Salary: up to £29,400 per annum pro-rata (depending on qualifications)
Contract/Hours: Fixed Term contract (maternity cover) for 1 year / Full Time - 37 hours per week. As part of a 24/7 service, you’ll work a mix of early mornings, late evenings, waking nights and sleep‑ins. Sleep‑ins receive an additional £50 payment. We also have casual hours available.
Closing date for applications is midnight of Thursday 29th October
At Action for Children, we offer more than just a job. Join us and you’ll be part of a team dedicated to giving children safe and happy childhoods. See how your skills can make a real difference, helping solve the problems children and young people face every day.
We’re looking for a warm, compassionate and committed Therapeutic Residential Worker to join our team, supporting three wonderful young children who’ve faced some big challenges in their early lives. In this role, you’ll help create a safe, nurturing and predictable home where each child can feel settled, cared for and able to grow, heal and thrive.
Each of our children has their own unique interests; one loves football, one adores horses, and one is happiest outdoors and has recently enjoyed some impressive coastal walks. We’d also really welcome someone who has a passion for the outdoors or a hobby such as playing musical instruments, as these can offer meaningful, confidence‑building experiences for the children.
You’ll work closely with each child’s care plan, using therapeutic and supportive approaches that help them feel safe, understood and able to grow. You’ll keep clear, meaningful records and support activities that build emotional, social and developmental progress. Working together is a big part of the role, and you’ll be alongside a skilled, caring multidisciplinary team who share the same commitment to meeting each child’s individual needs and creating stability, trust and positive relationships.
Empathy, good communication, resilience and a gentle, trauma‑informed approach are at the heart of this role. If you bring those qualities, this can be an incredibly rewarding and deeply meaningful place to make a difference.
We also warmly welcome applications from male practitioners, who can offer positive role modelling and contribute to a balanced, nurturing team.
East Farm Cottage is a trauma‑informed residential home dedicated to providing a safe, stable and nurturing environment for children who have experienced early adversity or trauma. Our approach is rooted in understanding how these experiences can shape a child’s emotions, behaviours and development, and ensuring that every interaction supports healing, trust and positive attachment.
The home itself is warm, welcoming and truly centred around the children who live here. East Farm Cottage is recognised for its exceptional commitment to putting children first, with a team who consistently go above and beyond to create a sense of belonging, predictability and emotional safety. Care is thoughtfully tailored to each child’s needs, always working at their pace and in ways that help them feel understood and supported.
Being a trauma‑informed home means we prioritise relationships, empathy and consistency. We focus on helping children feel valued and secure, supporting them to build self‑confidence, develop emotional regulation and lay the foundations they need for a brighter, more hopeful future.
As a Therapeutic Residential Worker, you’ll work with a wide range of professionals to ensure that the children and young people you support develop to their full potential.
Let's talk about you.
Why Action for Children?
Every child should have a loving home, food, warmth, the chance to grow and learn - the support to cope with life’s challenges. But too many children don’t. By bringing your passion and unique skills and experience, you’ll help us change that where it really matters.
We've been driven by love to take action for children for over 150 years, giving them the protection and practical help they need. A lot’s changed since 1869. But what children really need, hasn’t. So as long as children need us, we’ll be here.
Will you join us?
Contact: Please submit an application via our careers page. If you have any further questions, you can contact Laura McCarthy at recruitmentservice@actionforchildren.org.uk quoting reference 13852
At Action for Children, we are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and able to thrive. We know that racism and discrimination create barriers, and we are taking active steps to challenge these inequalities in our organisation and in the communities we serve.
We strongly welcome applications from people who are Black, Asian, or from other racialised and ethnically marginalised communities, as well as disabled people, who are currently under-represented in our workforce. We are committed to removing barriers in our recruitment processes and ensuring fair access to opportunities.
We also encourage applications from men, who are under-represented in our Children’s Services roles. We recognise that people hold multiple identities, and we value the richness this brings to our team.
Want to get to know Action for Children better?
Action for Children Employee Benefits
Make a Difference - A Career in Residential Services
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.
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