Residential Support Worker

Job title: Residential Support Worker (casual)

Salary: B3 £27,274 - £29,071

Hours: Casual

Contract: Casual

Leeds City Council is seeking compassionate and dedicated individuals to join our team as Casual Residential Support Workers. As a Residential Support Worker you'll thrive on making every day the best it can be for children and young people who have a wide range of individual needs. Whether you're laughing at jokes you don't understand, pretending to be the captain of a pirate ship or reading a story upside down, you'll be making a difference to the lives of the young people in your care.

There are a range of opportunities available across the city including full-time, part-time and night working.

We want Leeds to be a city where all children are safe, happy and healthy, do well at school, fulfil their potential and grow up to be active citizens with voice and influence. This is your chance to join us and support our Child Friendly Leeds ambition.

We are proud to align our work with the council's values and ambitions, placing children and families at the heart of everything we do. If you're ready to bring your empathy, energy, and dedication to this vital role, we'd love to hear from you.

About you

As a Residential Support Worker, you will have:

• education to GCSE level or equivalent
• relevant experience working with children or young people within the last year
• ability to assess the needs of young people and their families and develop professional and positive relationships
• good verbal and written skills with basic computer literacy
• flexibility to work shifts

About the role

As a Residential Support Worker, you'll play a vital role in supporting children and young people with complex needs. Working as part of a dedicated team, you'll create a safe and caring environment where they can thrive and feel valued.

Your responsibilities will include building positive relationships with the children, supporting their personal development, education, and independence and assisting with personal care or specialist equipment when required. Full training and ongoing support from our management team will ensure you are confident and prepared to succeed in this rewarding role.

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please email workinginchildrenshomes@leeds.gov.uk.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children's or Adults' barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job description

Job purpose

Under the general direction of the home's Registered Manager, you will work as part of the team of residential staff in the home to deliver a high standard of care and support which meets the individual needs of the children and young people in the home, to provide additional capacity in the home and support the rota where needed.

All staff are required to support the home's main purpose of encouraging and enabling children and young people to develop behaviourally, educationally and emotionally in order that they may deliver positive contributions to their families, society and their local communities.

The hours of work are flexible and determined by the needs of the service and are on a shift basis which includes early morning and late night shifts, weekend shifts and bank holidays. The requirement to sleep overnight (sleep ins) at the home may be required on a negotiated and agreed basis.

Responsibilities

• Assist children in residential child care to be loved, happy, healthy, safe from harm and able to develop, thrive and fulfil their potential.
• Value and nurture each child as an individual with talents, strengths and capabilities that can develop over time.
• Foster positive relationships, encouraging strong bonds between children and staff in the home on the basis of jointly undertaken activities, shared daily life, domestic and non-domestic routines and established boundaries of acceptable behaviour.
• Be ambitious, nurturing children's school learning and out-of-school learning and their ambitions for their future.
• Be attentive to children's needs, supporting emotional, mental and physical health needs, including supporting children and young people to build their self-esteem and encouraging friendships.
• Be outward facing, working with the wider system of professionals for each child, and with children's families and communities of origin to sustain links and understand past problems.
• Provide a safe, stimulating and loving environment, with spaces that support nurture and allow privacy as well as common spaces and spaces to be active.
• Support the child/young people by showing awareness of their individual interests and preferences, by introducing them to a range of different experiences and enabling them to make informed choices.
• Plan, organise and positively engage with the children/young people on a daily basis, as well as to plan and attend special celebrations, festivals and outings.
• Participate in holidays and a range of sporting and physical activities with children and young people.
• Work directly with a child/young people in accordance with agreed individual plans and strategies (e.g. anger management, risk and vulnerability plans, self-esteem work and life story work) showing unconditional regard and respect for the child/ young person, at all times.
• Carry out domestic duties to ensure that the home is maintained to a high standard, including some cleaning, cooking meals, laundry, and redecoration.
• Contribute to the planning of work and ensure effective records of activities and significant events are recorded.
• Ensure that all mandatory and statutory training is maintained at the required level.

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

Educated to GCSE level or equivalent.

To hold qualifications in both literacy and numeracy.

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

• In the last year, have experience of working with children and/or young people in a paid or voluntary capacity in a children's home, social care setting, a school, youth service, or any other service or provision designed to support children and young people in the community.
• Able to assess and evaluate the individual needs of young people and their families.
• Able to work with staff at all levels, working as part of a team, contributing to team cohesion and liaising with other professionals demonstrating a good level of emotional resilience when faced with challenging circumstances.
• Demonstrate written, verbal skills and e-literacy skills (written exercise on day of interview)
• Able to be flexible and to work on a shift basis, including weekends and bank holidays and undertaking sleeping in duties.
• Able to make and maintain professional and meaningful relationships with children and young people.
• Knowledge of Children Act 1989 and other legislation, Children's Homes Regulations (2015) and associated quality standards.
• Knowledge of the specific needs of looked after children.
• Understand the young person's right to confidentiality.
• Basic computer literacy.
• Able to work in a challenging and changing environment being adaptable and resilient.
• Preparing and drafting reports, records, assessments and other documents.
• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee's responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality and diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.