Residential support worker
Residential support workers look after the physical and mental wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults in care.
Typical Salary
£22,000 – £30,000
per year
Working Hours
37–43
hours per week
Day-to-day tasks
As a residential support worker, you might:
- help people to develop personal skills and grow in confidence
- respond to residents' needs
- provide one-to-one advice or group support sessions
- teach daily living skills like budgeting, shopping and claiming benefits
- provide physical care in some cases, such as bathing and dressing
- speak to residents' families and arrange family and home visits
- organise travel for work, health and education purposes
- keep care plans and records up to date
- work closely with professionals in the health and social care team
Skills needed
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to work well with others
- a desire to help people
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- active listening skills
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Entry requirements
A driving licence may be required for some jobs.
How to get into this role
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- applying directly
Career progression
With experience, you could take on more responsibility as a senior support worker or residential support manager.
You could also train to become a social worker or counsellor.