like?” - Casual Worker

Diversity, equality and inclusion 

At Action for Children, we're dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. We actively encourage applications from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic and disabled candidates as they are under-represented within Action for Children. We want to take deliberate and purposeful action to ensure equal opportunity to all groups in society and for Action for Children.

About the Service

Willow Lodge is built on a therapeutic approach, with safety, relationships, and emotional stability at its heart. We are dedicated to creating nurturing environments where young people can heal, grow, and thrive.

A bit about the role

As a residential support worker, you'll play a vital role in providing safe, nurturing and therapeutic care for children and young people who have experienced trauma, loss and adversity. Working as part of a dedicated team, you'll build trusting relationships, provide consistent emotional support and help create a stable environment where children can feel safe, develop resilience and reach their full potential.

Every shift is different, you'll support children with their daily routines, encourage independence, help them engage in education, hobbies and community activities. Using a trauma informed and relationship-based approach, you'll help children develop positive coping strategies, celebrate achievements and create meaningful experiences that support their recovery and well-being.

This is a flexible, casual role where shifts can fit around your availability while helping us to provide consistent, high-quality care when it's needed most.

Shifts include long days (7:00 – 22.00), early shifts (7:00- 14.00), late shifts (14.00-22.00) and waking nights (21.00 to 8:00), including weekends and bank holidays.

How you’ll help to create brighter futures

• Working therapeutically to support our young people through early life trauma.
• Working towards identified outcomes and goals to give them a positive future
• Helping them in all aspects of their daily lives (including personal care) and supporting their health and happiness, helping them to work towards identified outcomes and goals
• Helping to promote independence
• Maintaining safeguarding practices within the service

Let's talk about you.

Are you resilient and have a positive approach to change and challenge? We are looking for someone with a ‘can do’ attitude to join our team. Ideally you will have:

• Demonstrable experience of working in a care setting and developing positive relationships through trust.
• Application of a range of techniques to co-ordinate and communicate with service users and their families.
• Demonstrate a solution focused approach to address problems, individually and in a team setting.
• Demonstrate emotional resilience to respond to the challenging nature of the role.
• Possess a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or recognised equivalent) or if you do not possess this you must be prepared to complete this within2 years of commencing employment with us, full support will be provided.
• Experience in a trauma informed setting, residential short breaks, or children's services

What We Offer

• Full training and ongoing support

• A highly rewarding role where you’ll see the impact of your work every day

• The chance to be part of a dedicated, values-driven team

• Opportunities for professional growth and development

We are one of the largest children’s charities in the UK and have been making a difference to the lives of the UK’s vulnerable children for over 150 years. 

Find out more about Action for Children here: Action for Children and on LinkedIn, Facebook or YouTube to get to know us better.

The difference is what you do. You can learn more about why we do it, by checking out our 'Driven by Love' video.

Good to know

Please note we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role

Contact: Shannon Neander at recruitmentservice@actionforchildren.org.uk quoting reference 13488. We'll be happy to give you any support you require.

Want to know more about Action for Children? 

Find us on Linkedin, Facebook or YouTube to get to know us better.

For more information, please review the full

See below for further information about working with us:

Action for Children Employee Benefits

AfC Commitment Statement