Night Care Assistant

How you'll make a difference

As a Night Care Assistant, you will play a vital role in safeguarding and supporting the wellbeing of young people at Vinney Green Secure Children's Home in Bristol. Using your previous experience of working in a challenging care setting, you will provide support throughout the evening and overnight period, helping to create a secure and stable environment for the young people.

From carrying out regular nightly checks and helping young people feel reassured and settled, to being part of their morning routine, you will become a familiar face. Through your calm and patient approach, you will help put young people at ease and provide the consistency they need to feel safe and supported. 

Working within a secure children's home can be both challenging and highly rewarding. The young people in our care often have complex needs and may have experienced significant trauma, so resilience, empathy and a willingness to support them through difficult circumstances is essential. 

Alongside your salary, this role includes a secure unit allowance of £2,903.04 per annum (pro rata for part-time hours). You'll also benefit from a one-third enhancement on all hours worked and additional rates such as time and a half for rostered Sunday shifts and double time for bank holiday shifts. 

What you will be doing

• Throughout the night, you will carry out regular checks (every 5 to 15 minutes) to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the young people. 
• Undertaking supportive duties, you will engage with the young people, offering reassurance and helping to create a calm environment that promotes a good night's sleep.
• It will be your responsibility to issue non-prescribed medication and personal hygiene items and where necessary, enter bedrooms in line with agreed procedures.
• You will need to answer buzzers from the young people immediately, providing assistance and support as required, this may include escorting them to hospital in emergencies. 
• As part of the morning routine, you may be required to wake the young people and supervise breakfast and room cleaning.

What we need from you

• You must hold a minimum of 3 GCSE’s (grade 4 or above) including maths and English or hold an equivalent qualification or have equivalent relevant experience in a similar role such as working in a care setting, ideally with children or young adults. This may have been day or night work, in a secure mental health facility or prison. 
• We are looking for someone who has knowledge of, or experience of working with, people who may display challenging behaviour. You will have a trauma informed, therapeutic view towards your work.
• Given the nature of this work, at times you will need to be a key decision maker and be confident in responding appropriately to support the young person’s needs, this may include dealing with emergency situations. 
• You will support young people with their personal needs in a sensitive and professional manner.

What you need to know

• You will be working an average of 37 hours per week, following a designated shift pattern of 4 on 4 off, and some shifts may be on bank holidays.
• Young people can present physically threatening behaviour, and the environment can become tense and anxiety provoking, so for everybody’s safety surveillance cameras are in use in most areas of the building. 
• Once successfully appointed, you will need to undertake control and restraint techniques training and the NVQ Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce, within an agreed timescale.
• Vinney Green operates a full non-smoking environment, and there is no provision to facilitate smoking anywhere on site. Staff’s personal belongings are required to be left in a provided locker on entry into the building and we may require you to undertake a further physical fitness check.
• This role is demanding and there will be some physical active aspects to the job, but we can assure you that this will be one of the most rewarding jobs that you will ever do!
• Please note that due to the nature of this role it is a requirement of employment that an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is obtained for this post.
• We have 4 full time, permanent positions available to fill.

 

Interviews will be held Monday 5th October 2026.

How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different

• We know our team work best when they have balance in their lives and we offer genuine flexibility to help them achieve that work/life balance.
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Ensuring all our staff are given right skills, knowledge and support to recognise and respond effectively to potential abuse or neglect. 
• As part of our benefits package, you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata), employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities.
• We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.     

 

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.    

• We're building and shaping communities which people are proud of.
• We're working with the most vulnerable in our community to help them achieve what they want in life.
• We're investing in our schools to ensure every child and young person in South Gloucestershire achieves their full potential.    

 

We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.   

We’re making a difference, be part of it!   

To view the full job description, please click this link: Night Care Assistant - Vinney Green - Job Description