Most senior care roles feel like you're just managing a rota and ticking boxes. This one is different: you'll lead a tight-knit team of five in a beautiful home whilst genuinely changing the lives of young people with emotional and behavioural needs. If you've got the experience, the character and the resolve to mentor new staff while building real relationships with the children in your care, this could be the role that takes your career exactly where you want it to go
Picture this: you're on shift at a 5-bed home in Stockton Heath, a setting designed to feel like home rather than an institution. You've got two young people in your care, each with their own story, their own struggles and their own potential waiting to be unlocked. You're not just managing their behaviour - you're genuinely interested in what makes them tick. Whether that's football, cooking, music or something else entirely, you're the one actively encouraging and facilitating their interests, helping them discover confidence and self-esteem they never knew they had
As a Senior Residential Support Worker, you're more than a key worker - you're a mentor and role model to newer team members who are still finding their feet. You set the tone for how the team shows up, the standards you hold, and the approach you take to establishing the clear boundaries and routines that make these young people feel safe. The Registered Manager running this home is experienced, enthusiastic and committed to building a great team. You're joining that team, not replacing it
This isn't a role for someone just passing through care work. It's for someone with NVQ Level 3 or 4 (or equivalent), a minimum of 2 years' experience in a children and young people's setting, and genuine shift leadership experience under your belt. You understand the regulations, you know Ofsted inside out, and you can hold a team on shift. The provider invests in your ongoing development - there are regular training programmes designed to enhance your skills and advance your career within the organisation. Your goals matter to them
What you will be doing
- Provide emotional support and foster meaningful relationships with the young people in your care, helping them feel genuinely at home
- Lead your team on shift, mentoring newer staff members and offering the guidance and support they need to develop and thrive in their roles
- Work actively with each young person's individual needs and aspirations, encouraging them to pursue their interests and build confidence in themselves
- Establish and maintain clear boundaries and routines, creating a nurturing and safe environment where the young people feel valued and respected
- Ensure the home operates in line with regulations, quality standards and Ofsted requirements, maintaining the highest standards of care
Why you will love working here
- £36,000 per annum, including 2 sleep-ins every 6 days at £70 per sleep-in - that's real money that reflects your seniority and commitment
- 30 days of annual leave (including 8 Bank Holidays), giving you proper time to recharge and live your life outside work
- A pension scheme and a profit-sharing scheme that shows the provider genuinely believes in rewarding its team - you're building something, not just clocking in
- Ongoing training and development programmes designed specifically to enhance your skills and create genuine pathways for career progression within the organisation
- An employee support programme and a workplace culture that prioritises the wellbeing of both children and staff - you're joining a team that actually cares about looking after one another
Is this you?
- You hold NVQ Level 3 or 4 in Children and Young People's Workforce (or an equivalent qualification) and can evidence this
- You have at least 2 years' proven experience working in a children and young people's residential or care setting
- You have genuine experience leading a shift and managing a team - you're comfortable holding standards and supporting others to meet them
- You're able and willing to work shift patterns including sleep-ins (2 sleep-ins every 6 days), and you hold a full UK driving licence
- You have a strong character and resolve - you can handle the emotional weight of this work whilst staying grounded and building genuine relationships with the young people
Applications close on 12 October 2026. Great roles like this are filled quickly, so the sooner you apply the better.
Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.