Children’s Residential Support Worker
Location: Devices, Wiltshire
Role Type: Full-time/Shift Work/Sleep-ins Required
Driving Licence: Full UK Driving Licence required
About the Role
At Nest Children’s Homes, we provide safe, nurturing and supportive homes for children and young people who need stability, care and trusted adults around them.
As a Children’s Residential Support Worker, you will play an important role in helping children and young people feel safe, valued and understood. You will support them with their day-to-day routines, emotional wellbeing, education, activities, independence skills and personal development.
This is more than just a care role. You will be part of a team that helps young people build confidence, develop positive relationships, overcome challenges and work towards brighter futures.
You will use a trauma-informed and child-centred approach to understand each young person’s individual needs, behaviours, experiences and strengths. Building trusting relationships will be central to your role, alongside providing clear boundaries, encouragement, consistency and emotional support.
No two days are the same. You may be supporting a young person to attend school, helping with cooking and household routines, taking part in activities, offering reassurance during difficult moments, completing records, attending meetings, or helping a young person achieve a personal goal.
Key Responsibilities
In this role, you will:
- Provide safe, consistent and nurturing care to children and young people living in the home.
- Build positive, trusting relationships based on respect, empathy and clear boundaries.
- Support young people with daily routines, including meals, education, activities, personal care where required, and bedtime routines.
- Help young people develop independence, confidence, resilience and life skills.
- Support emotional wellbeing using a trauma-informed and reflective approach.
- Follow individual care plans, risk assessments and behaviour support strategies.
- Encourage young people to engage in education, hobbies, interests and community activities.
- Work as part of a supportive team to maintain a warm, homely and positive environment.
- Complete accurate daily records, incident reports and key work notes.
- Safeguard children and young people by following policies, procedures and professional boundaries.
- Attend training, supervision and team meetings to support your ongoing development.
About You
We are looking for people who are caring, reliable, resilient and genuinely motivated to make a difference.
You do not need to be perfect, but you do need to be committed, emotionally steady and willing to learn. The young people we care for need adults who can be patient, consistent and kind, even when things are challenging.
You will need:
- A genuine passion for supporting children and young people.
- The ability to build positive relationships and engage young people in meaningful activities.
- A calm, compassionate and resilient approach.
- Good communication skills and the ability to work well as part of a team.
- A willingness to learn, reflect and develop your practice.
- The ability to follow care plans, routines, boundaries and safeguarding procedures.
- Good written skills for completing daily records and reports.
- Flexibility to work shifts, including evenings, weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins.
- A full UK Driving Licence.
Experience in residential childcare, youth work, education, mental health, social care or support work is helpful, but the right values, attitude and commitment are just as important.
Why Join Nest Children’s Homes?
At Nest, we know that good care starts with a supported and valued team. We want our staff to feel confident, developed and part of something meaningful.
We offer:
- Meaningful work: Make a real difference to children and young people who need consistent, caring adults.
- Supportive leadership: Work alongside experienced managers and senior staff who will guide and support you.
- Training and development: Access ongoing training to build your skills, confidence and career.
- Career progression: Opportunities to develop within residential childcare, including senior and leadership pathways.
- Team culture: Be part of a home that values communication, reflection, teamwork and high standards.
- Varied working days: Support young people with routines, education, activities, independence and positive experiences.
- Stability: Join a growing organisation committed to providing high-quality children’s homes.
Important Information
This role involves shift work, including evenings, weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins. You must be able to work flexibly as part of a rota.
This post is subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, references, identity checks, right to work checks and full employment history.
Apply Now
If you are passionate about supporting young people and want to be part of a team that helps children feel safe, supported and able to grow, we would love to hear from you.
Apply today and take the next step in a rewarding career where your work genuinely matters.
