Rockhopper Children's Services

Waking Night Care Worker

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK without the need for sponsorship. Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this position at this time.

Help children and young people feel safe, supported and cared for through the night.

Salary: £28,136 to £30,952 per annum (depending on experience and qualifications)

At Vernon House Children's Home, we believe every child deserves a safe, nurturing and supportive home where they can thrive.

We're looking for compassionate, resilient and dedicated Waking Night Care Workers to join our team and help shape positive futures for children and young people who have experienced adversity, trauma and disruption in their lives.

You'll play a vital role in creating a safe, calm and therapeutic environment throughout the night, helping children feel secure, supported and cared for. Through your presence, vigilance and commitment to providing consistent care, you'll help ensure children experience stability and reassurance when they need it most.

This is more than a night-working role. It's an opportunity to be a trusted adult who helps children settle, feel safe and start each new day positively.

Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week, working waking nights on a rota basis, including weekends and occasional daytime shifts as required.

Why Join Rockhopper Children's Services?

At Rockhopper Children's Services, we know that exceptional care starts with exceptional people.

We invest in our staff, providing ongoing support, training and development opportunities to help you build a rewarding and successful career in residential childcare.

We Offer
• Competitive salary
• Fully funded Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare
• £1,000 bonus upon successful completion of the qualification within 12 months
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities
• Career progression opportunities
• Supportive and experienced management team
• Health and wellbeing support, including a free and confidential counselling service
• Retail, travel and leisure discounts
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Life cover
• The opportunity to make a genuine difference every day

The Role

As a Waking Night Care Worker, you'll provide overnight care and support within the home, ensuring children and young people are safe, comfortable and supported throughout the night.

You'll be responsible for maintaining a secure and nurturing environment, responding to children's needs, completing welfare checks and ensuring effective communication with the wider team to support continuity of care.

As a 24-hour residential childcare service, our home provides round-the-clock care and support. You'll work as part of a dedicated team to ensure children and young people experience consistency, stability and high-quality care at all times.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overnight supervision and support within a safe and nurturing home environment
• Promote a calm, therapeutic and reassuring atmosphere throughout the night
• Support children and young people with evening, night-time and morning routines
• Respond appropriately to children's emotional and practical needs during the night
• Carry out welfare, health and safety and environmental checks
• Maintain accurate records, reports and handovers
• Support the day-to-day organisation and presentation of the home
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to provide consistent, child-centred care
• Promote children's wellbeing, safety and positive outcomes
• Ensure children's voices, wishes and feelings are listened to and respected

About Vernon House

At Vernon House, we are committed to providing a safe, nurturing and therapeutic home where children and young people feel valued, supported and empowered to achieve their potential.

We recognise that every young person is unique, and our team works together to provide consistent, child-centred care that promotes safety, stability, resilience and positive outcomes. We take pride in building meaningful relationships, celebrating achievements and helping children and young people develop the confidence and skills they need for the future.

What We're Looking For

Essential

• Experience working with children and young people, or transferable experience from care, education, health, support work, youth work or similar settings
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Ability to remain calm and professional in challenging situations
• Resilience, patience and a positive attitude
• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
• Ability to work waking nights, weekends and rota-based shifts
• Full UK driving licence
• A genuine passion for helping children and young people achieve positive outcomes

Desirable

• Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or willingness to work towards)
• Experience supporting children and young people who have experienced trauma, adversity or complex life experiences
• Previous experience working in a residential childcare setting

Safeguarding

Rockhopper Children's Services is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all colleagues to share this commitment.

All appointments are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure and other relevant safeguarding checks. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to creating an inclusive workforce and believe that diversity of experience, background and perspective benefits both our colleagues and the children and young people we support.