Support Worker (Children's Services) - UK Wide

Collaborative Care is a specialist provider of children's care and support services, offering safe, nurturing, and supportive environments where young people can develop, heal, and grow. Our placements provide stability, opportunities, and positive experiences for children and young people who have often experienced significant trauma, instability, and adversity.

We are not a traditional care provider. We support young people with highly complex needs and challenging behaviours, including those at risk of Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE), Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), self-harm, missing episodes, and involvement in county lines activity. As such, we require resilient, emotionally robust, and highly committed individuals who are capable of working in demanding but incredibly rewarding environments.

Our team comes from a diverse range of professional backgrounds but what unites our staff is their commitment to making a genuine difference and their ability to maintain calm, consistency, and compassion during difficult situations.

The Role

As a Support Worker, you will play a vital role in supporting children and young people with highly complex needs. You will help them build resilience, develop life skills, achieve positive outcomes, and experience the stability and support that many have never previously experienced.

You will act as a positive role model, advocate, mentor, and trusted adult, helping young people navigate challenges whilst supporting them to reach their full potential.

Your Responsibilities Will Include:

• Delivering person-centred care and support tailored to each young person's individual needs.
• Building positive, trusting, and professional relationships with young people.
• Supporting the implementation of care plans, behaviour support strategies, and risk management plans.
• Assisting young people with education, training, life skills, hobbies, and community engagement.
• Supporting participation in outdoor activities and exercise, including walking, hiking, swimming, cycling, and other activities that promote physical and emotional wellbeing, this is a crucial part of the role.
• Promoting safeguarding and ensuring young people feel safe, respected, and valued.
• Maintaining high standards of care and professional practice at all times.
• Completing detailed reports, daily records, and incident documentation in accordance with organisational and regulatory requirements.
• Working collaboratively as part of a specialist multi-disciplinary support team.
• Supporting young people to develop emotional regulation, independence, resilience, and positive relationships

About You

This is not a role for everyone.

The young people we support may present with complex behaviours, aggression, missing episodes, emotional dysregulation, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and risks associated with exploitation. They require adults who can remain calm under pressure, maintain professional boundaries, apply consistent expectations, and build trusting relationships despite challenge and adversity.

We are looking for caring, resilient, and proactive individuals who are prepared to be positive role models and who genuinely want to change the lives of vulnerable young people.

You must be able to balance empathy and compassion with structure, accountability, and professionalism.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Experience working with children or young people in a care, education, youth work, residential or mental health facility or equivalent skills.
• Willingness to complete or work towards a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Ability to remain calm, compassionate, and professional during challenging situations.
• Ability to establish clear boundaries whilst maintaining positive relationships.
• Genuine commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
• Flexibility to work shifts, including evenings, weekends, bank holidays, and sleep-ins.
• Willingness to work away from home, several days a week.
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to drive company vehicles.
• Right to work in the UK.

Communication and Understanding

Due to the complexity of the young people we support, applicants must possess excellent spoken and written English communication skills. The role requires staff to communicate effectively with vulnerable young people, families, schools, healthcare professionals, police, social workers, and other partner agencies, as well as completing detailed written records, safeguarding reports, and incident documentation.

Applicants should also demonstrate:

• Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to understand and respond appropriately to complex social situations, behavioural presentations, and safeguarding concerns.
• An understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable children and young people in the UK, including trauma, neglect, poverty, exploitation, family breakdown, and adverse childhood experiences.
• Strong literacy skills and the ability to produce clear, accurate, and professional records.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary with additional sleep-in payments.
• Extensive mandatory training and ongoing professional development.
• Trauma-informed specialist training.
• Clinical oversight and support
• Regular supervision and reflective practice sessions.
• Opportunities to gain recognised qualifications.
• Clear career progression pathways into senior, specialist, and management roles.
• The opportunity to genuinely change the lives of vulnerable children and young people.

Join Us

If you are resilient, compassionate, and looking for a career where you can make a lasting difference, we would love to hear from you.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to enhanced DBS checks, references, and safer recruitment processes.