Senior Support Worker

Job Title: Residential Child Care Worker

Location: Lymington, Hampshire, South East England

Salary: £28,000 - £30,000 per annum + up to £8,580 in sleep-in bonuses

Employment Type: Full-time

Job Description:
We are seeking a dedicated Residential Child Care Worker to join our team in Lymington, Hampshire. This role offers an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children who have experienced trauma, within a supportive and nurturing environment. Our organisation specialises in providing therapeutic care for children in small, family-like homes across the South of England.

Key Responsibilities:
As a Residential Child Care Worker based in Lymington, your daily duties will include:

• Providing tailored emotional and practical care to children, fostering trust and stability
• Building positive, therapeutic relationships with children and acting as a consistent, caring role model
• Managing school runs, supporting extracurricular activities, and facilitating family contact using our home cars
• Delivering recreational and educational activities that promote personal growth and social skills
• Carrying out household duties such as cooking, cleaning, and maintaining a welcoming environment
• Completing daily records, logs, and health and safety checks
• Collaborating with social workers, educators, and other professionals to support each child's needs
• Managing 24-hour shift patterns, including weekends, bank holidays, and sleep-ins (sleep-in hours: 22:30 to 07:30)

Requirements & Qualifications:
To be successful as a Residential Child Care Worker, you will need:

• A full, clean UK driving licence — home cars are used for transporting children
• Compassionate, patient, and resilient nature, with the ability to bring warmth, calm, and fun to every situation
• Flexibility and reliability to work shifts including weekends, bank holidays, and sleep-ins
• A genuine commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
• Good communication skills and the ability to maintain accurate records
• Right to work in the UK — sponsorship is not available for this role

Desirable (but not essential):

• Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare, Health and Social Care, or equivalent
• Experience working with children with complex emotional and behavioural needs
• Knowledge of trauma-informed approaches such as PACE or DDP
• Experience in senior or supervisory roles

Benefits & Work Environment:

• Competitive salary with regular pay reviews
• Fully funded Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare for those without a qualification
• Support for progression to Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications
• Fully funded Enhanced DBS check
• Home cars provided for school runs and transporting children
• Meals provided on shift at no cost
• Free on-site parking at all locations
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offering free 24/7 support
• Company pension scheme with 3% employer contribution
• Casual dress code in a homely environment
• 28 days annual leave, including bank holidays
• Referral scheme offering £500 (T&Cs apply)

If you are a compassionate, reliable individual seeking a rewarding role in Lymington, Hampshire, apply today!

Vetro Recruitment acts as an employment business when supplying temporary staff and as an employment agency for permanent placements. We are an equal opportunities employer, making decisions based on merit.