Residential Child Care Worker

The Methodist Church in Britain; Chester; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced pay for evenings and nights

26 days leave (31 after five years)

Pension scheme contributions

Career progression and training

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain is seeking Residential Childcare Workers to join its Residential Service in Chester. The role focuses on meeting the needs of vulnerable children aged 6 to 17 through trauma-informed, purposeful relationships and consistent practice.

You will work in a team to deliver high-quality services, supporting children and widening their life chances while upholding safeguarding standards and collaborative partnerships.

Qualifications

• Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare or equivalent.
• Commitment to trauma-informed practice.
• Ability to work with vulnerable children in residential settings.

Responsibilities

• Meet the needs of vulnerable children and young people in residential homes, aiming to maximise their life chances.
• Build purposeful relationships with children and young people so that interventions bring about change.
• Deliver quality services in partnership with stakeholders within a manageable team workload.
• Apply an evidence-based, trauma-informed approach to practice in line with the council's 'Our Way of Working' model.

Skills

Trauma-informed practice

Interpersonal skills

Teamwork

Communication

Education

Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare

Job description

Several Residential Childcare Worker posts sit within the council's Residential Service, which runs five homes for children aged 6 to 17. The work centres on meeting vulnerable children's needs and widening their life chances through trauma-informed, purposeful relationships. The council plans to open further homes and offers a funded route for unqualified applicants through its Grade 6 trainee posts. Applicants must be 21 or over, hold a Level 3 residential childcare diploma or equivalent, and have the right to work, as sponsorship is not offered.

What the job involves

• Meet the needs of vulnerable children and young people in residential homes, aiming to maximise their life chances
• Build purposeful relationships with children and young people so that interventions bring about change
• Deliver quality services in partnership with stakeholders within a manageable team workload
• Apply an evidence-based, trauma-informed approach to practice in line with the council's 'Our Way of Working' model

What’s required

Qualifications

• Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare or equivalent

Experience

• At least 2 years' experience in children's residential care or equivalent

Checks & eligibility

• Right to work in the UK, as no sponsorship is offered

Other

• Aged 21 or over

Nice to have

• Valid, clean driving licence

What’s offered

• Enhancements of 10% per hour for evenings and 25% per hour for nights and weekends, plus a fixed sleep-in allowance
• 26 days' annual leave, rising to 31 days after five years' continuous local government service
• Three-level career progression programmes with training, induction and regular appraisal
• High-quality supervision and a personal development plan
• Local Government Pension Scheme, with employer contributions currently 23.8%
• Ill health and death-in-service pension benefits after two years' membership
• Working rewards including car and cycle purchase, WorkFit membership, home and electronics purchase schemes and retail discounts
• 24-hour, seven-day employee assistance programme