Job Title:
Young People's Key Worker – Supported Accommodation
Department/Location:
West Midlands (Birmingham, Nuneaton and Coventry)
Reports to:
Regional Team Leader
Summary of Position:
QuayWest Housing Ltd provides supported accommodation for looked-after children, and care leavers, helping young people develop the confidence, skills and resilience they need for adulthood.
We are looking for compassionate, resilient and professionally curious Key Workers to join our Midlands team across Birmingham, Nuneatonand Coventry. You'll build positive professional relationships with young people, support them to achieve their individual goals and help create safe, stable environments in which they can progress.
Salary:
£27,978.94 per annum
Contract:
6-month fixed term, with potential to become permanent
(Subject to the ongoing requirements of the service, business needs and satisfactory performance. Any permanent appointment will be confirmed separately in writing.)
Working pattern: 6 shifts on / 3 days off
Day or Night Shifts Available: 9am–9pm / 9pm–9am (2-hour break)
Applicants may express a preference for day or night shifts, subject to service requirements and availability.
Key Responsibilities
As a Key Worker, you will play an important role in providing safe, person-centred support to young people, helping them develop the skills, confidence and resilience they need to progress towards greater independence.
Your key responsibilities will include:
- Providing individualised, person-centred support in accordance with each young person's placement plan, risk assessments and identified needs.
- Building positive, professional relationships with young people while maintaining appropriate safeguarding and professional boundaries.
- Supporting young people to develop essential independent-living skills, including budgeting, cooking, maintaining their accommodation, managing appointments and developing healthy daily routines.
- Supporting young people with their education, training, employment, social inclusion and personal development goals.
- Promoting young people's dignity, choice, independence and involvement in decisions affecting their lives.
- Safeguarding young people by identifying, responding to and reporting concerns in accordance with QuayWest's safeguarding procedures.
- Maintaining appropriate oversight of young people in line with their individual needs, placement plans and risk assessments, while encouraging independence.
- Responding appropriately to incidents, missing episodes and other safeguarding concerns, including liaising with the Police, Emergency Duty Team, Children's Services and other relevant professionals when required.
- Advocating for young people and working collaboratively with social workers, local authorities, health professionals, education providers and other agencies involved in their support.
- Supporting young people to manage their finances responsibly, ensuring expenditure is appropriately recorded and receipts and financial records are maintained where required.
- Maintaining clear, accurate and timely records, including support records, risk assessments, key work records, incident and missing-person records, daily records and reports.
- Completing records promptly and ensuring that all information recorded is factual, professional, accurate and suitable for review by managers, placing authorities, regulators or other authorised professionals.
- Participating in handovers, team meetings, supervision, training and reflective practice, and implementing agreed actions to support continuous improvement.
- Contributing to a safe, welcoming and well-maintained home environment and encouraging young people to take responsibility for their own living space.
- Following health and safety, safeguarding, confidentiality, information governance and other organisational policies and procedures.
- Providing regular updates to managers and escalating concerns promptly where a young person's safety, wellbeing or placement may be at risk.
- Always conducting yourself professionally and contributing positively to a supportive, respectful and safeguarding-focused culture.
Person Specification
Criteria
Essential
Desirable
Experience
At least 1 year of relevant experience in a support, youth work, housing, supported accommodation or similar role.
Experience supporting looked-after children, care leavers or young people aged 16–18.
Qualifications
Willingness to undertake relevant training and professional development required for the role.
Level 3 qualification relevant to children, young people, housing or support work.
Safeguarding
Good understanding of safeguarding, professional boundaries and the responsibilities involved in working with vulnerable young people.
Previous safeguarding training and experience applying safeguarding procedures in practice.
Communication
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate appropriately with young people, colleagues and professionals.
Experience communicating and working with social workers, local authorities or other external professionals.
Record Keeping & IT
Good IT skills and the ability to produce clear, accurate and professional records.
Previous experience using electronic case-management or recording systems.
Knowledge
Understanding of person-centred support, promoting independence and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
Knowledge of Ofsted-regulated supported accommodation and the needs of looked-after children and care leavers.
Personal Qualities
Reliable, professional, respectful, emotionally resilient, accountable and able to remain calm in challenging situations.
Ability to mentor, coach or positively support the development of colleagues.
Teamwork & Initiative
Able to work effectively as part of a team while also using appropriate initiative when working independently.
Previous experience working within a multi-agency environment.
Flexibility
Able and willing to work the shift patterns required for the role and adapt appropriately to the needs of the service.
Flexibility to work across different QuayWest services where required.
Driving
Not required
Full UK driving licence and access to a suitable vehicle for work purposes, where required.
Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment
QuayWest Housing Ltd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. All employees are expected to share this commitment and comply with the company's safeguarding, professional-boundary and reporting requirements.
Any offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory safer-recruitment and pre-employment checks appropriate to the role. These will include:
- Verification of identity and right to work in the UK;
- Satisfactory employment references;
- Verification of relevant qualifications where required;
- A full employment history, with any gaps appropriately explored;
- Proof of current address; and
- A satisfactory Enhanced DBS check, including a Children's Barred List check where the role is eligible and the check is legally permitted.
Right to work
Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK and must be able to demonstrate their right to undertake the work offered. QuayWest Housing Ltd will carry out right-to-work checks in accordance with Home Office requirements.
Please note that QuayWest Housing Ltd is unable to offer Skilled Worker visa sponsorship for this vacancy.
How to Apply
If you are interested in joining QuayWest Housing and believe you meet the requirements of the role, we would be pleased to hear from you.
To apply, please submit:
- an up-to-date CV, including your full employment history;
- details of any relevant qualifications, training and experience; and
- your current contact details.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to take part in our recruitment and selection process. This may include an application form, interview and other role-appropriate assessments.
QuayWest Housing is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates from all backgrounds. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process for applicants who require them.
Interviews tomorrow
- Experience
- Not required
- Employment
- Full-time
- Salary
- from £27,978.94 yearly
- Starting time
- Immediate start!
11 Dormer Place, CV32 5AA, Royal Leamington Spa
Supported Accommodation • 1-10 Employees
Hiring on JOB TODAY since September, 2026
QuayWest Housing Ltd provides supported accommodation for looked-after children, and care leavers, helping young people develop the confidence, skills and resilience they need for adulthood.
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