Children's Care Worker → Transition to Alternative Provision
Location: Colne, Lancashire (Commutable from Nelson, Burnley, and Barnoldswick)
Contract: Full-time, Long-term
Hours: 08:30 - 16:00, Monday to Friday (No nights, no sleep-ins, no weekends)
The Role: Impact Without the Burnout
Are you a Residential Support Worker (RSW) or Children's Care Assistant who loves the work but needs a better lifestyle?
Tradewind Recruitment is looking for experienced care professionals to transition into an Alternative Provision (AP) in Colne. Our AP settings support students who have been excluded from mainstream education and require a therapeutic, "care-first" approach to learning.
In a residential home, you provide the safety and stability children need at night. In an Alternative Provision, you provide that same "anchor" during the school day. You will be the mentor that helps a child regulate their emotions so they can finally engage with education.
Why Your Care Skills are the Perfect Fit
Alternative Provisions in Pendle value the "holistic" approach that Care Workers bring. Your experience is a direct match for:
Trauma-Informed Support: You understand that "difficult" behaviour is often a result of past trauma or attachment issues.
Relationship Building: You know how to build trust with "hard-to-reach" young people through patience and consistency.
De-escalation: You are already trained or experienced in managing high-stress situations and keeping a cool head.
Safeguarding: You have a deep understanding of protecting vulnerable children and working with multi-agency teams.
A Day in the Life in the AP Sector
Checking in with students to gauge their emotional state as they arrive.
Assisting in small classes (5-8 students) where the focus is on social and emotional development.
Stepping in to support a student who is feeling overwhelmed, using your "care" background to de-escalate.
Helping with practical sessions like outdoor education, sports, or vocational skills.
The Benefits of Moving to Education in Colne
Reclaim your evenings and weekends. Work a consistent 32.5 hours per week.
13 weeks of holiday per year (term-time only contracts).
We provide fully-funded Team-Teach training to bridge the gap between social care and education.
Work in a tight-knit team where staff wellbeing is as important as the students'.
What We Need From You
Experience: 6+ months working with children in a care setting (Residential, Foster Care, or Outreach).
Mindset: Resilience, empathy, and the ability to offer a "fresh start" every single hour.
Reliability: These students need consistency. We need mentors who are committed to being there for them.
DBS: A willingness to undergo an Enhanced DBS check (Tradewind can help you apply).
How to Apply
Ready to trade the shift work for a rewarding role in a local Colne school?
To Apply: Send your CV to (url removed) or call our Pendle team on (phone number removed) for an immediate chat about our current vacancies