Night Child Support Worker

Waking Night Children's Residential Support Worker

Crook, County Durham | Full-Time | Permanent

Be the Calm, Caring Presence a Young Person Needs

Could you be the person a young person can rely on when they need someone most?

We are looking for a caring, resilient and dependable Waking Night Children's Residential Support Worker to join our dedicated residential childcare team in Crook, County Durham.

Working in a children's home at night is about much more than simply staying awake until morning. It's about providing safety, stability, reassurance and consistency during the hours when a young person may feel particularly vulnerable.

The young people we support may have experienced trauma, instability or difficult circumstances and may have complex emotional and behavioural needs. They need adults who are patient, dependable and able to look beyond behaviour to understand the individual.

Your calm presence could help a young person feel safe, supported and valued.

If you're an experienced Residential Support Worker, Children's Support Worker, Care Worker, Residential Care Practitioner, Youth Support Worker, Behaviour Support Worker or Therapeutic Support Worker, or have experience supporting children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD), we'd love to hear from you.

Most importantly, we're looking for someone who genuinely cares about helping young people build confidence, develop positive relationships and achieve better outcomes.

About the Role

As a Waking Night Children's Residential Support Worker, you'll play an important role in maintaining the safety, wellbeing and emotional security of children and young people throughout the night.

You'll help ensure the home remains calm, safe and welcoming while providing consistent support in line with each young person's individual needs.

You may be the person who provides reassurance after a difficult moment, helps a young person regulate their emotions or simply offers the comfort of knowing that a trusted adult is there.

You'll work closely with the wider care team and follow individual care plans, risk assessments, safeguarding procedures and organisational policies to ensure the highest standards of care.

Every shift is an opportunity to help a young person feel a little safer, more secure and more confident.

Key Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include:

• Supporting children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties
• Creating and maintaining a safe, stable and nurturing residential environment
• Carrying out regular welfare checks in line with care plans and risk assessments
• Responding appropriately to incidents, safeguarding concerns and emergencies
• Providing emotional support, reassurance and positive role modelling
• Encouraging positive behaviour through consistent boundaries and relationship-based care
• Building positive and trusting relationships with young people
• Maintaining accurate daily records, reports and handovers
• Completing security and fire safety checks to ensure the home remains safe
• Completing light household duties to maintain a clean, comfortable and welcoming environment
• Supporting morning routines where required
• Communicating effectively with colleagues, managers and external professionals
• Following safeguarding procedures, Children's Homes Regulations and organisational policies
• Contributing to the ongoing development and positive outcomes of each young person

About You

We welcome applications from people who have experience in areas including:

• Children's Residential Care
• Residential Childcare
• Children's Support Work
• Youth Work
• Social Care
• Care Assistant roles involving children or young people
• Behaviour Support
• SEN or SEMH settings
• Foster Care
• Supported Accommodation

Previous experience working with children or young people is important, with children's residential care experience being desirable.

You'll also need to demonstrate:

• A calm, patient and resilient approach
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• A strong understanding of safeguarding and child protection
• An understanding of professional boundaries
• Good written record-keeping skills
• The ability to work independently and confidently during waking night shifts
• The ability to work effectively as part of a wider team
• A proactive, flexible and genuinely child-centred approach
• A willingness to learn and develop your skills
• Full UK driving licence – desirable

We understand that great support workers come from a range of backgrounds. What matters most is your ability to build positive relationships, remain calm under pressure and put the needs of young people at the heart of your work.

What We Offer

We believe that the people caring for young people deserve to feel valued, supported and invested in too.

In return, we offer:

• Competitive salary
• A supportive and inclusive working environment
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Opportunities to develop specialist skills
• Genuine career progression within a growing organisation
• Valuable experience within residential childcare
• The opportunity to make a real and lasting difference to children and young people

You'll be joining a team where your contribution matters and where there are opportunities to develop your career while doing work that has a genuine purpose.

Why This Role Matters

The young people we support may have experienced things in life that no child should have to face.

They don't need adults who expect perfection.

They need adults who are consistent, compassionate, patient and dependable.

There may be nights when everything is calm and your role is simply to make sure the home remains safe and secure.

There may be nights when a young person needs someone to listen.

There may be moments when your reassurance helps prevent a difficult situation from escalating.

And sometimes, the most important thing you can do is simply be there.

A calm response, a reassuring conversation or a consistent boundary can have a lasting impact on a young person's sense of safety and trust.

You don't need to have all the answers. What matters is that you care, you're willing to learn and you're committed to giving young people the stability and support they deserve.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you're looking for a role where you can build meaningful relationships, develop your career and make a genuine difference to a young person's life, we'd love to hear from you.

Bring your compassion.

Bring your patience.

Bring your resilience.

Become someone a young person can count on — night after night.

Safeguarding

This position is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. All shortlisted candidates will be required to disclose any convictions or cautions that are not protected under current filtering legislation.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to safer recruitment procedures, including an Enhanced DBS check and satisfactory pre-employment checks.