Job Description

About Us


Blue Cove is a 3-bed home and welcomes children between the ages of 12 up to 18 years at the time of referral. We are a short-term emergency assessment home that provides support to children at times of crisis or significant periods of change in their lives. The children experience a range of social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties due to family breakdown and early childhood trauma. These children are often at risk in the community and as such, it is our goal to keep them safe from harm whilst we work with partner agencies to find a suitable placement or to support them to reintegrate into their previous or a new setting.



A Residential Childcare Worker at Blue Cove says "It has its challenges, but it's got to be the most rewarding job that I have ever done. I work with a great team, and you need a great team to support our fantastic children. They genuinely do make us laugh every day and that in itself makes it all worthwhile...Whilst it's not always immediately visible, the care and support you provide can have a profound and lasting impact on their [children's] lives."


About the Role

Salary:

28,598 - 30,023 per annum (includes weekend working allowance) plus excellent pension, annual leave and additional benefits

Working Pattern:

Full time, 37 hours per week

Contract:

Permanent

Location:

Worthing

Shifts and Rotas:

for day work, you will be required to work on a shift rota between 07:00 - 22:00, including every other weekend and approximately one sleep-in duty per week currently with enhanced pay. This can be discussed with candidates in more detail at interview.

Children's Residential Recruitment and Retention Payment scheme - 1500 during your first 18 months while you remain in the County Council's permanent employment during this time to support our new employees in this vital role!

The scheme consists of two payments: 500 after successful completion of 6 months employment (including successful completion of probation where relevant) and 1,000 after 18 months.



As a Residential Childcare Worker at Blue Cove, you will provide a safe, nurturing environment where young people feel valued and supported through times of crisis or change. You will build trusting relationships with young people, act as a positive role model, and encourage activities that strengthen their confidence, resilience, and independence. Each day is different supporting a child's individual plan such as a range of tailored activities or learning, meal times, family contact and celebrating achievements.



Communication and organisation are key parts of the role, as you will work closely with colleagues to provide consistent care, keep accurate records, and liaise with families, social workers, and other professionals. We are seeking someone who is passionate, organised, resilient and committed to delivering high standards of care, with a focus on consistency and helping young people achieve their best.



Join our fantastic, supportive team with great opportunities for personal development and apply today!


Experience and Skills


Some of the key skills and experience required for the role are:


Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare or equivalent. If you do not have this, the service will support you to complete this qualification; you must achieve this within two years of appointment as it is a statutory requirement of this post. Sound communication and interpersonal skills to a range of children and families. Ability to promote and encourage a multi-agency approach to support the child. Ability to use initiative to resolve problems within given parameters. Ability to work under pressure and prioritise work. Ability to work as part of a team around a child. Good standard of literacy e.g. ability to write reports around individuals and significant incidents, with a Grade C or above (4-9) in GCSE or equivalent qualification in English. If you do not hold this, you will need to apply for English Functional Skills before being considered for this role. You can find out more about gaining an English Functional Skills on the Government website Improve your English, Maths and IT Skills.

For the full list of experience, qualifications and key skills required for the role please review the job description attached.

Rewards and Benefits


"You get loads of training; both in-house and externally and I've found that I have been supported well to fit this around the daily tasks...Outside of this, the Team really do seem to care about your wellbeing, and I've surprised myself with how this has impacted my levels of resilience." Current Residential Childcare Worker at Blue Cove



As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where you can achieve your full potential and are rewarded for the work you do. For example you will receive:


an excellent local government pension scheme generous holiday entitlement of 27 to 28 days, depending on job title and length of service access to a wide selection of retail discounts and savings such as groceries, shopping, travel and more through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform. a range of commuting and business travel discount and initiatives maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme financial wellbeing support including access to educational tools and webinars, loans or debt consolidation options and savings scheme training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring

For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.


Further Information


The reference number for this role is CAFHE05449 .



For an informal conversation or further information regarding the role, please contact one of the following people;



Kerry Sawyer (Registered Manager) kerry.sawyer@westsussex.gov.uk



Charlotte Blandford (Resourcing Specialist) charlotte.blandford@westsussex.gov.uk



To apply, upload your CV and application form, explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role, ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV.



We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and an occupational health check. A fully employment history will be requested and covered for this role.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.



We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.



Note for Recruitment Agencies: We prefer to hire people directly, but we do have a supplier list for when we need a helping hand. We'll be in touch directly if we need you!



LOCATION

Worthing area

CONTRACT TYPE

Permanent

JOB TYPE

Children's Services

CLOSING DATE

04 December 2025