Senior Children's Residential Care Worker

Our Senior Children's Residential Care Workers perform a critical role within Summerfield and are a vital part of the team. As a Senior Worker, you will work closely with other seniors, shift leaders and managers to implement care plans and strategies around each child. You will work with the rest of the team to ensure the children are cared for and safe, and that Summerfield offers each child a nurturing and secure place to live.

Are you passionate about providing children with the highest standard of care and support?

Do you share our vision to develop a trauma-informed and child-centred home?

Barnardo's is the largest children's charity in the UK. We are building and implementing a strategy to provide excellence within our growing number of children's residential settings. We recognise that children and young people living in residential care are some of the most vulnerable in the UK, and we aim to provide not for profit care settings that really care for and nurture children. Our vision is to build happy and healthy childhoods and support every child to thrive. We believe that providing a trauma-informed and consistent care environment is essential for each child's well-being and development.

Barnardo's Summerfield is a home for six children aged between 5 and 18 years and we are seeking to recruit an experienced, caring and committed Senior Children's Residential Care Worker to join our team. Senior Workers develop and implement robust care plans and provide consistent care and support to one or more children in our care.

The children and young people living at Summerfield have different learning, physical and emotional needs, including health and social needs, and behaviours that can challenge. We support them to grow, learn, and to develop their skills, confidence, and independence.

To be successful in this role you will:

Have a range of skills and abilities relating to the care of children and young people.
Enjoy the challenges and rewards of working with children and young people with additional needs.
Have experience working in a children's residential or similar care setting.
Have experience in developing and managing care plans and risk assessments.
Be confident to lead and support other members of the team to develop their approaches to care.
Share our commitment to providing a safe, nurturing, and trauma-informed home for the children and young people who live with us.
Have a sound knowledge of safeguarding.

Working arrangements: You will work a number of pre-agreed shifts each week, including some weekend working.

Qualification: You will ideally hold a level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (England) or equivalent level 3 qualification in health and social care, childcare, or similar. If you are looking to develop your skills, willingness to complete a level 3 qualification whilst working at Summerfield will be required.

Please contact Helen Boxall on 07584271541 or helen.boxall@barnardos.org.uk if you would like an informal conversation.

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

Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
About Barnardo's

At Barnardo's we believe in children – no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. Please read about our basis and values following the link below. You will be asked questions relating to them as part of the recruitment process for this role.


Barnardo's is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce for staff and volunteers. We actively encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and male candidates as they are under-represented within Barnardo's.