Residential Support Worker

We’re recruiting a Residential Support Worker to join our dedicated team at Westminster House.

Westminster House is a residential children’s home providing 24-hour care and support to children with complex learning disabilities, autism and additional needs.

The home provides personalised care that promotes each child’s wellbeing and independence, while making sure they feel safe, supported and able to achieve positive outcomes.

In this rewarding role, you’ll work directly with children and young people, building positive relationships and providing care and support based on their individual needs.

You’ll work closely with families and colleagues to follow individual care plans, communicate in ways that work for each child and support their health, wellbeing and development.

You’ll also help children develop their social and emotional awareness and use appropriate approaches to manage and de-escalate behaviours that may challenge.

As Westminster House provides care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, you’ll be part of a team delivering consistent support around the clock.

This role is 20 hours a week on a two-week rota. You’ll work a mixture of daytime, evening and weekend shifts, giving you a varied working pattern as part of a supportive residential service.

This is a Site-Based role, and you’ll be expected to work from the designated workplace.

Please note, interviews are held in person.

At Milton Keynes City Council, we aim to make a difference every day. We’re dedicated, respectful and collaborative. We act as one council, and we work hard to create cleaner, safer and healthier communities while tackling inequalities and supporting people to thrive.

Find out more about working with us here: www.mkcounciljobs.org.uk

• Work with children and young people with learning disabilities and their families, following individual care plans and providing consistent, person-centred support.
• Provide advice, guidance and practical support as part of our 24-hour, seven-day-a-week residential service.
• Use verbal and non-verbal communication methods that meet each child’s individual communication needs and support their health, wellbeing and development.
• Help children manage challenging situations by using appropriate de-escalation and physical intervention techniques, while supporting their social and emotional development.
• Keep clear, accurate and timely records so that families and colleagues have the information they need and care meets the required standards.
• Work safely within relevant legislation, guidance and procedures, including safeguarding requirements, and contribute positively to regulatory and inspection processes.

Contract: Permanent

Pay frequency: Annual

• You’ll hold a Level 3 Diploma for the Children’s and Young People’s Workforce or be willing and able to complete the qualification within three years.
• Your experience of paid or voluntary work with children, young people or people with learning disabilities will help you understand individual needs and provide respectful support.
• Clear and adaptable communication will be important, including the confidence to use verbal and non-verbal approaches according to each child’s needs and to communicate in accurate spoken English.
• A practical and calm approach will help you carry out moving and handling safely and develop the physical intervention skills needed to respond appropriately to challenging behaviour.
• Good written communication skills will enable you to maintain detailed, clear and accurate records as part of each child’s care.
• Being dedicated, respectful and collaborative will be central to how you work with children, families and colleagues, alongside the flexibility and resilience needed for a rewarding residential care role.

Safer Recruitment applies to this role. This means that, before any appointment is confirmed, we’ll carry out a range of pre-employment checks to help ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and vulnerable adults. These checks may include identity verification, where candidates will be required to provide original identification documents, including a full birth certificate, employment history and reference checks, qualification checks and an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, (unless you are currently registered with the DBS Update Service). check where required.

In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
• Excellent pension - everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support.
• Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
• Salary sacrifice car scheme - eligible employees can lease an electric or low-emission vehicle at a reduced cost through salary sacrifice, subject to National Minimum Wage and other eligibility requirements.
• Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.

Why join us? Along with more on our Benefits, discover why Working at the City Council could be the right move for you here Working at the Council | Milton Keynes

Roles are either ‘site based’ or ‘home based’.

Site based roles are mainly based at the workplace, with the option to work from home for up to two days a week, depending on service needs.

Home based roles are mainly based at home, with the expectation of attending the workplace up to one day a week.

The working arrangement for each role is set by the manager, based on service requirements.

Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.

We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference. 

We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.

We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.

If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council, see attached.

Please note that this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have an independent and unrestricted right to work in the UK, without the need for employer sponsorship now or in the future.

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