Residential Support Worker – Ref 7220

Fixed Term until 31st December 2026

Devon County Council have recently made being Care Experienced a protected characteristic. This is a huge achievement for those who have been in the care of the local authority, but there is still a long way to go. Studies have shown that half of the people who are in custody up to the age of 21 years old have been in care, and a quarter of the homeless population is care experienced. Now is the time to ‘bridge the gap’ in the support and guidance provided to Children and Young People who are care experienced.

So… do you want to be involved in a new and exciting opportunity? Do you have what it takes to make a difference to the lives of care experienced young people? If so, this rare opportunity could be for you!

We have a new project named Staying Close, and are seeking highly motivated, resilient, innovative individuals to join our team, providing support and guidance for those that are Care Experienced across the County.

This project is currently funded for 2 years, with hopes of this being successful and becoming permanent. This is a fantastic Department of Education initiative, to improve the service provided to Care Experienced people when transitioning from adolescence to adulthood.

Your role will include supporting over 18 year old Care Experienced young people, in a supported accommodation setting. Supporting them in the community and enabling their engagement, as well as learning valuable life skills. It will also include supporting 16-17 year old Care Experienced people with the transition into adulthood.

Your role will be fully focused on the needs of the Care Experienced, and be led by those needs at all times. You will be passionate about making a difference to the lives of Care Experienced people, along with the ability to advise, befriend, mentor, and support them.

If you wish to be a part of this project's success, and feel passionately about helping others and making a change, we would love to hear from you! Now is the time to Stand Up, Speak up!

Additional information
The salary range for this role is £29,572 to £32,645 per annum.

Devon County Council
We offer an environment that is supportive and rewarding, working as part of a team who are passionate about the work they do to improve the lives of young people and their families in Devon. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
• Generous annual leave allowance.
• Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
• Auto enrolment onto our Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
• A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain benefits such as, ‘cycle for work’ and health screenings.

DBS information
This post requires a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure.

If you think that you have these qualities and are interested in joining our team, we would love to hear from you. For more information please contact Danny Turner, on danny.turner@devon.gov.uk

Please ensure, when completing your application form, that you provide a supporting statement which demonstrates how you meet the essential and desirable criteria as described in the job description. Applications may not be taken forwards if the supporting statement is not adequately completed.

Note: We do not sponsor Visa’s for this post. UK Right to Work is required.

Please note that the ability to drive with access to your own vehicle, a valid UK driving licence and business insurance is essential to the role.

Please click Apply Now to see further information.

• DCC embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and safe. We welcome applications from people who share our commitment to stop discrimination, challenge inequality and promote diversity across Devon.
• Happy to Talk Flexible Working – The Council offers flexible working arrangements in terms of when and where people work e.g. hybrid working, part-time, condensed hours etc.
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Does the job role include personal care?: No

Working Patterns:

37 hours per week