Youth Support Worker

Job Type: Full-time
Sector: Supported Accommodation / Young People’s Services
Experience Required: Minimum 2 years’ UK care, support or social care experience

We are recruiting for an experienced Youth Support Worker to support vulnerable young people aged 16–21 within a supported accommodation setting.

This role is suitable for someone who already has practical UK experience supporting young people, care leavers, looked-after children, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, young people at risk of homelessness, or individuals with complex social and emotional needs.

This is not a general care role. We are looking for someone who understands safeguarding, professional boundaries, risk awareness, emotional wellbeing, independence support and accurate record keeping within a youth support, housing support or social care setting.

Essential Requirements

• Young people’s support experience
• Minimum 2 years’ UK experience
• No sponsorship required
• Experience in supported accommodation, semi-independent living, care leaver support, children’s services, youth work, homelessness services, mental health support, residential care or a similar setting
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, confidentiality, professional boundaries and risk awareness
• Ability to support young people with independence, routines, appointments, education, wellbeing and positive decision-making
• Confident completing daily notes, incident reports, support records and handover information
• Available for full-time rota work, including evenings, weekends, sleep-ins or waking nights where required
• No restriction limiting working hours to 20 hours per week

Desirable Requirements

• NVQ Level 2 or Level 3 in Health and Social Care, Children and Young People, Youth Work or similar
• Experience working with support plans, pathway plans or risk assessments
• Experience liaising with social workers, local authorities, police, education providers or healthcare professionals
• Full UK driving licence and access to own vehicle

Key Responsibilities

• Provide a safe, supportive and structured environment for young people
• Support young people in line with support plans, pathway plans and risk assessments
• Help young people build independence, confidence, routines and life skills
• Support access to appointments, education, training, employment, community services and positive activities
• Promote safeguarding, emotional wellbeing, positive behaviour and safe decision-making
• Maintain accurate daily notes, case records, incident reports and shift handovers
• Report safeguarding concerns, incidents and changes in risk promptly and appropriately
• Maintain professional boundaries and act as a positive role model
• Work professionally with colleagues, social workers, local authorities and external agencies
• Support the smooth running of shifts, including household tasks and maintaining a safe living environment

About You

The ideal candidate will be calm, resilient, organised and confident working with vulnerable young people. You will understand that supported accommodation is about helping young people become more independent while keeping them safe, supported and engaged.

You should be able to build trust without becoming overfamiliar, manage challenging situations professionally, follow safeguarding procedures and maintain clear records. You must be comfortable supporting young people who may have experienced trauma, instability, homelessness, family breakdown, exploitation risk or emotional difficulties.

We are looking for someone who can bring consistency, maturity and strong judgement to the service.

Benefits

• Full-time role
• Referral programme
• Good transport links
• Full induction and ongoing training
• Supportive working environment
• Opportunity to develop within young people’s social care

Right to Work and Safer Recruitment

Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK. This role does not offer visa sponsorship, and we are unable to consider applicants who require sponsorship now or in the future.

Successful applicants will be subject to safer recruitment checks, including right-to-work checks, references and an enhanced DBS check where required.

Please apply with your updated CV. Applications without relevant UK care, support or young people’s experience may not be progressed.