Support Worker
Salutem
£12.49-13.74 per hour
Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40, United Kingdom
The Breakroom Take
- People enjoy this job
- Proper training
About Salutem
Salutem offers support services. They provide this to people and children with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and complex mental health needs.
Job description from Salutem
At Salutem, we aim to create a nurturing environment where children receive the highest quality of care from our dedicated team. Our core values drive our exceptional services:
Our Core Values:
Supportive: Helping everyone reach their full potential.
Ambitious: Striving for the best outcomes.
Loyal: Prioritising our staff and the people we support.
Unique: Innovating without compromising quality.
Transparent: Fostering openness and mutual respect.
Engaging: Partnering with everyone involved.
Meaningful: Offering fulfilling opportunities.
About The Role
If you are an experienced support worker looking for a new role, you have come to the right place! Salutem Care and Education are excited to announce that we are currently seeking experienced support workers to join our team. We are a leading provider of care and education services across the United Kingdom, and we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality support to individuals with a range of complex needs.
At Salutem, we know that the role of a support worker is vital in improving the lives of those we support, and we are committed to providing our staff with the tools and resources they need to excel in their roles. We offer extensive training and development opportunities, as well as a range of benefits, including competitive salaries and flexible working hours.
What will I do as a Support Worker?
- To complete in-depth induction training and all mandatory training, including safeguarding modules and Wales induction framework
- To follow Salutem policies and procedures, including those concerning the health and safety of yourself and others
- Provide support to individual young people with complex health, physical and learning needs within the children's home
- To attend to the day-to-day needs of the young people and support them to access and participate in a variety of activities, including in the evenings and weekends
- Registration with Social Care Wales
- To provide high-quality personal care and promote opportunities for independence
- To encourage our young people to socialise and be included and help them reach their own personal outcomes
- To understand the young person's communication needs
- To produce a safe and stimulating environment for young people
- To promote the health and well-being of the young people
- To attend and actively participate in handover meetings, and key worker meetings and liaise with colleagues and management
- To complete key worker activities and responsibilities with individual key young people in the children's home, including those on short breaks
- Work alongside external agencies and professionals i.e. social workers, families and health care professionals
- To keep accurate records and report on the young people you work with, providing effective communication between the home and school and with outside agencies involved with the young people in a professional context
- To maintain effective contact with parents and guardians of our young people, ensuring appropriate information is passed on efficiently
- To be reliable and flexible, using your initiative when making decisions
- To attend all relevant training provided by the organisation for you to provide safe practice
- To maintain a high standard of tidiness within the home
- To undertake sleeping in duties
- To report to management, and to perform as requested by a senior member of staff,including additional duties commensurate with the post
- To be proactive in assessing and reporting risk
Has or is willing to work towards the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma
Why Choose Us?
Emotional Support: 24/7 Employee Assistance, mental health resources, meditation apps, and bereavement support.
Medical Support: Free Online GP access, Health Cash Plan, Cancer Cover, and Menopause support.
Financial Support: Flexible pay with Wagestream, utility bill savings, Money Helper, and Life Assurance.
Physical Support: Online workouts, Cycle to Work scheme, gym discounts, and National Trust activities.
More about Salutem:
• Top Employer Recognition: Salutem Care and Education proudly stands among the UK's top employers, as acknowledged by the Top Employers Institute.
• Disability Confident Organisation: We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and application process.
• Top 50 Inspiring Workplace: Recognised for our unwavering commitment to a People First culture, blending culture, purpose, leadership, wellbeing, inclusion, employee voice, and experience.
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
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What employees say
Pay
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Needs improving
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Most people aren’t paid a living wage
Do Salutem pay support workers enough to live on?
Most people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
85% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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 £12.60 per hour, and £13.85 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Needs improving
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Most people are paid below market rates
Do Salutem pay support workers market rates?
Most people are paid less than average for their job.
How we know this
86% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get sick pay
Do Salutem pay support workers sick pay?
No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.
How we know this
83% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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.
Good
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Most people don’t do unpaid extra work
Do support workers at Salutem do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Rarely. Most people don’t do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
77% of people report that they don’t do extra unpaid work.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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 Salutem?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 29% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 14% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 29% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 29% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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 Salutem worry about hours?
Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
69% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2023 and March 2025.
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 Salutem get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
38% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and December 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 Salutem to change shifts?
Some people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
50% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2023 and March 2025.
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 Salutem?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
69% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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 Salutem managers change support workers shifts at short notice?
Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
58% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2023 and March 2025.
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.
Good
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Most people find it easy to take sick leave
How easy is it for support workers to take sick leave at Salutem?
Most people find it easy to take sick leave.
How we know this
67% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2023 and March 2025.
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.
Workplace
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Okay
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Only some people feel treated with respect
Do support workers at Salutem feel treated with respect by their managers?
Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
38% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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 Salutem get proper breaks?
Most people don’t get proper breaks.
How we know this
83% of people report that they don’t get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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 Salutem?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
100% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2023 and December 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 Salutem enjoy their jobs?
Most people enjoy their job.
How we know this
75% of people report they enjoy their job.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
Okay
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Only some people recommend their team
Do support workers at Salutem 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 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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.
Okay
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Only some people get enough training
Do support workers get enough training when they start at Salutem?
Some people didn’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
43% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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 Salutem?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 62% 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 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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 Salutem 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
100% 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 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t feel well informed by head office
Do support workers feel well informed about how Salutem is doing?
Most people don’t feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
92% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between March 2023 and March 2025.
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 Salutem employees say about their job
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Best thing
Supporting someone with their daily activities and helping them become better at things they need help with
Worst thing
The way the company is run by seniors, team leaders and managers. I feel like you can’t talk about certain things with out people talking your business. They don’t know how to keep things very professional and management’s are friends with each other so make it hard to say things about one of them if you want to report one of them.
Support worker at Salutem, October 2023
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Best thing
The students I work along side ,they amaze me every day
Worst thing
Being constantly understaffed.
Team member at Salutem, August 2023
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