• Closing date:
    23 February 2026
  • Department
    Children’s Social Care & Social Work
  • Salary
    £38,256 - £39,276 per annum
  • Vacancy type
    Permanent
  • Hours per week
    36
  • About the role

  • We are seeking a committed and compassionate Senior Residential Care Worker to join our residential children’s home, supporting children and young people with high‑level Special Educational Needs (SEN) and physical disabilities.

    In this role, you will take a leading position within the home, supporting the Registered Manager and Deputy Manager in the day‑to‑day running of the service. You will lead shifts, provide guidance to staff, and take delegated responsibility in the absence of senior managers to ensure the home operates in line with the Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards.

    You will play a key role in delivering high‑quality, child‑centred care by:

    • Leading shifts and delegating duties to ensure safe, effective care delivery

    • Supporting, supervising, and mentoring Residential Care Workers, as well as students, volunteers, and agency staff

    • Promoting the health, safety, and wellbeing of children, young people, staff, and the home environment

    • Ensuring each child’s individual care, emotional, physical, educational, and developmental needs are met

    • Leading care planning, assessments, reviews, and report writing

    • Administering medication and ensuring accurate record‑keeping and compliance with GDPR

    • Working closely with social workers, families, and external professionals such as schools, health services, and other agencies

    • Supporting children to access social, recreational, and community activities that enrich their lives

    • Responding effectively to safeguarding concerns, emergencies, and missing‑from‑care procedures

    This is a hands‑on role where you will lead by example, sharing responsibility for day‑to‑day care tasks while maintaining high professional standards.\a

    About You

    You will be an experienced residential childcare professional who is passionate about improving outcomes for children with complex needs. You will be confident in leading others, calm under pressure, and committed to providing nurturing, inclusive, and trauma‑informed care.

    You will bring:

    • Experience working in a children’s residential setting, ideally supporting children with SEN and physical disabilities

    • The ability to lead shifts and provide guidance, supervision, and support to staff

    • A strong understanding of safeguarding, child protection, and relevant legislation

    • Confidence in managing challenging situations and responding appropriately to emergencies

    • Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work in partnership with families, social workers, and external professionals

    • A commitment to promoting children’s participation, independence, dignity, and rights

    • Strong organisational skills, including accurate record‑keeping and report writing

    • A flexible, resilient, and child‑focused approach, with a willingness to work shifts including evenings, weekends, and sleep‑ins as required

    Above all, you will be someone who genuinely cares about children and young people and is motivated to help them live safe, fulfilling, and meaningful lives.

  • About us

  • We value our employees and are committed to ensuring that they enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career with us. We understand that a happy and motivated workforce is essential for the success of our organisation. That is why we offer a wide range of employee benefits to enhance your work-life balance, financial wellbeing, health, and professional development. 
     
    Here’s a comprehensive overview of the fantastic benefits we provide: 
     
    • Flexible Working Hours – We recognise the importance of flexibility in managing your work and personal life.
    • 36 Hour Week – Enjoy a standard 36-hour workweek for all full time staff. 
    • Generous Holiday Entitlement – increasing with length of service (for non-casual roles).
    • Hillingdon Sports & Leisure – Stay active and healthy with discounts at council owned leisure centres and swimming pools across the borough.
    • Salary Sacrifice Schemes – option to join schemes for cycle purchase, electric vehicle leasing and additional voluntary pension contributions (subject to scheme rules).
    • Cycle to Work – Eco-friendly commuting with our cycle purchase scheme. We also provide bicycle parking, lockers, and showers at the Civic Centre.
    • Local Government Pension Scheme – access to Local Government Pension Scheme and membership to the Credit Union.
    • Vivup Benefits – Access a variety of offers and discounts through our Vivup Benefits.
    • Mental Health Support and Counselling Services – Our mental health first aiders are trained to identify, understand, and help employees experiencing mental health issues. Access free 24-hour confidential advice and counselling as well as a legal advice service for you and your immediate family.
    • Travel Support – Make your daily commute easier with our season ticket loans and free car parking.  
    Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

    At the London Borough of Hillingdon, we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. This commitment means that all employees, job applicants and others who work for us will be treated fairly. 
     
    The aim is for our workforce to be representative of all sections of society and Hillingdon residents so we welcome applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds. We strive to ensure that our recruitment process is free from discrimination and bias, and we are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments to applicants with disabilities. 
     
    Join us in building a workplace where everyone feels respected, able to give their best and be themselves at work, whilst contributing meaningfully to our organisation's success. 
     
    Recruitment Information

    Hillingdon Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities that meet the essential criteria for the role and wish to be considered under this scheme. We believe in the option to choose, so candidates declaring a disability have the choice to opt in for consideration under this scheme, on a ‘per application’ basis. 

    We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable groups and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  

    Some posts are subject to The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2019 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.  

    In addition to verifying Right to Work in the UK and a new starter health questionnaire, the post is subject to the following pre-employment screening: 
     
    • Enhanced DBS Check
    • Qualifications Check
    • 5 years of Referencing 

    Please note: Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Hillingdon Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised. 

    It may be necessary due to a high volume of applications to close this role early. We therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. 

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