Residential Worker (Extended HOPE)

About The Role

Extended HOPE is a specialist assessment and support service based in Redhill, providing short-stay, crisis support and respite for children and young people experiencing emotional or mental health crisis. Placements last up to seven days, giving young people a safe, stabilising space during a highly vulnerable time.

The service is jointly funded with the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABP). The team includes dedicated Residential Workers alongside a Community Psychiatric Nurse who completes mental health assessments and supports children, young people, and their families and carers throughout each placement. You will work to a fixed four-week rota, meaning you will know in advance the days and hours you are working. Enhanced rates of pay are available for occasional bank holidays, weekends and sleep-ins.

Building trusting, therapeutic relationships quickly is central to this role. Many young people supported by Extended HOPE are out of education due to the crisis they are experiencing, which means your day-to-day presence, structure, and support will be directly important in helping them make sense of what they are feeling. All staff receive Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) training, an evidence-based therapeutic approach proven to help individuals manage overwhelming emotions, reduce harmful behaviours, and build healthy coping strategies.

The work is fast-paced, unpredictable, and emotionally demanding. You may at times be exposed to harmful or high-risk behaviours from young people in crisis. Personal resilience, strong teamwork, and a calm, grounded approach are essential. This role includes:

• Engaging with young people meaningfully, communicating with empathy and helping them navigate intense emotions and distress
• Providing short-term, crisis-focused support with immediate and practical impact
• Supporting young people to attend appointments, activities or trips as agreed
• Working collaboratively as part of a small, interdependent team
• Contributing to a stabilising environment for young people during highly vulnerable periods

To apply, submit your CV and respond to the four application questions. For informal enquiries or to discuss flexible working, transferable skills or any barriers to employment, contact the residential recruitment team at residentialrecruitment@surreycc.gov.uk. Click Apply Now to discover more about this role.

About You

Extended HOPE is looking for someone who can work calmly and effectively in a crisis environment, bringing both empathy and resilience to a role where the pace and emotional demands can shift quickly. Experience within mental health, clinical settings, or crisis environments would transfer well to this role, though it is not a formal requirement.

The ideal candidate will:

• Hold a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare or an equivalent qualification. Candidates who do not currently hold this qualification but are successful at interview and meet the enrolment criteria (including English and Maths skills) will be enrolled in a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare, subject to funding. Candidates must have lived in the UK or EEA for the last three years and hold the right to remain and work in the United Kingdom for the duration of the study programme
• Have a genuine interest in working with children and young people experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties
• Demonstrate the ability to respond dynamically to changing needs and situations, with flexibility as support needs evolve
• Hold GCSEs in English and Maths, or equivalent qualifications
• Bring strong teamwork skills suited to a small, mutually dependent team
• Demonstrate calmness and confidence in challenging or crisis situations
• Hold a valid UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle

Surrey County Council is a disability confident employer. Applicants who declare a disability and evidence that they meet the minimum criteria are guaranteed an interview. Reasonable adjustments will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long-term health condition. This role is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for regulated activity, including Children's and Adults' Barred List checks. Applicants must be aged 22 or above. Surrey County Council is unfortunately not able to offer sponsorship at this time.

Surrey County Council's Offer to You

Extended HOPE operates within a jointly funded, multi-disciplinary model, with Residential Workers supported by NHS clinical input and trained in evidence-based therapeutic approaches. Staff receive DBT training and access to a learning and development hub offering a wide range of resources. If you do not yet hold a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare, Surrey will fund your enrolment, subject to eligibility.

Surrey County Council's wider offer includes:

• 26 days' annual leave, rising to 28 days after two years and 31 days after five years, with the option to buy up to 10 additional days
• A generous local government salary-related pension
• Relocation bonus of up to £8,000 and a refer-a-friend payment of £750
• Up to five days of carer's leave and two paid volunteering days per year
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel and shopping
• And more, including paternity, adoption and dependants leave

Please note: Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. Employees in post on 1 April 2027 will transfer to one of the new organisations with current terms and conditions preserved.