Support Worker

Job Title: Support Worker

Job Location: Caerphilly

Salary: Between £24,960 - £26,000 based on 40 hours per week, plus potential sleep-in allowance 

Contract Type: Permanent

Due to the nature of the work we do, we are only able to accept applications from males for this position. 

There’s a little girl, living in Caerphilly, who needs your help.

Poppy is a young girl who has had a difficult start in life. She’s experienced things no child should ever have to face, and as a result, she now lives in one of our dedicated children’s homes. Here, she receives 24-hour care and therapeutic support to help her build a brighter future. To give Poppy the support she deserves, we need you.

Poppy is full of imagination and energy. She loves playing with her dolls, getting messy in the garden, and exploring the outdoors. She’s always on the go, whether it’s bouncing at trampoline parks, climbing walls at activity centres, or enjoying long walks in the countryside. But one thing will always stop her in her tracks—a chance to meet a dog! Poppy adores dogs and will always want to stop and say hello. Chickens are another favorite of hers, though you’re less likely to bump into them while walking the Brecon Beacons!

If Poppy had the chance, she’d probably spend all her time at Barry Island, riding the amusements or splashing in the water on the beach. Roller skating is another passion, and the faster she can go, the better! Her infectious energy and adventurous spirit mean that no two days are ever the same when you’re supporting her.

Poppy needs strong, reliable role models to help her thrive. While she has so much joy to share, there are days when she’ll need extra support, especially when things feel overwhelming. Your ability to be calm, patient, and supportive during those moments will make all the difference, helping to turn challenges into opportunities for growth. Seeing her progress over time will be one of the most rewarding parts of your role.

We’re looking for someone who isn’t just searching for a job, but who wants to make a meaningful impact on Poppy’s life over the next few years. By working closely with her, you’ll play a key role in preparing her for adulthood, helping her develop the skills and confidence she needs to face the future.

Supporting Poppy means working as part of a 24-hour care team. The schedule is designed to give you flexibility—you’ll work your full week in just 2–3 days, covering only 10 shifts a month.

*Poppy is not the real name of the child you’ll be supporting, but the other details about her interests and personality are true.

A day in the life of a Support Worker will involve:

• Supporting children to have the best quality of life possible. Whether it be through baking at home, fun days out, or holidays with them. You could be doing anything from making sure the children have a healthy diet to taking them walking in Cwmcarn Forest!
• Ensuring our children are kept safe and their plans are suitable for their needs. We’ll need you to help monitor their development by keeping our systems and records up to date. Don’t worry though, you’ll get all the training you need.

To be a successful Support Worker, you’ll need:

• Patience, compassion, and resilience – The children you’ll support may have experienced trauma, which may have an impact on their behaviour.
• Great communication skills – Both verbal and written communication is important in this role as you’ll be speaking to a lot of different people at different times and need to be able to update the children’s plans.
• A driving licence – Our children love to be out in the community. We need you to be able to drive them to where they need to go. We have the cars, you just need the licence.
• To be flexible – You’ll need to be able to sleep at the home during your shifts. The children need support 24 hours a day. This does mean you’ll be able to work your full week in 2-3 days!
• If you don’t already hold a qualification in residential childcare, we will pay for this. It’s key that you have this within your first 2 years of working in the sector, but you’ll have our support along the way.

In return for your time, you’ll get:

• Holidays – You’ll get 28 days annual leave. You’ll still need to work on bank holidays if the rota requires. You’ll also get an extra day off for your birthday after your first year with us.
• Pension scheme– Our pension scheme is based on you paying in 5%, and us adding 3%.
• Learning & Development Opportunities – We provide comprehensive learning opportunities for team members to develop themselves.
• Discounts – You’ll have access to brilliant discounts through the Blue Light Card and our own employee benefits platform.
• Wellbeing Support – Your wellbeing is always our priority. You’ll have access to mental health and wellbeing support. On top of this, our therapies team offers a monthly confidential check in clinic, and group reflective practice sessions.
• Cycle2Work -The cycle to work scheme enables you to buy a bicycle at a discounted rate.
• DBS – As this role required you to have an enhanced DBS carried out, we will cover this cost.
• Sleep-in Allowance - You have the potential to earn up to an additional £6,183 per year, based on completing 10 sleep-in shifts per month - but these are not guaranteed. 
• After 12 months service - You’ll be eligible for our Medicash scheme which covers a wide range of medical, health and wellbeing expenses (Including immediate access to a GP!). You’ll get life assurance paid at 2 x your annual salary, and even more high street discounts.

In line with safer recruitment guidelines, we will run an online check on the successful candidate. This can and may include any public social media profiles.

At Phoenix Learning and Care, we pride ourselves on our diverse workforce, and ensuring we have an inclusive environment for all our team members. We remain committed to ensuring our teams can bring their true selves to work without risk or fear of discrimination.