jobfacts

Houseparents and residential wardens

SOC 2020 6134

Houseparents and residential wardens are responsible for the care and supervision of children, young people and the elderly within residential homes, schools or their own homes. An essential requirement of their work is that they reside with those for whom they are providing support.

Also calledAccommodation wardenProperty managerHall managerResidential support workerFoster carerWardenand 32 more titles
Typical full-time pay£31,9002025 Provisional
People in the job39,000across the UK
Demand for workersCritical
New adverts a month1,600↓ 2.2%on last year · 121st of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
What full-time houseparents and residential wardens earn, 2025
£31,900 typicaln/ptop 10%
n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less thanNot published
Lowest 20% earn less thanNot published
25%Not published
Median£31,900
75%Not published
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Nearly half (50%) of houseparents and residential wardens work for themselves. These pay figures only cover employees, so they may not reflect what self-employed houseparents and residential wardens earn.
Typical pay by regionUK median £31,900
North West!£32,500
South West!£32,100
South East!£26,600
East Midlands!£25,900
West Midlands!£25,000
Yorkshire and The Humber!£23,400
North EastNot published by ONS–
East of EnglandNot published by ONS–
LondonNot published by ONS–
ScotlandNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £31,900
North West£32,500 (small sample)
South West£32,100 (small sample)
South East£26,600 (small sample)
East Midlands£25,900 (small sample)
West Midlands£25,000 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£23,400 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
East of EnglandNot published by ONS
LondonNot published by ONS
ScotlandNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £30,300
  • 2024 £29,600
  • 2025 Provisional£31,900
↑ 5.3% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 1,600 jobs for houseparents and residential wardens are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as critical.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20261,608
Jul 20261,697
Jun 20261,496
May 20261,471
Apr 20261,645
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 20261,469
Jan 20261,769
Dec 2025902
Nov 20251,830
Oct 20251,790
Sept 20251,858
Aug 20251,568
Jul 20251,891
Jun 20251,831
May 20251,976
Apr 20251,503
Mar 20251,656
Feb 20251,610
Jan 20251,690
Dec 20241,064
Nov 20241,556
Oct 20241,609
Sept 20241,626
Aug 20241,608
Jul 20241,886
Jun 20241,832
May 20242,057
Apr 20241,920
Mar 20241,333
Feb 20241,237
Jan 20241,520
Dec 20231,078
Nov 20231,168
Oct 20231,151
Sept 2023969
Aug 20231,024
Jul 20231,093
Jun 20231,946
May 20231,592
Apr 20231,689
Mar 20231,513
Feb 20231,528
Jan 20231,941
Dec 20221,832
Nov 20222,089
Oct 20221,792
Sept 20221,828
Aug 20221,623
Jul 20221,643
Jun 20221,936
May 20221,797
Apr 20221,558
Mar 20221,710
Feb 20221,468
Jan 20221,833
Dec 20211,441
Nov 20211,762
Oct 20211,549
Sept 20211,580
Aug 20211,346
Jul 20211,467
Jun 20211,534
May 20211,541
Apr 20211,326
Mar 20211,611
Feb 20211,334
Jan 20211,432
Dec 20201,090
Nov 20201,122
Oct 20201,597
Sept 20201,327
Aug 20201,116
Jul 20201,258
Jun 20201,267
May 20201,361
Apr 20201,615
Mar 20201,584
Feb 20201,497
Jan 20201,150
Dec 2019887
Nov 20191,103
Oct 20191,171
Sept 20191,051
Aug 2019961
Jul 20191,163
Jun 20191,359
May 20191,236
Apr 2019858
Mar 2019850
Feb 2019815
Jan 20191,056
Dec 2018704
Nov 20181,435
Oct 20181,322
Sept 20181,273
Aug 20181,276
Jul 20181,272
Jun 20181,352
May 20181,033
Apr 2018755
Mar 2018854
Feb 2018869
Jan 20181,042
Dec 2017901
Nov 20171,704
Oct 20172,359
Sept 20172,024
Aug 20172,120
Jul 20171,966
Jun 20172,451
May 20172,337
Apr 20172,432
Mar 20172,358
Feb 20172,083
Jan 20173,181
Is there a shortage of houseparents and residential wardens?
Critical

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedAbove usual
  • Online job advertsWell above usual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedWell above usual
Note: uncertain in multiple indicators: change in hourly wage, hours and earnings due to proportion of self employed workers.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
27%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for caring personal services, which includes houseparents and residential wardens. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London313
Birmingham91
Somerset79
Manchester66
Derby61
West Northamptonshire58
Shropshire56
North Northamptonshire52
Stoke-on-Trent51
Nottingham50
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where houseparents and residential wardens are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. Fewer than 10 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of houseparents and residential wardens
n/p
13%!
16%!
17%!
40%!
14%!
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–3413% (small sample)
35–4416% (small sample)
45–5417% (small sample)
55–6440% (small sample)
65+14% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent30%
Higher education below degree!7.3%
A levels or equivalent30%
GCSEs or equivalent!17%
Other qualifications!13%
No qualifications!7.6%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent30%
Higher education below degree7.3% (small sample)
A levels or equivalent30%
GCSEs or equivalent17% (small sample)
Other qualifications13% (small sample)
No qualifications7.6% (small sample)

Main employers: other social work activities without accommodation nec (31%), other residential care activities (21%), residential care activities for learning disabilities, mental health and substance abuse (11%), residential care activities for the elderly and disabled (11%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
30%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
A levels or equivalent
held by 30%
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work
Self-employed
50%
of people in the job

Routes in

Accommodation warden

You can get into this job through:

College

You could take a college course before applying for a job to gain some of the skills needed in this role. Courses include:

  • facilities services
  • housing practice
  • health and social care
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship, such as:

  • Property Maintenance Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Housing and Property Management Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Other ways in

Work your way up

You could work as a warden's assistant and gain qualifications through on-the-job training.

Volunteering

You may be able to start as a volunteer assistant warden, for example, with the YMCA or Youth Hostel Association.

You could pick up valuable skills and knowledge through volunteering, which might help in interviews for a paid position.

Apply directly

To apply directly, you'll usually need some GCSEs or equivalent, including English and maths.

You'll also find it helpful to have paid or unpaid experience of working with vulnerable groups.

What you’ll need

  • pass enhanced background checks

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

Experience in housing, care or supported accommodation work would be useful.

Further information

You can find out more about working as an accommodation warden and supported housing from:

  • Chartered Institute of Housing
  • Think Care Careers

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for accommodation warden. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Residential support worker

You can get into this job through:

College

You could take a course at college to learn some of the skills and knowledge you need to do this job.

Courses include:

  • health and social care
  • diploma for the children and young people's workforce
  • youth work practice
  • residential childcare

Many courses include work placements, so this could be a good way for you to get experience.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship, such as:

  • Health and Social Care Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship
  • Adult Care Worker Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Lead Adult Care Worker Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • no specific qualifications or experience to apply for a foundation apprenticeship
  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
More about this route
Foundation apprenticeship

You can apply for a foundation apprenticeship if you're aged 16 to 21.

If you're aged 22 to 24, you can apply if you:

  • have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
  • are in care or have been in care
  • are in prison or have been in prison

Other ways in

Work your way up

You could start as an assistant support worker in a children's or adult care setting. You could then move into a residential support role through training and promotion.

Volunteering

You can get voluntary experience in a number of ways, which can help when applying for paid jobs. This might be from:

  • volunteering at a youth club
  • having personal experience of caring for a family member
  • doing voluntary work in a care home, nursery or relevant charity
Apply directly

To apply directly for jobs in residential support, you'll need a qualification and paid or voluntary experience in the social work and care sector.

Experience in fostering could also be helpful.

What you’ll need

  • pass enhanced background checks

A driving licence may be required for some jobs.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

Personal qualities are very important in this job. Employers will be looking for:

  • your ability to build positive relationships with people
  • flexibility, initiative and ability to handle change
  • kindness and compassion
  • an undertsanding of safeguarding issues when working with vulnerable people
Further information

You can find out more about becoming a residential support worker from Think Care Careers.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for residential support worker. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Foster carer

You can get into this role by applying directly.

College

You do not need any specific qualifications to become a foster carer.

However, it might help to take a college course, such as:

  • level 1 award in introduction to health, social care and children's and young people's settings
  • level 2 award in safeguarding and protecting children and young people
  • level 2 certificate in children and young people's workforce
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course
  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course

Apply directly

You can either foster with your local council or with one of the independent fostering agencies.

Anyone can become a foster carer. Local councils and agencies want to recruit a diverse range of foster carers regardless of sexuality, ethnicity, religion or marital status.

More about this route
Assessment and training

Once you've applied to become a foster carer, you'll go through an assessment and a training programme. This is to make sure you could meet the needs of the children you'll foster.

Each council and agency will have slightly different assessments and training. You might:

  • learn skills at a preparation course
  • attend groups to talk to existing foster carers
  • spend time with a social worker who will ask about your personal history

If you're a couple, you both have to complete the training and pass the assessment.

Panel

Once you've completed the assessment, your social worker will write a report and present this to a panel who will decide if you can become a foster carer.

The report will outline your skills and any areas where you need more training or support. You can see the report and add your own comments before it's submitted to the panel.

What you’ll need

  • be over 21 years of age
  • pass enhanced background checks

You'll also need a spare bedroom and for some agencies, you cannot have another job.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

It might help your application if you have experience looking after children. This could be from caring for your own children or other children in your family.

Your whole family will be involved in fostering. It's important to tell them you're applying to be a foster carer. You should be clear with them about what is involved and the support you'll need.

Further information

You can find out more about fostering from the Fostering Network and Foster Talk.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for foster carer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • creates friendly, secure atmosphere and tries to gain the trust and confidence of those in the home or under supervision
  • plans and participates in games and leisure activities to encourage emotional, social, physical and intellectual development
  • ensures that all material needs of residents are provided and endeavours to resolve any problems that they may have
  • ensures that students attend school regularly
  • manage the household (domestic duties)
  • may provide one-to-one counselling or group therapy
  • establishes and maintains contact with members of the neighbouring community and/or the residents’ family and friends
  • maintains contact and discusses problems/progress with other staff and social workers
  • keeps records and writes reports

Skills

  • accompany people
  • apply first response
  • assist clients with special needs
  • assist disabled passengers
  • assist social service users with physical disabilities
  • buy groceries
  • evaluate older adults' ability to take care of themselves
  • iron textiles
  • keep company
  • make the beds
  • monitor patient's health condition
  • prepare ready-made dishes
  • prepare sandwiches
  • provide in-home support for disabled individuals

Knowledge

  • disability care
  • disability types
  • first response
  • older adults' needs
  • food allergies
  • hearing disability
  • mobility disability

Suits people who like

  • Helping and caring for people
  • Practical, hands-on work

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for caring personal service occupations, a group of 16 jobs that includes houseparents and residential wardens.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 20%about 466,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20351.9 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.