Children's Residential Waking Night Worker

Job Introduction

The starting salary is £25,539.17 per annum based on a 30-hour working week plus an additional, generous unsocial hours payment for working sleep-ins, weekends and bank holidays. This is pro rata to £30,647 per annum for full time working.

Are you passionate about providing a safe place for vulnerable children to call home?

Do you have transferable skills developed through your experience in an additional needs or specialist education environment?

If so, then Ruth House in Woking could be your next home!

Our Offer to You 

• 26 days’ holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years’ service 
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave 
• A generous local government salary related pension  
• Up to 5 days of carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year  
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave 
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing  
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources 
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping 
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents 
• Relocation bonus of up to £8,000
• Refer a friend payment of £750 as a thank you for finding the right residential worker

Our Home

Our Residential Workers turn our Residential Houses into Residential Homes and this is no different for our home in Woking which is our home dedicated to caring and supporting children and young people with autism and/or learning disabilities.

In the same way that you will support the children and young people, we will support you too! We offer the opportunity to gain the nationally recognised Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare - a requirement that you'll achieve within two years of starting.

About the Role   

Our home known as Ruth House is a home that provides long term care to children with Learning Disabilities and Autism and provides short stays for children and young people with autism in mental health or emotional crisis. We are looking for a Waking Night Worker who has the enthusiasm and creativity to enhance and improve the lived experiences of these young people.

As a Residential Waking Night Worker, you will play a key role in ensuring our children and young people receive safe and supportive care throughout the night. You will support children and young people to follow their evening routines to settle and sleep well and will act as a positive and reliable role model. You will build meaningful relationships with the children and young people and will use Positive Behaviour Support informed practice to support all aspects of your work, including managing risk and vulnerability.

Your Application  

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours: 

• GCSEs in English and Maths (or equivalent)
• A passion and commitment for working with children and young people
• Some understanding of the issues that may affect children and young people with emotional and/or mental health issues
• An ability to remain calm and confident in a range of situations
• A commitment to working nights, weekends and bank holidays

To apply, we request that you submit a CV and respond to our application questions.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey. 

Our Requirements

Due to our legal obligations, we can only accept applications from people 22 years old and above.

This role requires a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare or an equivalent qualification. If you do not currently hold this qualification (or equivalent) but are successful in the interview and meet the enrolment criteria (including English and Maths skills), you will be enrolled in a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare, subject to funding.

In addition to the above, to meet the criteria of the Level 3 Diploma, you must have lived in the UK/EEA for the last 3 years and you must also have the right to remain and work in the United Kingdom for the duration of the study programme. Failure to achieve the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare or losing your right to remain and work in the United Kingdom may result in the termination of your employment.

We are unfortunately not able to offer sponsorship at this time. 

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and our residential workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle, to support our young people to attend appointments, activities or trips as agreed. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.  

Contact Details  

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. 

If you have any questions about these roles please contact Sarah Muzzall via email at residentialrecruitment@surreycc.gov.uk

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) 

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to new unitary councils in April 2027. Your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of these new councils, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.  

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 

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.  

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.