Do you have a passion for helping disabled children and young people have fun, build confidence and achieve their potential? Are you a caring, enthusiastic and motivated person who wants to make a real difference in a child’s life? Whether you’re looking to start a career in social care or build on your existing experience, we’d love to hear from you.

We are currently recruiting Relief Residential Support Workers to join our teams at Woodland Lodge in Huntingdon and Haviland Way in Cambridge.

About our Residential Services…

Our homes support children and young people aged 8-18 with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, complex health care and behaviour support.

We provide overnight short breaks, Shared Care and Long Term Care, giving children and young people opportunities to have fun, make friends, develop independence and enjoy new experiences in a safe and supportive environment.

No two days are the same. One day you may be supporting a young person to build life skills and independence at home, and the next you could be supporting them to access their local community and fun activities.

Our aim is simple: to help every child and young person thrive, have fun and achieve their full potential.

“The staff always make me smile and help me try new things.”

– Young Person

About you…

You will be:

• Passionate about supporting children and young people to achieve positive outcomes
• Caring, reliable and able to build positive relationships
• Confident working both independently and as part of a team
• Able to encourage independence, choice and communication
• Comfortable supporting children and young people with personal care and health needs
• Understanding of the importance of safeguarding, dignity and respect
• Understanding of positive behaviour support principles
• Able to communicate effectively with children, families, colleagues and professionals
• Confident using basic IT systems, including Outlook, Word and electronic recording systems
• Positive, flexible and willing to learn

Experience of supporting children, young people or adults with disabilities is beneficial, but equally important is your enthusiasm, commitment and willingness to make a difference.

What will you be doing?

As a Relief Assistant Residential Support Worker, you will:

• Support children and young people during their stay within the home
• Create a safe, welcoming and fun environment where young people can enjoy new experiences
• Encourage participation in activities both within the home and out in the community
• Support personal care, medication administration and safeguarding procedures in line with individual care and safety plans
• Promote independence and develop life skills appropriate to each young person’s needs
• Advocate for children and young people to ensure their voices are heard
• Record observations and maintain accurate records
• Work closely with families, social workers, education professionals and health colleagues to provide quality care and person-centred support

Working Pattern

The service operates across a variety of shifts, including:

• Early shifts: 7.00am – 3.00pm
• Late shifts: 2.00pm – 10.00pm

As a casual member of staff, you’ll have the flexibility to work around your availability while supporting a service that makes a real difference.

What we can offer you…

• Flexible work opportunities
• Comprehensive induction and training programme
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities
• Support to achieve qualifications in Children and Young People’s Residential Care
• Regular supervision and career development support
• A friendly, supportive and experienced team
• The opportunity to build a rewarding career within Children’s Services

“Knowing you’ve helped a young person gain confidence and enjoy experiences they may not otherwise have had is incredibly rewarding.”

– Residential Support Worker

We’d love you to get in touch and find out more about the role and our services.

For an informal conversation, please call 01480 379800.

Before you apply…

Please ensure that you:

• Can reliably travel to your place of work
• Are authorised to work in the United Kingdom
• Understand that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role

Safeguarding Commitment

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful applicants will be required to complete an Enhanced DBS check with Children’s and Adults’ Barred List checks, along with satisfactory references prior to appointment.

Applications will be reviewed regularly and vacancies may close once positions have been filled, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Our benefits

We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension and mileage…

• A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family
• Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro-rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
• Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
• Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network
• Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards
• An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in-store and online discounts as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes