Residential Care Officer

Residential Care Officer

Permanent

Downham House, Plymstock

37 hours per week (managed annually)

Grade E (£31,015 - £33,673 per annum)

Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and young people with complex needs?

Downham House Residential Short Break Service is looking for a compassionate, motivated and resilient Residential Care Officer to join our committed team.

We provide meaningful short breaks for children and young people with severe learning disabilities and complex needs, while providing vital respite and support for their families.

As an Ofsted-registered children’s home, safeguarding, high-quality care and positive experiences for children are at the heart of everything we do.

What You’ll Do

As a Residential Care Officer, you will play an important role in supporting children and young people with a range of needs, including Autism, ADHD, epilepsy, OCD, ADD, Down Syndrome and severe learning disabilities.

No two days are the same, and your role will include:

Daily Care & Support

• Providing high-quality, child-centred day-to-day care
• Supporting children and young people with personal care
• Encouraging creative play, independence and positive experiences
• Supporting children to access activities within the home and community
• Assisting with light cooking and domestic tasks
• Helping to create a safe, welcoming and nurturing environment

Keyworking & Placement Planning

• Acting as a keyworker for an individual child or young person
• Supporting and overseeing their individual care package
• Contributing to and preparing plans, records and reports
• Communicating effectively with parents, carers and multidisciplinary professionals
• Liaising with external agencies to help ensure consistent and effective support

Shift Leadership

As part of the role, you will take responsibility for leading shifts on a rotational basis. This will include:

• Organising staff and coordinating planned activities
• Managing risk and promoting safe working practices
• Taking responsibility for medication administration and oversight
• Ensuring children receive safe, consistent and high-quality care throughout the shift
• Communicating effectively with managers and escalating concerns when required

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for someone who is:

• Passionate about supporting children and young people with complex needs
• Patient, positive and resilient, with the ability to remain calm under pressure
• Self-motivated and able to make appropriate decisions
• Experienced in supporting children and young people with SEND
• Comfortable working in an environment that can sometimes be physically and emotionally demanding
• A strong team player who values consistency and positive working relationships
• An effective communicator who can work confidently with families, colleagues and other professionals
• Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people

Qualifications & Requirements

You will need:

• A Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare, or a nationally recognised equivalent, or a willingness to achieve the required qualification within two years
• Relevant and current experience of supporting children and young people with SEND
• A strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting children's welfare
• An Enhanced DBS check covering children and adults

The role is subject to a six-month probationary period.

Working Hours

This is a flexible residential care role, with working patterns designed around the needs of the children and young people who use the service.

Your shifts will typically include:

• Evenings
• Weekends
• Nights
• School holiday periods
• Late shifts and long days

A typical working week averages approximately 37 hours, incorporating a mixture of shift types.

Why Join Downham House?

At Downham House, you’ll become part of a supportive and committed team that wants children and young people to have safe, enjoyable and meaningful experiences.

This is more than simply providing care. It is about building trusted relationships, creating opportunities, supporting children to achieve their potential and giving families confidence that their child is safe, valued and understood.

For the right person, it is an opportunity to develop your skills, take on responsibility and become an important part of a service that makes a genuine difference to children, young people and their families.

If you are compassionate, resilient and ready for a rewarding role where your work really matters, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Scott Welsford on Scott.Welsford@plymouth.gov.uk

Closing Date: Monday 02 November 2026

Plymouth City Council is an equal opportunities employer. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of age, care experience, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex or sexual orientation.

As part of our commitment to promoting equality we offer guaranteed interviews to those who meet the essential criteria and are considered disabled, care experienced or are an Armed Forces Service Leaver within the last two years.

**Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK.

Plymouth City Council is proud to be an Age Friendly Employer. We encourage applications from talented people at every stage of their career.