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Child Care Worker

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Residential Child Care Worker Level 2 – Lighthouse

Employer: Derby City Council
Salary: £34,237 – £37,563 per year (Grade G)
Location: The Lighthouse Residential Unit, St Mark’s Road, Derby, DE21 6AL
Contract: Permanent
Working Hours: 18.5 hours per week
Job Category: Social Care – Children
Job Reference: 000012583
Date Posted: 20 October 2026
Closing Date: 22 November 2026 (see date discrepancy note below)
DBS Check: Required
Minimum Age: 22 years
Visa Sponsorship: Not stated in the job advert.

About the Role

Derby City Council is seeking enthusiastic, committed and caring individuals to join the Lighthouse Residential Unit as Residential Child Care Workers Level 2.

The successful candidates will help deliver a residential short-break service for disabled children and young people aged 0–17. You will support young people with learning disabilities, complex behavioural needs, physical disabilities, sensory or communication difficulties, and clinical needs.

This role requires a patient, creative and child-focused approach, with the ability to develop positive relationships with young people and their families while helping ensure their care needs are met.

Key Responsibilities

  • Provide care and support to disabled children and young people in a residential short-break setting.
  • Create, follow and contribute to individual care plans.
  • Support young people with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs.
  • Help meet children’s physical, emotional, social and developmental needs.
  • Build positive relationships with children, young people and their families.
  • Communicate effectively with young people who may have sensory or communication difficulties.
  • Work collaboratively with colleagues to plan and deliver appropriate care.
  • Maintain a caring, engaging and supportive environment that promotes young people’s wellbeing.

Essential Skills and Experience

Applicants should have:

  • Experience working with young people with learning disabilities, ideally those aged 0–17.
  • A genuine passion for supporting children and young people with complex needs.
  • Knowledge of autism and approaches to supporting young people on the autistic spectrum.
  • Understanding of physical disabilities, challenging behaviours, sensory needs, communication difficulties and clinical needs.
  • The ability to communicate effectively and build positive relationships with young people and their families.
  • Good written and numerical skills.
  • The ability to work effectively as part of a team.
  • A flexible, patient, creative and child-focused approach.

Age requirement: Applicants must be aged 22 or above due to the nature of the role.

Qualifications and Training

A Health and Social Care Children and Young People NVQ Level 3 or Level 3 Diploma is desirable.

Applicants without this qualification must be committed to studying towards achieving it, as this commitment is essential for the role.

Derby City Council also offers learning and development opportunities to support employees’ professional growth.

Working Pattern and Shift Requirements

Shift work is an essential part of this position. Applicants must be prepared to work:

  • Evenings and weekends.
  • Occasional sleep-in duties when required.
  • Waking night shifts in emergencies.

Flexibility is essential, as shifts may need to change to meet the needs of the service.

Employee Benefits

Derby City Council offers a range of employee benefits, subject to role, contract and eligibility.

Financial Benefits

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  • Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), including life cover.
  • Team Derby Rewards discounts across retail, leisure and lifestyle brands.
  • Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, offering vehicle leasing through salary sacrifice.

Annual Leave and Work-Life Balance

  • Annual leave starting at 27 days and increasing to 32 days after five years of service, plus bank holidays depending on the contract.
  • Option to purchase additional annual leave.
  • Flexible working arrangements where available.
  • Flexible retirement options for eligible employees.
  • Support for colleagues with caring responsibilities.

Learning and Development

  • Professional development opportunities and career conversations.
  • Leadership and management development programmes.
  • Mentoring and professional qualifications.
  • Modern workspaces designed to support collaboration and wellbeing.

Health and Wellbeing

  • Employee Assistance Programme and wellbeing support.
  • Annual flu vaccinations.
  • Cycle2Work Scheme and free cycle training.

Community and Inclusion

  • Up to 15 hours of volunteering leave each year.
  • Recognition through employee awards and long-service initiatives.
  • Employee networks supporting LGBTQ+ colleagues, disabled employees, carers, ethnic minority employees and neurodiversity.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Derby City Council welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and is committed to providing an inclusive working environment.

The council is a Disability Confident Leader. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria may apply through the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

Eligible members of the Armed Forces community, veterans and their close family members may also qualify for the Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

Reasonable adjustments can be requested at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview and onboarding.

How to Apply

Applicants can apply using either of the following methods.

Option 1: Apply Online

Submit an application through the Derby City Council Jobs and Careers website.

See also Virtual nurse

Before applying, read the application guidance and ensure your supporting statement clearly explains how you meet the essential criteria in the person specification.

Option 2: Apply Using Your CV

Applicants who prefer to apply using a CV must download and complete the declaration form, then email it to:

Nicola Richardson: Nicola.richardson@derby.gov.uk

Applications submitted without the completed declaration form will not be accepted.

The Equalities Form is optional and can be returned to recruitment.team@derby.gov.uk.

Successful applicants will be subject to the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Contact Information

For further information about the role, contact:

Nicola Richardson
Email: Nicola.Richardson@derby.gov.uk

Alexandra Myler
Email: Alexandra.Myler@derby.gov.uk

Nathan Walters
Email: Nathan.walters@derby.gov.uk

For recruitment assistance:

Derby City Council Recruitment Team
Telephone: 01332 640844
Relay UK: 18001 01332 640844
Email: recruitmentteam@derby.gov.uk

Important Closing Date Note

The advert lists the closing date as Sunday, 22 November 2026 in the job details, but the application instructions state Sunday, 11 November 2026. The second date also appears inconsistent with the stated day of the week. Please verify the correct deadline on the official application page before publishing or applying.

 

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