Waking Night Residential Support Worker
| Company: | Garden Therapeutic Homes |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full-time |
| Location: | Stourton |
| Working pattern: | On-site |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Posting date: | 16 Oct 2026 |
| Closing date: | 11 Nov 2026 |
Summary
Purpose of the Role
The Waking Night Residential Support Worker is responsible for maintaining a safe, calm and nurturing environment throughout the night.
You will remain awake and available throughout the whole shift, providing appropriate support to children and young people when required while ensuring that safeguarding, welfare, security and health and safety arrangements are maintained.
The role also includes completing agreed household, administrative and monitoring responsibilities during quieter periods, while always ensuring that the needs and safety of the children remain the priority.
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Key Responsibilities
Care and Support of Children and Young People
- Remain awake, alert and available throughout the entire waking night shift.
- Provide reassurance, emotional support and practical assistance to children who wake during the night.
- Respond sensitively to children experiencing anxiety, nightmares, emotional distress, illness or difficulty sleeping.
- Maintain a calm, warm and therapeutic approach when supporting children.
- Follow individual placement plans, care plans, behaviour support plans, risk assessments and health plans.
- Promote children's dignity, privacy, independence and individual identity.
- Support children to develop healthy nighttime and morning routines.
- Where required, assist children with personal care in a sensitive and respectful manner.
- Support children with medication in accordance with the home's medication procedures and your level of training and competency.
- Ensure children are appropriately supported should they become unwell during the night.
Safeguarding
- Place the safeguarding and welfare of children and young people at the centre of all practice.
- Understand and follow the home's safeguarding and child protection procedures.
- Remain vigilant to any signs of abuse, exploitation, neglect, self-harm, bullying or other safeguarding concerns.
- Report and record safeguarding concerns immediately in accordance with organisational procedures.
- Follow procedures relating to missing children, including immediate escalation and notification where required.
- Maintain professional boundaries at all times.
- Understand your responsibility to whistleblow where unsafe or inappropriate practice is identified.
- Work in accordance with the Children's Homes Regulations 2015 and relevant statutory guidance.
Night Monitoring and Safety
- Complete scheduled welfare checks in accordance with each child's individual care plan and risk assessment.
- Ensure all checks are appropriately recorded.
- Monitor the general safety and security of the home throughout the night.
- Ensure external doors, windows and appropriate security systems are checked.
- Respond appropriately to alarms, emergencies or unusual activity.
- Complete required fire safety and environmental checks.
- Maintain awareness of individual risks associated with each child placed within the home.
- Escalate concerns promptly to the on-call manager where required.
Behaviour and Therapeutic Support
- Use a trauma-informed, attachment-aware and relationship-based approach when supporting children.
- Apply the principles of PACE — Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy — where appropriate.
- Understand that behaviour may communicate an unmet emotional or developmental need.
- Respond to challenging situations calmly and consistently.
- Use de-escalation strategies before considering any restrictive intervention.
- Follow individual behaviour support and risk management plans.
- Record any significant incidents accurately and objectively.
Record Keeping and Communication
- Maintain clear, accurate and contemporaneous records of significant events during the night.
- Complete handover information for the incoming day staff.
- Record welfare checks, incidents, medication, health concerns and relevant observations appropriately.
- Ensure information is recorded confidentially and in accordance with GDPR and organisational policy.
- Read relevant handover information and updates at the beginning of each shift.
- Communicate any significant concerns directly to the appropriate manager.
### Household Responsibilities
During appropriate periods when children are settled, waking night staff may be required to:
- Undertake agreed light cleaning and household duties.
- Ensure communal areas are safe, clean and presentable.
- Complete laundry and other agreed domestic tasks.
- Prepare the home for the morning routine where appropriate.
- Complete required health and safety checks.
- Assist with stock checks and ensure essential household supplies are available.
- Carry out agreed administrative tasks.
Household duties must never take priority over the care, supervision or safeguarding of children.
Morning Responsibilities
- Support children with waking and morning routines where required.
- Assist with preparing breakfast or other agreed morning tasks.
- Support a calm transition between waking night and day staff.
- Provide a detailed verbal and written handover to the incoming team.
- Ensure any significant events, concerns or changes in presentation are clearly communicated.
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Professional Responsibilities
The post holder will be expected to:
- Work positively as part of the wider residential care team.
- Attend staff meetings, supervision and training as required.
- Participate in regular formal supervision with a manager.
- Engage positively with reflective practice and professional development.
- Complete all mandatory training within required timescales.
- Maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries.
- Promote equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Treat children, colleagues, families and professionals with respect.
- Follow all Therapeutic Garden Homes policies and procedures.
- Work collaboratively with managers and colleagues to maintain high standards within the home.
- Contribute positively to inspections, monitoring visits and quality assurance processes.
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