Children's Home Residential Practitioner

Gloucestershire County Council; Gloucester; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unsociable hours allowance

Training & development

Hybrid working

Job summary

Gloucestershire County Council is seeking a Residential Practitioner to support children in our homes who have experienced trauma and adversity. You will deliver compassionate, personalised care, using trauma-informed approaches to help children rebuild trust and confidence, while promoting independence, education, and personal growth within a safe, supportive environment.

Hybrid working arrangements are available, balancing service needs with staff wellbeing.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting children in care and trauma-informed approaches.
• Must possess Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) or equivalent.
• Enhanced DBS (Adults & Children)
• Full driving licence and willingness to drive in the role.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality, personalised care in children’s homes.
• Utilise trauma-informed practices to support emotional healing.
• Encourage independence, life skills and positive routines.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team.
• Support children in education, recreation and personal growth.
• Respond to challenges with confidence and curiosity.
• Ensure safeguarding and regulatory standards are met.

Skills

Empathy

Resilience

Communication

Teamwork

Fluent English

Education

Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England)

Job description

Make a Real Difference - Join Us as a Residential Practitioner Are you driven by purpose and a deep belief that every child deserves safety, love, and the chance to thrive? This is more than a job, it's a chance to change the trajectory of a young person's life. We are looking for compassionate, resilient, and dedicated individuals to join our growing team across our children's homes. Working with children who have experienced trauma and adversity is both challenging and incredibly rewarding. Through patience, empathy, and meaningful relationships, you will help young people rebuild trust, develop confidence, and believe in their future again. If you want to be part of a service that is ambitious for children, committed to trauma-informed care, and focused on real, lasting outcomes, then we want you on this journey with us. Be the difference. Be the stability. In accordance with Schedule 9, Part 1, of the Equality Act 2010, this role has a Genuine Occupational Requirement for the postholder to be aged 21 years or above. This is an essential and proportionate requirement to ensure the effective and appropriate delivery of the service due to the nature of the duties of the role and the ages and complex needs of the children and young people in our care. Right child, right support, right time, every time. Following our June 2025 Ofsted inspection, our Children's Services were rated ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ elements. Our Children's Residential Service continues to grow and evolve. We currently have a newly registered third home, alongside our established homes, which were most recently rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted in March 2026. We also operate a short-break service as part of our wider provision. As we continue strengthen our services, we are looking for the right people, passionate, committed, and driven professionals, who want to be part of this journey and make a meaningful difference to the lives of children and young people. What makes us different?

• as a Local Authority children’s home, we are driven by care, not profit. Our focus is firmly on doing what is right for children. That means every decision, every resource, and every member of staff is dedicated to creating safety, stability and long-term opportunities for the children who live with us.
• in house therapeutic support clinicians guiding trauma‑informed practice
• Advanced Practitioner‑led training and reflective support
• we bring consistency and stability into a young person’s life when they need it most.

Our homes

• Short‑term home for younger children transitioning to foster care or returning home
• Long‑term home for older children preparing for independence
• Step‑down home supporting older children moving from residential care to fostering or home

As a Residential Practitioner, you will:

• deliver high‑quality, personalised care
• use trauma‑informed approaches to support emotional healing
• encourage independence, life skills, and positive routines
• work closely with a multidisciplinary team
• support children in education, recreation and personal growth
• respond to challenges with confidence and curiosity
• ensure the home meets safeguarding and regulatory standards

Typical shift pattern

Rotas operate over 7 days a week (Monday‑Sunday). Staff typically work 2 to 3 long shifts per week, each totalling 16 hours. Example Long Shift Structure Day 1: 10:00am - 11:00pm (shift)+ sleep in (11:00pm - 7:00am), Day 2 - 7:00am - 10:30am (shift continues). Day 3 Off

Why join us?

Choosing this role means choosing to make a real and lasting difference. Here’s what you can expect: You’ll receive training that builds confidence and skill. With trauma‑informed training, clinical guidance and continuous development, you’ll grow into a confident, thoughtful practitioner who makes a meaningful impact. You’ll work in homes built to feel safe and welcoming. Our homes are shaped with young people, warm, homely, and filled with opportunities for connection, fun, and healing. If you would like to find out more about our Children’s Service please take a look here:

Key attributes

• Any hours worked between 20.00 - 06:00, weekends and Bank Holidays attract an unsociable payment over and above the basic salary for this post.
• passionate about helping children flourish
• empathetic, patient, and resilient
• good communicators and collaborative team players
• committed to reflection and professional development, level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) or an equivalent qualification
• full driving licence and wiliness to drive in the job
• Enhanced DBS (Adults & Children)
• relevant experience of working as a qualified/unqualified Residential Practitioner in a Children’s Home
• experience of completing risk assessments and risk analysis of vulnerable young people to ensure appropriate and safe risk management plans are in place
• We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire's diverse communities. Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential.

Legal requirements

It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a ‘customer facing role’ must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English.

Working arrangements

Hybrid working arrangements are available for the majority of our roles, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice, with a mix of both remote and office working.