Relief Residential Care Officer

Job Introduction

Job Title: Relief Residential Carer (£17.41 per hour, sleep-in payments £41.78)
Working Pattern: Relief, flexible hours, work when you are available
Location: Robin House, Lincoln
Closing Date: Monday 01 June 2026
Interviews: Arranged flexibly, may take place before the closing date

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children? We have an opportunity for a relief Residential Carer to join our team at Robin House, a therapeutic Children's Residential Home in Lincoln.

Due to recent changes in immigration law in the UK we are unable to offer skilled worker visa sponsorship for this role as it does not meet the requirements of RQF Level 6.

About the Role

Our Relief Residential Carers play a vital part in making our homes warm, nurturing and fun places for children to grow safely. Locally, this role is known as a Relief Residential Carer and it’s ideal for anyone who wants flexibility alongside purpose.

 ⭐ What the role includes:

• Choose Your Availability
   You decide the days and times you're free to work.
• Supporting Children in Everyday Life
   You’ll help with hobbies, activities, school routines, life skills and building independence, emotional regulation—and all the other moments that help children thrive.
• Being Part of a Team
    You’ll work closely with our permanent staff, families and multi‑disciplinary professionals to provide consistent, safe and therapeutic care.
• Pay & Perks
  • £17.41 per hour
  • Sleep‑in payments: £41.78
  • Mileage reimbursement: 45p per mile

Want a feel for the role? Check out our short video: Our Home 

About Our Home

Robin House is a therapeutic home for children aged 6 to 15. We work closely with Clinical Psychologists and Complex Needs Team Link Workers to provide excellent in-house care. Our model combines trauma-informed practice, social pedagogy, attachment theory, and therapeutic care to create a homely environment where children feel safe and can express themselves. Making a real difference and seeing the children achieve positive outcomes makes this a fulfilling and rewarding role. 

About You

You don’t need prior care experience—we provide excellent training and ongoing professional development. What matters most is that you:

• genuinely enjoy spending time with children
• want to help them feel connected, safe and supported
• have a warm, caring nature and a passion for children’s wellbeing
• have basic IT skills and are happy to work towards a QCF qualification
• ideally hold a driving licence

If you can bring enthusiasm, humour, patience and empathy to your shifts, you’ll fit right in.

What We Offer You

We truly value our Relief Workers and want you to feel supported from day one. You will receive:

• A high-quality induction
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Trauma-informed practice training
• Access to therapeutic approaches that help children feel safe
• Support from a strong, experienced leadership team

Lincolnshire County Council Children’s Services holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating and is one of three national Families First for Children Pathfinders—making this an exciting time to join and help shape the future of social care.

You can learn more about our homes in the attached brochure and explore our benefits here: Rewards and benefits – Lincolnshire County Council.

Want to Chat?

For an informal conversation about any of our vacancies, please email:

  Assistant Manager of Robin House: naomi.wilson@lincolnshire.gov.uk or Homes Manager lauren.batty@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Interviews are arranged flexibly for candidates who meet the essential criteria. Interviews may occur before the closing date, so early applications are encouraged.

These applications are specifically for Robin House in Lincoln

✍️ Before You Apply

Your personal statement must clearly explain:

• why you are applying
• how you meet the essential and desirable criteria (see Job Description)
• what you feel you can bring to the home, the team and the wider council

Please note:

• Candidates aren’t shortlisted more than once within 4 months for roles of the same grade.
• The role is subject to a criminal record check.
• We operate a talent pool for up to 3 months for similar roles.
• We are a Disability Confident Employer and committed to equality, inclusion and safeguarding.

Applications close: 1st June

We look forward to hearing from you—and hopefully welcoming you to our team!

PLEASE NOTE: It is imperative that your personal statement clearly states why you have applied, how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role as set out in the Job Description (attached on LCC jobs Site) and what you feel you can bring to this role, the team and the wider County Council.

Please refer to our Job Information Pack here to support you in your application.

Please be advised that this position may be subject to a criminal record check.

On occasion we receive significantly more applications than expected for some vacancies and under such circumstances we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date of the advertisement. We therefore strongly advise you to apply for the role promptly to avoid disappointment should the closing date be brought forward. Please also note: once an application is submitted it is final and cannot be amended. If you withdraw your application, it cannot be reinstated and you will not be able to submit another application for that vacancy. If you have an issue with your submitted application, please contact recruitment@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions.

Lincolnshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Fluency Duty 

In accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 (Fluency Duty), the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

Our values – collaborative, adaptable, eco-conscious, supportive, and responsible – guide everything we do. We’re looking for candidates who share these values and bring them to life in their work, helping us build strong teams and make a real difference in the communities we serve.