Social Worker jobs in Eastleigh

Competitive — up to £35,210 per year | All experience levels welcome | Full training provided

Location: Sway, Lymington

Why Join Us?

This is more than a job. It is an opportunity to genuinely change the course of a child’s life. At Solent Child Care, we provide specialised therapeutic support for children who have experienced significant trauma and who are not yet ready for foster care. Our goal is to create warm, stable, fun and nurturing homes where children build the confidence and skills they need to succeed.

Our homes are small and situated in beautiful locations across Wiltshire, Somerset and the New Forest. You will join a close-knit, supportive team where your contribution is seen and valued every day.

We use the PACE and DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy) therapeutic parenting model — a leading, evidence-based approach that transforms outcomes for children with complex emotional needs. Whether you are completely new to care or an experienced professional, we will invest in your development from day one.

The Role

As a Residential Child Care Worker you will be a consistent, positive presence in the lives of the children in your home. Working as part of a small, dedicated team, you will provide high-quality, child-centred care — creating a structured yet fun environment where every child feels safe, loved and supported.

Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Providing tailored day-to-day emotional and practical care for each child
• Being a positive role model and building trusting, therapeutic relationships
• Managing school runs, supporting extra-curricular activities and facilitating family contact, using our home cars
• Delivering recreational and educational activities that promote personal growth and social skills
• Carrying out household duties including cooking, cleaning and maintaining a welcoming home environment
• Completing daily records, logs, forms and weekly health and safety checks
• Working collaboratively with social workers, educators and other professionals
• Managing 24-hour shift patterns including weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins (sleep-in hours: 22:30 to 07:30)
• Are over 21

What We Are Looking For

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and all levels of experience — from those who are completely new to care, through to qualified and experienced senior practitioners. What matters most is your values, your character and your genuine commitment to children.

Essential for all applicants:

• Full, clean UK driving licence — home cars are used for transporting children
• Compassionate, patient and resilient — you bring warmth, calm and fun to every situation
• Flexible and reliable — able to work shifts including weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins
• A genuine commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
• Good communication skills and the ability to maintain accurate records
• Right to work in the UK — sponsorship is not available for this role
• Are you over 21?

If you are experienced or qualified:

We also welcome applications from those who already hold a Level 3 qualification or above in Residential Childcare, Health and Social Care or equivalent, and from those with experience in senior or supervisory roles. If this is you, you will be able to hit the ground running and we will support your continued progression toward Level 4, Level 5 and beyond.

Desirable (but never essential):

• Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare, Health and Social Care or equivalent
• Experience working with children with complex emotional and behavioural needs
• Awareness of or training in trauma-informed approaches such as PACE or DDP
• Level 4 or Level 5 qualification in Childcare or Leadership and Management
• Experience in a senior, supervisory or team leader capacity

What We OfferHealth & Wellbeing

• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) — free 24/7 confidential support including GP appointments, free counselling and legal advice, for you and your family
• Blue Light Card — exclusive discounts at thousands of retailers, restaurants, holiday providers and entertainment venues
• Company pension scheme with 3% employer contribution

Practical Benefits

• Enhanced DBS check fully funded — no cost to you
• Home cars provided for school runs and transporting children on shift — no need to use your own vehicle
• Meals provided on shift — you eat communally with the children at no cost to you
• Free on-site parking at all home locations
• Casual dress — our homes are homes, not institutions
• 28 days annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays
• Refer a friend scheme — £500 (T&Cs apply)

Training & Development

• Fully funded Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare for those without a qualification — the nationally recognised qualification for this sector
• Supported progression to Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications, opening the door to senior and management roles
• PACE and DDP therapeutic parenting training from the outset
• Safeguarding, first aid and behaviour support training included
• Online learning, webinars and face-to-face training throughout your career
• Regular supervision and one-to-one support from an experienced management team

About Solent Child Care

Solent Child Care is an independent residential childcare provider operating multiple homes across the South of England. Our homes are small by design — we believe children thrive in intimate, family-like environments rather than large institutional settings.

We specialise in supporting children who have experienced significant trauma. Using the PACE and DDP therapeutic parenting model, our teams help children to build trust, develop emotional resilience and achieve positive outcomes. We are a values-led organisation where safeguarding underpins every decision we make — and we apply that same commitment to looking after our staff.

How to Apply

Please apply with your CV. In your application, please confirm that you are able to work shifts including sleep-ins, weekends and bank holidays, and that you hold a full, clean UK driving licence. Salary is competitive and will be discussed on an individual basis, taking into account your experience and qualifications.

We review applications on a rolling basis and aim to be in touch within five working days.

Solent Child Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful applicants will be required to complete an Enhanced DBS check and full safer recruitment vetting prior to starting in post.

Right to work in the UK is required. Sponsorship is not available for this role.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: £26,670.00-£35,210.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Discounted or free food
• Free parking
• Health & wellbeing programme
• On-site parking
• Referral programme

Application question(s):

• Are you able to work shifts which include a sleep in, weekends and bank holidays?
• Will you require visa sponsorship now or in the future?
• Do you hold a minimum of a Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare, or an equivalent such as an NVQ in children and young people, or social care qualification?

Experience:

• Child Care: 1 year (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

• Driving Licence (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person