Residential Support Worker

Residential Support Worker – Compass House
£27,000–£30,000 per annum DOE + £70 per sleep-in | Full-time, permanent | 2 days on, 4 days off

The job isn't to control a child's day. It's to help make their home feel safe enough to live in.

Children don't experience Inkfish through policies. They experience the adults around them. They notice whether you remembered what mattered to them, whether you still made the toast after a difficult evening, whether you kept your word, and whether you came back tomorrow.

That's the work.

Why Inkfish is different

Compass House is our first home: small by design, for up to two children. We're building towards two closely located homes with a maximum of four children across them, subject to registration. The aim is to keep each home small while building a strong permanent team around both. That means familiar adults for children, cover for leave and sickness, and far less reliance on agency staff. You'll always work alongside a permanent Senior, Deputy or Registered Manager who leads the shift. We're backed by our own network of ethical investors who put outcomes for children ahead of shareholder returns'

What you'll be doing

• Building safe, consistent, respectful relationships with the children in the home

• Providing care through everyday life: mornings, meals, school, appointments, activities, evenings and sleep-ins

• Using a trauma-responsive, PACE-based approach, with full training and support

• Trying to understand what behaviour is communicating rather than just stopping it

• Holding clear, kind, predictable boundaries and following agreed plans

• Safeguarding children and reporting anything that concerns you immediately

• Supporting school routines, health appointments, family time, friendships and interests

• Helping children build independence through cooking, shopping, budgeting, travel and self-care

• Writing accurate, respectful daily records

• Working closely with your Senior while still speaking up when something doesn't feel right

• Sharing responsibility for the home: cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping and transport

What you'll bring

• A genuine interest in working with children, and the ability to explain why it matters to you

• Warmth with professional boundaries

• Patience when a child is distressed, angry or rejecting support

• Willingness to work the rota, including weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins

• Clear communication and accurate written records

• Openness to feedback and reflection

• Willingness to achieve the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare if you don't already hold it

Not required, but valued: experience in residential care, education, youth work, fostering, SEND or mental-health support; a Level 3 qualification; an understanding of trauma, attachment or PACE.

No residential experience? Apply anyway. We look for character, judgement and the capacity to learn, not just a CV that knows the right words.

What you get

• £27,000–£30,000 base salary, plus £70 for every sleep-in, paid separately

• Full induction, shadowing and Level 3 qualification support

• A progression route to Senior

• Monthly supervision and reflective practice

• Company pension and free on-site parking

All appointments are subject to safer recruitment checks: identity, enhanced DBS, references, full employment history with gaps explained, qualification verification and right to work.