Residential Childcare Worker

Full Job Description

Make a Difference. Build a Career. Change Lives.

Role: Residential Childcare Worker
Location: Closeburn, Dumfriesshire
Salary: Up to £31,290 per annum (depending on experience, including sleep in payments)
Hours:  Permanent Full time and Part time hours available
Essential: Full UK Driving Licence

UK Applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

About the Role

Looking for a career where being yourself, building relationships and showing you care can make a genuine difference?

At Closeburn, we’re looking for caring, positive and resilient people to support children and young people in a safe, nurturing and welcoming home environment.

As a Residential Childcare Worker, you’ll become a trusted and consistent person in a young person’s life. You’ll share everyday experiences, encourage independence, support them through difficult moments and celebrate the achievements that matter to them.

No previous residential childcare experience is required. If you have the right values, patience and motivation to support young people, we’ll provide the training and guidance you need to develop your skills and build a rewarding career.

We have various working hours and patterns available, which will be discussed with you at interview.

What You'll Be Doing

No two days will look exactly the same. Your role will include:

• Supporting children and young people with their daily routines, individual needs and personal goals
• Building positive and trusting relationships that help young people feel safe, valued and understood
• Encouraging the development of confidence, independence and essential life skills
• Supporting young people with appointments, shopping, activities and opportunities within the community
• Getting involved in hobbies, days out and new experiences, helping young people enjoy everyday life and discover new interests
• Providing calm, consistent and compassionate support when a young person is experiencing a difficult moment
• Helping create a warm, comfortable and welcoming home, including cooking, cleaning and everyday household tasks
• Completing records and documentation accurately to support consistent, high quality care
• Working alongside colleagues to provide a supportive and nurturing environment where every young person has the opportunity to thrive

We're Looking for Someone Who Has:

You don’t need previous care experience or qualifications to get started. What matters most is the person you are and the values you bring.

You could already work in care or support, or you might come from retail, hospitality, customer service, sports, youth work, education, the Armed Forces or another people focused environment and be looking for a completely new direction.

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Kind, caring and compassionate, with a genuine desire to support children and young people
• Patient and resilient, with the ability to remain calm and supportive when situations become challenging
• Positive, reliable and able to adapt to the individual needs of each young person
• A confident communicator who can build positive and appropriate relationships
• Happy to get involved in everyday activities, whether that means helping prepare dinner, going shopping, attending an appointment or joining in with a favourite hobby
• Comfortable working as part of a team and supporting colleagues
• Willing to learn, complete training and develop their skills within residential childcare
• In possession of a Full UK Driving Licence

The Location

Holistic Childcare and Education consists of two specialist homes: Closeburn House and Maben House.

Closeburn House supports young people aged 10–16 years, while Maben House supports young people aged 6–16 years. Both homes are within commuting distance of Dumfries, Lockerbie and surrounding areas.

Our homes are dedicated to helping young people develop independence, life skills and personal interests, creating opportunities for brighter futures.

Every day is different, offering both challenge and reward as you support young people in a safe and nurturing environment where they are listened to, respected and encouraged to thrive.

For over 19 years, Options Autism has provided specialist care and education for children, young people, and adults with autism, complex needs, and learning difficulties. As part of Outcomes First Group, we are pioneering innovative, evidence-based approaches that deliver meaningful, measurable outcomes for everyone in our care.

We are really proud to say that in 2025 Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.

Why Join Options Autism?

We place children and young people at the heart of everything we do, so every day brings the satisfaction of making a real difference.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS check.

• Pension Scheme

• Life Assurance

• Enhanced Family Growth Support

• Critical Illness Cover

• Electric Car Purchase Scheme

• Cycle to Work Scheme

• Hundreds of UK and international discounts

• Mental Health and Wellbeing Support

Develop Your Career

We invest heavily in our people.

• Fully funded qualifications

• "Journey to Management" Programme

• Opportunities to progress into Deputy Manager and Management roles

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and compliance with statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.

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