Residential Youth Support Worker

How you'll make a difference:

Vinney Green Secure Children's Home offers young people a safe, caring environment, where they will experience quality care, education, and life skills training. As Residential Youth Support Worker, you will help young people develop the values, skills, knowledge, self-control and direction that will enable them to return to the community in a positive and purposeful way.

What you will be doing:

• It will be your responsibility to provide on-going care and supervision of young people at the home, within the framework of the regulations governing secure accommodation.
• Overseeing all aspects of security, you will ensure procedures, routines and recording functions are carried out and assist in the compliance of health and safety regulations, including the maintenance of fire precautions, fire drills and familiarisation of evacuation procedures.
• Contributing to the protection of young people from abuse, you will assist in identifying and assessing their problems, needs and potential.
• It will be key for you to establish strong professional relationships with our young people and to model pro-social behaviour, supporting those experiencing change in their provision of care.
• Helping to enrich the lives of our young people, you will organise, plan and oversee activities and participate in their education, including the assisting with in-class studies and homework.
• You will need to set and maintain appropriate limits on young people's behaviour and create opportunities for them to develop more positive behavioural responses, promoting pro-social conduct.

What we need from you:

• We require you to undertake training and development activity, including achievement of the Level 3 RQF programme within an agreed timescale.
• You must have excellent communication skills (both written and verbal) to record and communicate essential information, including the use of basic computer systems such as MS Office.
• Given the nature of the role, you need to have an understanding of the demands of working with young people who may have complex needs and be able to deal with these in a non-judgmental manner.
• Ideally, you will have previous experience of working in a secure setting or working with young people who present challenging behaviour.

What you need to know:

• The salary is plus a Secure Unit allowance of £2,903.04 per annum and enhancements for Sunday and Bank Holiday working pro rata to hours worked.
• The home works on shift patterns, working an average of 37 hours per week following a designated shift pattern working between the hours of 7.30am – 10.30pm, alternate weekends and some shifts may be on bank holidays. Meals are normally eaten with young people.
• Young people can present physically threatening behaviour and the environment can become tense and anxiety provoking, so for everybody's safety surveillance cameras are in use in most areas of the building.
• Please note that due to the nature of this role it is a requirement of employment that an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is obtained for this post.
• Vinney Green operates a full non-smoking environment, and there is no provision to facilitate smoking anywhere on site. Staff's personal belongings are required to be left in a provided locker on entry into the building and we may require you to undertake a further physical fitness check.
• This role is demanding and there will be some physical active aspects to the job, but we can assure you that this will be one of the most rewarding jobs that you will ever do

Interviews will be held week commencing 15th December 2025.

How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different:

• We value our staff as individuals, investing in their careers and we are recognised for the quality, breadth and depth of our training and development offer, which helps make the greatest long-term difference in work.
• What's special here is the strength of the team ethos, the support and the training.
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Ensuring all our staff are given right skills, knowledge and support to recognise and respond effectively to potential abuse or neglect.
• As part of our benefits package you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata), employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities.
• We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.

• We're building and shaping communities which people are proud of.
• We're working with the most vulnerable in our community to help them achieve what they want in life.
  We're investing in our schools to ensure every child and young person in South Gloucestershire achieves their full potential.

We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.

We're making a difference, be part of it

For more information, please see the attached job description: Residential Youth Support Worker (RCO) - Job Description