Children's Residential Cook

Job Introduction

This permanent role has a starting salary of £11,788 per annum, based on a 18-hour working week, pro-rata to £23,576.

If you are passionate about cooking healthy, nutritious meals and want to make a real difference in the lives of some of Surrey’s most vulnerable children - we'd love to hear from you! We are looking for a Cook who shares our dedication and will take pride in our home; helping to create a clean, homely environment, and cook healthy meals for children and staff on shift.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days’ holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years’ service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer’s leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependants leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resource

About the Role

We want our Residential Homes to be exceptional for the children we are entrusted to care for. It's what we strive to provide, and what our children want and need! We look after up to eight children per day, aged between 6-18 years old. We provide a safe and nurturing environment for disabled children and young people who also have complex health care needs.

As a Cook at our home, you will be joining a dedicated and energetic team who provide the best possible quality of personalised care that meets each child’s needs and promotes their welfare. Some of our children have special dietary needs, therefore the right candidate must be thorough, confident and have great time management. This is a very rewarding role, where your work will make a real difference to the lives of the children we support. As a Cook you'll be at the heart of ensuring a healthy, balanced diet is provided daily.

This will include:

• Food planning and preparation with a flair for creativity! Including healthy menus that ensure nutritional requirements are met (including allergies)
• On-line shopping (making sure budgets are stuck to!)
• Stock rotation and daily temperature checks on fridges and freezers
• Maintaining a high standard of cleanliness and hygiene (where necessary, using powered equipment e.g., vacuum cleaners, weekly deep clean of kitchen etc)
• Ensuring all necessary repairs are reported and that health and safety guidelines are always followed

We work closely together to ensure we are providing the best possible care for some of Surrey’s most vulnerable young people, and at times, this can be challenging, so you’ll need to be adaptable and resilient to work in this environment.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• You hold a current CIEH e-learning Food Safety in Catering OR willingness to obtain this qualification within the home, including an awareness of Health and Safety issues and COSHH
• You are flexible, organised and able to work methodically
• You have great interpersonal skills and can develop appropriate relationships with young people
• You can work well as part of a team, but also confident working individually
• You have a commitment to undertaking relevant training and development

All of our homes are inspected regularly by OFSTED and have been judged as either 'Good' or 'Outstanding'. We are very proud of the quality of our residential services for some of Surrey’s most vulnerable children. As a result, we have invested in our homes and staff and plan to continue this to achieve a service that is ambitious, innovative, and responsive to the needs of young people in our care.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. For an informal discussion please contact Sarah Muzzall by e-mail at residentialrecruitment@surreycc.gov.uk

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 24.06.2025 with interviews to follow.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

An enhanced DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children’s and Adults’ Barred List checks will be required for this role.

Local Government Reorganisation

Surrey County Council is preparing for Local Government Reorganisation which will allow us to implement the Government led policy of devolution, which is all about giving more powers to local areas.

Currently, Surrey has a two-tier council system, with 11 district and borough councils and a county council, all responsible for different services. All these councils will be reorganised into a smaller number of new unitary councils which will come into effect in April 2027. At this point, this role will be transferred, with all existing terms and conditions intact into one of the new unitary councils.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council.

Our Values

Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our values.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description. Our Life at Surrey handbook also provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application 
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.