Support Worker
Creative Support
Estimated pay: £9.76-12.00 per hour
Darlington
The Breakroom Take
- People enjoy this job
- Recommended by parents
- Proper training
About Creative Support
Creative Support is a not-for-profit care provider. They offer services for the elderly, people with learning difficulties and mental health problems.
Job description from Creative Support
We are looking for warm, caring and proactive Support Workers to provide quality person-centred care and support at our vibrant service in Darlington, Country Durham. You will responsible for providing respectful care and support to tenants with mental health needs and learning disabilities in a supported living setting, with some community outreach. You will support individuals to take part in all aspects of everyday life and to enjoy a wide range of activities. You will have skills in positive communication and engagement and will be able to demonstrate unconditional positive regard for the people we support. You must be able to follow agreed guidelines and to work positively within a consistent, mutually supportive team ethos.
Support Worker Duties:
- Provision of practical, emotional and behavioural support to service users,
- Provide support to individuals with cooking, cleaning, housework and other life skills,
- A commitment to making a positive difference in individuals lives,
- Develop and sustain warm and trusting relationships with service users,
- Carry out general administrative duties and housing management tasks,
- Work flexibly according to the needs of the service to include daytimes, evenings, weekends, bank holidays and sleep in shifts.
We are looking for candidates from all walks of life. No previous care experience is needed, just a passion for providing person-centred care and support and working in a bright, friendly environment!
Vacancy Reference Number: 72730
Applications for this role must be submitted via the Creative Support website using the above vacancy reference number
Full training is provided, as is the opportunity to work towards QCF Diploma in Health and Social Care. Benefits of working with Creative Support include a probationary bonus, pension contributions, 28 days Annual Leave and company paid enhanced DBS.
We are a passionate, inclusive, and anti-racist organization - Stonewall Diversity Champion, Disability Confident Employer who have recently received Investors in People Gold awarded.
We can only accept applications from candidates who are located in and eligible to work within the UK - This post will not be open to Sponsorship under the UKVI scheme.
Application Instructions:
To apply, candidates must complete the online application form located on our company website via the listing for the above reference numbered role. We do not accept CV's as a method of application.
A list of all roles available can be located at:
Completed Application Forms must be submitted to our Head Office address (below) or emailed to be considered for the vacancy. If you have not received a response to your application within 10 working days of the closing date please accept this as notification of an unsuccessful application. Unsuccessful applicants must wait 6 months before reapplying. We do not provide outcomes for unsuccessful applications.
For role or application queries please email
Recruitment Department, Creative Support Ltd, Wellington House, 131 Wellington Road South, Stockport, SK1 3TS
Job insights from Breakroom
Support workers
Support workers help vulnerable people to live independently
What you’ll do as a support worker:
- Check the needs and progress of the individuals you are supporting
- Help with daily tasks like budgeting, shopping and claiming benefits
- Provide physical care and support including, bathing, dressing, cooking and feeding
- Check and monitor health and help with medication
Is it right for you?
This job may involve:
- Standing
- Heavy lifting
- Helping with personal care
- Physical activity
- Emotionally demanding duties
- Wearing a uniform
- Night work
- Long hours
- Anti-social hours
- Cleaning
- Working alone
Map
Darlington
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What employees say
Pay
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Okay
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Only some people are paid a living wage
Do Creative Support pay support workers enough to live on?
Some people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
42% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 50 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are £12.00 per hour, and £13.15 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Okay
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Only some people are paid market rates
Do Creative Support pay support workers market rates?
Only some people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
53% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 53 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Okay
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Only some people get paid breaks
Do support workers at Creative Support get paid breaks?
Sometimes. Only some people get paid breaks.
How we know this
65% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 49 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get sick pay
Do Creative Support pay support workers sick pay?
No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.
How we know this
95% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 44 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Okay
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Some people do unpaid extra work
Do support workers at Creative Support do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Sometimes. Some people do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
34% of people report that they do extra work that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 47 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.
Hours and flexibility
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Needs improving
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Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do support workers get of their shift pattern at Creative Support?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 28% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 24% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 28% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 20% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 50 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
At a good job, you get plenty of notice about when you’re working.
This makes it easy for you to plan the rest of life, as well as your finances, because you know how much you’ll be working and when.
Good
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Most people don’t worry about their hours
Do support workers at Creative Support worry about hours?
Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
78% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 51 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
At a good job, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting enough hours each week.
A good job should guarantee you a minimum number of hours in a contract, if you want it.
This makes it easier to plan your finances, because you know how much you’ll be earning.
Okay
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do support workers at Creative Support get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
46% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 46 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and September 2024.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Okay
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Can be hard to change shifts
How easy is it for support workers at Creative Support to change shifts?
Some people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
64% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 33 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. It should be easy to change a shift if you need to, whether that’s in an emergency or for planning ahead.
Good
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Easy to book holiday
How easy is it for support workers to book a holiday at Creative Support?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
75% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 44 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Okay
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Shifts can get changed at short notice
Do Creative Support managers change support workers shifts at short notice?
Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
43% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 49 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Okay
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Some people find it hard to take sick leave
How easy is it for support workers to take sick leave at Creative Support?
Some people find it hard to take sick leave.
How we know this
42% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 43 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Okay
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Only some parents say it’s good
Is working as support workers at Creative Support good if you have caring responsibilities?
Only some parents and carer say this is a good place to work.
How we know this
35% of people who care for a child or other relative report this isn’t a good place to work.Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
Whether it’s looking after children or caring for a relative, a good job should support your responsibilities outside of work.
Workplace
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Okay
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Only some people feel treated with respect
Do support workers at Creative Support feel treated with respect by their managers?
Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
40% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 48 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and September 2024.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get proper breaks
Do support workers at Creative Support get proper breaks?
Most people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
78% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 50 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Needs improving
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Most people are stressed
Is it stressful for support workers to work at Creative Support?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
67% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 49 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and September 2024.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Good
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Most people enjoy their job
Do support workers at Creative Support enjoy their jobs?
Most people enjoy their job.
How we know this
74% of people report they enjoy their job.Based on data from 42 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and September 2024.
Okay
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Only some people recommend their team
Do support workers at Creative Support recommend working with their team?
Only some people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
57% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 54 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Good
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Most people get enough training
Do support workers get enough training when they start at Creative Support?
Most people got enough training when they started.
How we know this
70% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 47 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Okay
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Only some people get support to progress
Are support workers given support to progress at Creative Support?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 63% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 43 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Needs improving
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do support workers think Creative Support head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
86% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 49 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Okay
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Only some people feel well informed by head office
Do support workers feel well informed about how Creative Support is doing?
Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
61% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 46 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
What Creative Support employees say about their job
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Best thing
People I support
Worst thing
Managers and staff who are bullies when reported nothing happens
Creative Support Support worker, July 2024
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Best thing
The team of people I work with and the people I support.
Worst thing
pay and the job being stuck in the past.
Creative Support Support worker, July 2024
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About this pay
CloseEstimated pay
This pay estimate is based on data from 54 Creative Support employees who took the Breakroom Quiz between October 2022 and October 2024.
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