Residential Support Worker

Typical Salary

£17,000 To £27,000

Typical Hours

41 to 43 a week

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on a rota

How To Become a Residential Support Worker

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role
applying directly

College / University

You could take a course at college, for example:

Level 2 Diploma in Work Preparation for Health and Social Care
Level 2 GCSE in Health and Social Care
Level 2 Certificate or Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce
Level 2 Certificate or Level 3 Diploma in Youth Work Practice

Apprenticeship

You could get into this job through an adult care worker intermediate apprenticeship or lead adult care worker advanced apprenticeship.

some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Some social care employers will be more interested in your work and life experience than formal qualifications, and you can get these whilst working. You can start working as a support worker in:

a children's home
a care home
a hostel

To apply directly for jobs in residential support, you'll need paid or voluntary experience in the social work and care sector.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

sensitivity and understanding
the ability to work well with others
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
customer service skills
a desire to help people
excellent verbal communication skills
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day tasks might include:

checking residents’ needs and progress
providing physical care, which could include bathing, toileting, dressing and feeding
providing one-to-one counselling or group therapy sessions
teaching daily living skills like budgeting, shopping and claiming benefits
providing leisure and creative activities in a safe and supportive setting
helping residents to deal with problems and become independent
talking with residents' families and arranging family and home visits

Working Environment

You could work in the community or at an adult care home.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.

Career Path & Progression

With experience, you could take on more responsibility as a senior support worker or manager.

You could also train as a social worker.

Volunteering Opportunities

You can get voluntary experience in a number of ways like:

volunteering at a youth club
having personal experience of caring for a family member
doing voluntary work in a care home, nursery or relevant charity

Tips & Information

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a residential support worker from Think Care Careers.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

pass enhanced background checks

A driving licence could be useful.