Vacancies

Looking for a dedicated night role in specialist childcare where your calm presence genuinely helps young people feel safe, supported, and settled?

Waking Night Support Worker – Specialist Children's Home (Ofsted)

Location: Preston

Pay Rate: £14.50 per hour

Hours: Full-time, Permanent (Waking nights, up to 40 hours per week, including weekends and bank holidays on rota)

At Embrace Care, we know that overnight care in children's residential services isn't just about security checks and staying awake. It's about being a calm, reassuring anchor when a young person wakes up distressed, providing trauma-informed support, and maintaining a safe, peaceful home environment through the night.

If you want an employer that values your night shift expertise and actively invests in your long-term career development, we'd love to welcome you to our Preston team.

Benefits

• Pay & Bonuses: £14.50 per hour + up to a £750 Ofsted bonus
• Health & Wellbeing: Medicash healthcare plan covering dental, optical, physiotherapy, and mental health support
• Loyalty Rewards: Loyalty bonus scheme worth up to £10,000 over 10 years
• Perks & Discounts: 20% discount at our Chester and Preston hotels, £1,000 Refer-a-Colleague bonus, and free on-site parking
• Training & Development: Paid induction, continuous training, and supported Level 3 Diploma

The Reality of the Role

We believe in total transparency: night support in children's residential care requires emotional resilience, sharp observation, and calmness. The children and young people we support in Preston may have autism, social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs, emotional or behavioural difficulties (EBD) or Learning Disabilities (LD).

This isn't just supervising a house; you will be part of a dedicated, therapeutic residential setting. We need night Support Workers who understand trauma-informed care and sensory needs — individuals who can make sound, independent decisions in the quiet hours while keeping the home safe, therapeutic, and calm.

Why You'll Love Growing Your Career With Us

If you want your night shift experience to translate into real career growth, Embrace Care is built for you.

• Dedicated Backing: Work in Ofsted homes alongside experienced Registered Managers, a dedicated in-house Therapeutic Lead, and a core team
• Development & Progression: Night staff aren't forgotten here. We support Level 3 Diplomas for Residential Childcare and clear mentorship pathways to move into senior and management roles
• Focus on Relationships: You'll have the time to build deep trust with young people who need extra reassurance at night, ensuring they feel completely safe in their home

Responsibilities

• Providing Overnight Care & Reassurance: Supporting children who wake during the night with patience, empathy, and therapeutic de-escalation strategies
• Maintaining Safety & Wellbeing: Conducting regular welfare checks, adhering to care plans and risk assessments, and responding calmly to unexpected situations or distress
• Managing the Night Routine: Completing essential overnight household tasks, keeping accurate digital records, and preparing the service for a smooth morning transition
• Leading Handovers: Delivering thorough, professional handovers to the incoming daytime team to ensure continuous, high-quality care

Requirements

• Previous experience in children's residential care, waking-night support, youth work, or mental health support is essential
• Experience with Autism or EBD, LD or SEMH is essential
• Commitment to safeguarding children and young people
• The confidence and emotional maturity to remain awake, alert, and responsive throughout every shift

Ready to bring your night support expertise to a stable, supportive team?

If you're looking for a rewarding night role with real job security and career growth, we'd love to chat.

Apply through Indeed to submit your CV and start a conversation with us.

(Please note: Embrace Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Appointment is subject to an enhanced DBS check with Children's Barred List check, satisfactory references, and safer recruitment checks in line with Ofsted requirements.)

Contact information

Elaine Wilcock