Support worker jobs in Nottingham, nottinghamshire

Do you have a passion for supporting children and young people to overcome challenges, build resilience, and achieve positive outcomes? Are you committed to providing safe, nurturing, and relationship-based care? If so, we would love to hear from you.

We are looking for a Residential Children & Young People's Worker to join our dedicated team within an Emotional Well-being Home in Leicestershire. This is a full-time, permanent position offering the opportunity to make a genuine difference in the lives of children and young people.

Our home provides a safe, stable, and nurturing environment for children and young people aged 8–18 who may have experienced trauma, loss, disrupted attachments, or other complex life experiences. We support a small number of young people at any one time, enabling us to provide highly individualised care and meaningful relationships that promote emotional well-being, confidence, independence, and long-term positive outcomes.

Our practice is rooted in trauma-informed and relationship-based approaches. We believe that every child deserves to feel safe, valued, listened to, and supported to achieve their full potential.

Key Responsibilities

As a Residential Children & Young People's Worker, you will:

• Build positive, trusting, and nurturing relationships with children and young people.
• Support children and young people with their emotional well-being, daily routines, education, independence skills, and personal development.
• Actively contribute to the creation of a safe, structured, and homely environment.
• Work alongside families, social workers, education providers, health professionals, and other partners to support positive outcomes.
• Participate in key-working sessions, care planning, and review processes.
• Promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people at all times.
• Complete accurate, professional, and timely recordings and reports.
• Support the day-to-day running of the home, including meal preparation, household tasks, and community activities.
• Be a positive role model, helping children and young people develop confidence, resilience, and life skills.

What We're Looking For

To be successful in this role, you will be able to demonstrate:

• A genuine commitment to improving the lives of children and young people.
• The ability to build positive and meaningful relationships with children, young people, and colleagues.
• An understanding of safeguarding, child protection, and professional boundaries.
• Resilience, emotional intelligence, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• A willingness to learn, reflect, and continually develop your practice.
• A Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare, or a commitment to achieving this within the required timeframe.
• Flexibility to work shifts, including sleep-ins, weekends, and bank holidays.

Previous experience working with children and young people is desirable but not essential. We recognise that people bring valuable transferable skills from a wide range of backgrounds and are committed to supporting the right candidates to develop within the role.

Why Join Barnardo's?

Barnardo's is the UK's largest children's charity and has been supporting children, young people, and families for over 150 years. We are committed to ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Working within our residential services offers the opportunity to:

• Make a lasting difference to children's lives.
• Receive ongoing training, development, and professional support.
• Develop your career within one of the UK's leading children's organisations.
• Be part of a supportive and values-driven team.
• Work within a service that places relationships, safeguarding, and positive outcomes at the centre of everything we do.

Our residential services are delivered in partnership with Leicestershire County Council, providing innovative and high-quality care for some of the county's most vulnerable children and young people.

While your primary base will be in Leicestershire, there may occasionally be opportunities to support other services within the county.

When completing your application, please refer to your skills, knowledge, and experience in relation to the Person Specification, Job Description, and Additional Information document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described.

Please note that due to the high volume of applications received for some posts, this advert may close before the advertised closing date. We therefore encourage interested applicants to apply as soon as possible.

Location: Loughborough, England (Travel required to all Baca Services locations)

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: £26,750 per annum

Working Hours: 37.5 hrs per week (including evening and weekend hours on a rota)

Start date: June 2026

About Us:

Baca is dedicated to providing support and care to 16 to 18 year old unaccompanied asylum seeking children who are newly arrived in the country, helping them rebuild their strength, dignity, and hope for the future. We work closely with social workers and representatives from other agencies to benefit the young people in our care.

Role Overview:

As a Support Worker, you will be a key worker for several young people in Baca's care, providing high-quality holistic and therapeutic support for their transition to adulthood. You will deliver services in line with Baca’s Theory of Change, ensuring the highest quality outcomes in physical and emotional wellbeing, education, employment, training, social engagement, and personal safety.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support young people using trauma-informed approaches (including PACE and recovery models)
• Promote safety and safeguard young people from exploitation and harm
• Support emotional wellbeing, independence, and life skills development
• Encourage engagement in education, training, and community activities
• Maintain accurate and compliant records
• Work closely with social workers, schools, and partner agencies
• Contribute to a reflective, learning-focused team culture
• Be a role model, offering care and compassion without discrimination.
• Plan and participate in day trips and annual residential weeks.

Requirements:

• Alignment with Baca’s values and mission.
• Ability to respond to change and work as part of a diverse team.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to take initiative.
• Knowledge of safeguarding practices and issues faced by unaccompanied asylum-seeking, young people.
• Relevant training or willingness to complete essential training within the first year.
• Experience working with young people, especially in cross-cultural settings.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and ICT skills.
• Driving licence and access to a car.
• Enhanced DBS check required.

Personal Attributes:

• Approachable, reliable, and a strong team worker.
• Supportive, responsible, and personable.
• Flexible and able to work occasional evenings and weekends.

Holidays and benefits:

• 33 days’ holiday a year (pro rata for part-time staff) including bank holidays.
• Pension scheme
• Health & Wellbeing programme
• Free parking
• Casual dress

How to Apply:

If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of young asylum seekers and have the skills and attributes we are looking for, we would love to hear from you.

Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK for this role as Baca is not on the Home Office list.