Children's Residential Support Worker

Job Description

Ashdale Care is seeking a dedicated Residential Support Worker to join their team in Longwood, County Meath, Ireland. This role is crucial in providing a safe and nurturing environment for children in residential care, ensuring their well-being and development. The position involves working as part of a team to meet the individual and group needs of the young residents, adhering strictly to childcare legislation, national standards, and Ashdale Care's policies and procedures.

About The Role

As a Residential Support Worker, you will cultivate meaningful connections with young people, treating them and their families with dignity and respect. Your responsibilities include fostering a welcoming, safe, and therapeutic living space, advocating for the rights and well-being of each resident, and ensuring their protection from any form of abuse. You will supervise outings, participate in daily household activities as a positive role model, and actively engage in the Model of Therapeutic Care. The role requires providing emotional support during challenging times, encouraging resident participation in care planning, and integrating an understanding of youth trauma into your practice, supported by specialized training. Collaboration with external support networks, including social workers and educators, is essential. You will work effectively within a team, participating in handovers, meetings, and reviews, and providing constructive feedback. Maintaining consistency in childcare plans, completing accurate records, and managing key worker duties, including petty cash and secure storage of valuables, are also key aspects. Contributing to community engagement and agency partnerships to enhance resident experiences is encouraged. Please note that this role includes sleepover shifts.

What you will get in return

• Competitive salary scales ranging from €30,990 to €36,310 annually, based on experience, plus potential sleepover allowances up to €9,500 per year.
• Annual salary reviews.
• Income protection benefits.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave coverage.
• Extensive internal and external training opportunities.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Generous annual leave entitlements that increase with long service.
• Sick pay provisions.
• Support through an Education Assistance Programme.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Priority for career advancement opportunities within the growing Ashdale Care network across Ireland.
• Shift structure includes 8-10 hour support shifts (e.g., 10 am-8 pm or 12 pm-10 am) and 18-hour sleep-in shifts (e.g., starting 10 am, sleeping in the home from 12 am to 7 am, finishing at 11 am). Sleep-in hours are compensated at a separate hourly rate in addition to contracted hours.

About The Company

Ashdale Care is a leading provider of specialized therapeutic residential care for children and young people in Ireland, catering to those with complex emotional and behavioral needs. With over 20 years of experience, Ashdale Care prioritizes a child-first ethos, delivering compassionate and industry-leading therapeutic care. Their service is child-centered, employing a comprehensive, evidence-based programmatic approach (CARE), augmented by an in-house Therapeutic Support Team comprising Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Art Therapists, Teachers, and Behaviour Therapists.

Company Culture

The core mission at Ashdale Care is to empower children to build relationships, develop essential life skills, and provide a secure environment for growth. The company culture is defined by the quality of care provided to all team members, offering abundant training opportunities for professional development. Hard work and dedication are recognized and rewarded through career progression. The team's commitment to transforming lives is supported daily, with comprehensive support provided to all staff members.

Additional Information

Closing Date: Friday 26th June, 2026.