Welcome to Thistle!
To help you find your perfect role more easily, you can select the boxes in the purple panel and then press ‘search’.
From 1st April 2026, our pay rate starts at £13.45 per hour ((£27,277 per annum full-time) for supported living roles, with a generous benefits package. You can find out more about working with us here.
Many of our supported living vacancies are personalised - written with the person we support. Because of this, you’ll see quite a lot of vacancies in our list below.
If you can’t find the role you’re looking for, you can set up an account with us and we’ll send you an email when new vacancies are posted. Just click here to sign up.
Thistle Academy is currently recruiting too! We’re looking for people returning to or looking for a career in social care. Find out more about our fully paid 4-week training programme, here.
Thistle holds a UKVI sponsor license but is not currently considering new applicants requiring sponsorship as part of the recruitment process. Thistle has a limited number of certificates of sponsorship available and we are currently prioritising existing employees.
Applicants whose eligibility to work in the UK expires within the first 12 months of their expected start date will be required to confirm how they intend to demonstrate their ongoing right to work in the UK beyond their visa expiry date.
For applicants sponsored by another employer required to work full-time for their employer, Thistle will only consider these applicants for Pool/Bank shifts. This is not applicable to applicants whose employer has had their sponsor license revoked and who have had notification that their visa will be revoked.
Location: Craigmillar
Contract Type: Permanent - Part Time
Closing Date: 04 November 2026
Salary: From 1st April 2026, starting salary £13.45 per hour (£27,277 per annum (FTE)) rising to £13.55 per hour (£27,479 FTE))
Overview:
About this opportunity
We are looking for people to fill a variety of roles. This can include personal care, driving, and sleepovers/waking nights. We are looking for several part time staff who can work flexibly, creatively and can use their initiative to seek out different opportunities to enable people to live their best life. There are various hours available between 10hrs -20hrs per week.
If you’re passionate about what matters to people and to supporting someone to live a good life, we’d love to hear from you.
Applicants must have or be willing to work towards a qualification meeting the standards required for registration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
Please click here for the full job description.
Job ref: PA251
Location: Craigmillar
Contract Type: Permanent - Full Time, Permanent - Part Time
Closing Date: 04 November 2026
Salary: From 1st April 2026, starting salary £13.45 per hour (£27,277 per annum (FTE)) rising to £13.55 per hour (£27,479 FTE)
Overview:
Job Details
Are you patient, understanding and passionate about making a difference?
Nicola is looking for dedicated and compassionate support staff to help her transition from living with her parents into her own home, a truly exciting and significant milestone in her life.
About this opportunity
Nicola is a happy, friendly and energetic young person who will be finishing school at the end of June and beginning an important new chapter. She is developing her independence and, with the right support and encouragement, can achieve great things.
Nicola enjoys a range of activities, including:
- Swimming
- Trampolining
- Baking
- Eating out, especially at a carvery
She can be very independent with some support, but benefits from regular encouragement to help her build confidence and try new things.
Please note that a full clean driving manual licence is essential for this position.
If you would like an informal chat about this vacancy, please contact
Job ref: NS261
Location: Leith
Contract Type: Permanent - Part Time
Closing Date: 04 November 2026
Salary: From 1st April 2026, starting salary £13.45 per hour (£27,277 per annum (FTE)) rising to £13.55 per hour (£27,479 FTE)).
Overview:
Job Details
We are recruiting a new female* Personal Assistant on a 16-20 hour per week contract. This vacancy is based within Leith, Edinburgh.
This service will require sleepovers.
*Exemption under Equality Act 2010
About this opportunity
We are looking for a female Personal Assistant for a professional female who suffered a spinal cord injury in 2020 and who is continuing to adjust to life with tetraplegia.
Prior to the accident she was a rock-climbing athlete and spent much of her time actively outdoors in the European mountains (skiing, climbing, cycling, and walking) and is now understandably coming to terms with this life changing outcome. She continues to work in her profession and is striving to regain an active life with various outdoor pursuits.
The successful Personal Assistant will be conscientious and reliable, presentable and have good personal hygiene. You should be proficient in English. You will have authentic empathy and be able to anticipate and tactfully support your client on days where she is finding it more difficult to cope. You will be able to forward plan and have good problem solving skills.
You should recognise the value of your input and the positive impact it will have.
You will be prepared to travel abroad on occasions and sleep over when required.
You will need to be able to cycle and swim. Living locally and having a degree of flexibility will be advantageous.
If you would like an informal chat about this vacancy please contact Megan.Nelson@thistle.org.uk or Andrew.Smith@thistle.org.uk
Job ref: SYM262
Location: Craigmillar
Contract Type: Permanent - Part Time
Closing Date: 04 November 2026
Salary: From 1st April 2026, starting salary £13.45 per hour (£27,277 per annum (FTE)) rising to £13.55 per hour (£27,479 FTE)).
Overview:
Job Details
We are looking for one female* to join a dedicated team of PAs that supports a busy happy go lucky young man who has cerebral palsy, global development delay and epilepsy. This is a permanent post and is for 20hrs per week.
Typically, shifts on days when he is not at the centre (Wednesdays, Thursday , Saturday and Sundays) can be 9am - 5pm or 5 – 10pm, followed by a sleepover.
The team plan and agree the rolling rota in advance.
*Exemption under Equality Act 2010
If you would like an informal chat about this vacancy please contact Jackie.Deans@thistle.org.uk or 07900166746
Job ref: DC261
Location: Barnton
Contract Type: Permanent - Part Time
Closing Date: 04 November 2026
Salary: From 1st April 2026, starting salary £13.45 per hour (£27,277 per annum (FTE)) rising to £13.55 per hour (£27,479 FTE)).
Overview:
Job Details
We have one part-time vacancies to join the team of female* Personal Assistants who support a 32-year-old woman who lives in Barnton, Edinburgh at the moment however it’s an exciting time as she is moving to her own flat.
This position is for a personal assistant. There are various hours between 20- 30 hrs weekly once she moves to her flat. These hours include team meetings, support and supervision and attendance at training.
Now support is provided Monday to Saturday typically 9am to 5pm but this may vary and will change to 24hr shifts including sleepovers at some point this year. Shifts are planned and agreed in advance with the team and the need to have a flexible and committed approach is essential.
*Exemption under Equality Act 2010
If you would like some more information about this vacancy, please contact
Jacqueline.Deans @thistle.org.uk
Job Ref: DB261
Location: Bonnyrigg
Contract Type: Permanent - Part Time, Pool Worker
Closing Date: 04 November 2026
Salary: From 1st April 2026, starting salary £13.45 per hour (£27,277 per annum (FTE)) rising to £13.55 per hour (£27,479 FTE)).
Overview:
This young lady is preparing to move from her family home into her very own house. This is a huge milestone that she is incredibly excited about. We are looking for dedicated people who can support her to build confidence, keep developing her independence, and support her to enjoy living life to the fullest.
She is a happy, friendly, funny, and energetic young lady, who has a range of interests that include completing Jigsaws, going swimming and on shopping trips. She enjoys making amazing gluten free food, and loves spending time with people and her family ,especially her dad .
She is developing her independence every day and, with the right support and encouragement, can achieve amazing things. She benefits from patient, understanding staff who are passionate about helping people reach their goals and live fulfilling lives.
Job Ref: BM261
Location: Craigmillar
Contract Type: Permanent - Full Time
Closing Date: 03 November 2026
Salary: £39,016 FTE
Overview:
Thistle aims to support individuals, families and communities to maximise their potential and achieve the best possible quality of life.
Contributing to the design and development of support for people with disabilities whose behaviour may often be labelled as “difficult” or “challenging”, successful candidates will be skilled in delivering excellent person-centred support, collaborative working across multi-disciplinary teams and supporting the development of excellent person-centred practice within Supported Living teams.
Working within Thistle’s Service Development Team your role will be to intensively support new and established Supported Living teams to embed excellent person-centred practice, to be responsive in a rapidly changing environment, and to support people with disabilities to achieving the things that matter most to them in their lives.
Please see here for the full job description and person specification.
To arrange an informal discussion about this post, in the first instance please contact Carrie Newland, Service Development Lead, at carrie.newland@thistle.org.uk.
Job Ref: SDF262
Location: Craigmillar
Contract Type: Permanent - Part Time
Closing Date: 04 November 2026
Salary: From 1st April 2026, starting salary £13.45 per hour (£27,277 per annum (FTE)) rising to £13.55 per hour (£27,479 FTE)).
Overview:
Job Details
Please note that a EU/UK driving license is essential for this position.
We have a vacancy for a Wellbeing Practitioner to join the team that supports a man who lives in his own home independently in the Craigmillar area, with his pet cat.
This position is for 16 hours per week. The 16 hours will comprise of shifts on a rota basis that are decided upon and agreed by the team. Sleepovers are available.
About this opportunity
This gentleman has a great sense of humour, loves being out and about, working and socialising. He currently works part time, so his team support him there as well.
He is very passionate about technology and his car. It is essential that his team members are drivers.
If you would like to be part of a team that would work together to enable this gentleman to lead a good life, this role could be for you.
If you would like an informal chat about this vacancy, please contact
Job Ref: SD261
Location: Craigmillar
Contract Type: Permanent - Part Time
Closing Date: 03 November 2026
Salary: From 1st April 2026, starting salary £13.45 per hour (£27,277 per annum (FTE)) rising to £13.55 per hour (£27,479 FTE)).
Overview:
About this opportunity
Kathleen is an enthusiastic, sociable and active young woman who enjoys spending time with others and taking part in activities she loves. She likes music, singing, dance and going to cinema. Kathleen enjoys being connected to others, she attends a day service where she has opportunities to socialise, explore her interests and experience new things. It is important that the people supporting her take the time to get to know her, understand her individual needs and preferences, respect her choices, promote her confidence and encourage her independence.
As a member of Kathleen’s support team, you will help her build and maintain meaningful relationships with family and friends, participate in the activities she enjoys, and live as independently as possible. This includes providing person-centred support with daily routines and social activities, supporting community outings, and new experiences. We are looking for someone who is patient, warm, calm and organised with a genuine commitment to helping people live fulfilling lives on their own terms. If you enjoy building positive relationships and supporting others to achieve their goals, this could be a highly rewarding opportunity.
If you would like an informal chat about this vacancy, please contact: yesim.boe@thistle.org.uk
