Senior Residential Support Worker

Contract to start ASAP

Duration: 12 weeks with a possible extension.

Full job description

Senior Residential Support Worker – London Borough of Waltham Forest

Hours: Full-time (36 hours per week)

Contract: 12-week temporary contract from 30 November 2026 to 21 February 2027

Support Young People Through Safe, Consistent and High-Quality Residential Care

We're recruiting an experienced Senior Residential Support Worker to join the London Borough of Waltham Forest, based at Mapleton Road, London, E4 6XL.

This is a frontline residential care role supporting children and young people who require safe, stable and nurturing accommodation. You'll provide day-to-day support, help maintain consistent routines, promote positive behaviour and contribute to safeguarding and care planning.

As a senior member of the team, you'll also support colleagues, provide guidance during shifts and help ensure high standards of care are maintained at all times.

About the Role

As a Senior Residential Support Worker, you'll work directly with children and young people within a residential setting, helping them feel safe, supported and listened to.

You'll contribute to care plans, risk assessments and key-work sessions while helping young people develop confidence, independence and practical life skills.

What you'll be doing:

• Providing high-quality residential support to children and young people
• Maintaining a safe, stable and nurturing environment
• Supporting young people with daily routines and practical tasks
• Building positive and professional relationships with young people
• Supporting emotional wellbeing and positive behaviour
• Acting as a key worker for allocated young people where required
• Contributing to individual care plans and placement plans
• Supporting safeguarding and child-protection procedures
• Monitoring and recording young people's progress, behaviour and wellbeing
• Completing accurate daily records, incident reports and handover notes
• Supporting young people with education, appointments and community activities
• Helping young people develop independent living and life skills
• Responding appropriately to challenging behaviour and crisis situations
• Following risk assessments, behaviour plans and safeguarding procedures
• Supporting and guiding less experienced residential staff
• Helping coordinate shifts and daily activities
• Working closely with social workers, families and other professionals
• Participating in meetings, reviews and professional discussions
• Maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality
• Ensuring Council policies, procedures and residential care standards are followed

Requirements

We're looking for a confident and experienced residential care professional with strong safeguarding awareness and the ability to support young people with complex needs.

You'll ideally have:

• Previous experience working in residential childcare or a similar care setting
• Experience supporting children or young people with complex needs
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding and child protection
• Experience managing challenging behaviour
• Ability to remain calm and professional in difficult situations
• Experience contributing to care plans, risk assessments and case records
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Experience providing guidance or support to junior colleagues
• Good written recording and report-writing skills
• Ability to work flexibly across a residential rota
• A relevant Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare, Children & Young People or equivalent would be advantageous
• Previous local authority residential care experience would be desirable
• Eligibility to work in the UK
• Ability to provide relevant references/work history
• Ability to complete an enhanced DBS and other required safeguarding checks

Why Apply

• Opportunity to work with the London Borough of Waltham Forest
• Competitive Umbrella rate of £25.96 per hour
• Full-time 36-hour working week
• Meaningful frontline role supporting children and young people
• Opportunity to take on senior responsibilities within a residential setting
• Chance to develop further local authority residential care experience
• 12-week temporary assignment
• Work within an established children's residential service

Benefits

• Weekly Pay
• Company Pension
• Ongoing Agency Support

Additional Information

Client: London Borough of Waltham Forest

Job Title: Senior Residential Support Worker

Location: Mapleton Road, London, Greater London, E4 6XL

Positions Available: 1

Hours: 36 hours per week

Start Date: 30 November 2026

End Date: 21 February 2027

Contract Duration: 12 weeks

Contract Type: Temporary

Pay Rate: Umbrella: £25.96 per hour

Job Types: Full-time, Temporary contract

Pay: £25.96 per hour

Benefits:

• Company pension

Application question(s):

• Do you have previous experience working in residential childcare or a similar residential care environment?
• Do you have experience supporting children or young people with complex needs or challenging behaviour?
• Are you confident with safeguarding, risk assessment and incident reporting?
• Have you previously supported or supervised other residential care staff?
• Are you able to reliably travel to Mapleton Road, London, E4 6XL?
• Are you available to start from 30 November 2026?

Experience:

• Residential Childcare / Support Work: 2 years (required)
• Children & Young People: 2 years (required)
• Senior / Shift Leadership: 1 year (preferred)
• Local Authority Residential Care: 1 year (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

• Level 3 Residential Childcare / Children & Young People qualification (preferred)
• Enhanced DBS (required or ability to obtain)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Disclaimer: On applying for this vacancy, you agree that your personal details will be passed onto our client for their consideration of your suitability for the role. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to notify iWork Recruitment Limited of any hirer who I do not want my details to be passed onto.

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