Residential Support Worker

Childrens Support Worker

Meadholme, Darlington

Salary: £27,999.72 - £29,428.49 per annum (DOE)

Hours of Week: 40 ¦ Contract Type: Permanent

Shifts Patterns: 7.45am-8pm, 11am-11pm, 7.45pm - 8am (Waking Nights)

About Meadholme:

Meadholme offers a caring, supportive, and nurturing environment for children and young people who experience a range of needs, including emotional and behavioural difficulties, mental health challenges, and learning disabilities.

Our home provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere with five comfortable bedrooms, designed for young people aged 12 to 18. Each bedroom is thoughtfully personalised to meet individual preferences and promote a sense of safety and belonging. The communal spaces are created to feel homely and encouraging, offering opportunities for young people to develop independence, build life skills, and feel part of a positive, supportive community.

Members of the team say “Management in the home make you feel part of the team and always engage with staff, keeping you informed of any changes which may occur”.

Requirements:

• Experience supporting vulnerable children or young people, whether in a residential setting or other care, education, or community environments.

• A strong understanding of the developmental journey of young people—including their physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and educational needs—and how to support them effectively at each stage.

• A collaborative team player who brings empathy, sensitivity, and a genuine motivation to work alongside colleagues to deliver the best outcomes.

• Self‑motivated with the ability to inspire others, helping the team stay focused on achieving timeframes, goals, and high-quality performance.

• Emotional resilience and the ability to manage challenging or stressful situations while maintaining professionalism and compassion.

• A solid understanding of safeguarding and child protection, including when and how to follow procedures to keep young people safe.

• A flexible and adaptable approach, with the ability to respond positively to changing needs and situations.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to build supportive relationships with young people and communicate confidently with colleagues at all levels.

As a Residential Support Worker you will:

• Champion the individual needs of every child and young person, bringing their care plans to life through thoughtful, responsive, and compassionate support.

• Build strong, trusting partnerships with young people, their families, social workers, and other key agencies—ensuring everyone works together toward positive outcomes.

• Deliver high‑quality care that meets all legislative, procedural, and best‑practice standards, supporting each young person with professionalism and integrity.

• Prioritise the safety, wellbeing, and dignity of young people at all times, acting decisively and responsibly to protect them from harm.

• Play an active role in shaping and reviewing care, health, and education plans, offering insight, attending planning meetings, and contributing to progress reviews.

• Stay confident and knowledgeable in safeguarding responsibilities, maintaining up‑to‑date understanding of all relevant legislation, guidance, policies, and procedures.

• Help create a warm, welcoming, and nurturing environment, ensuring spaces feel safe, comfortable, and supportive of positive social care practice.

What We Offer

• A rewarding career you can be truly proud of
• A supportive environment that is committed to helping you flourish and deliver excellent care to the people we support
• Competitive pay
• Career development and training
• Progression Opportunities
• Enhanced maternity package
• Enhanced annual leave
• Fully funded Level 3/4 Health & Social Care qualification
• Birthday & Christmas vouchers
• Access to retail discounts via Blue Light Scheme

If this sounds like the role for you, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Young Foundations is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks in line with our safeguarding policy. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references, right to work checks and any other necessary checks.

#P01