Residential Practitioner- Children's Home

Gloucestershire County Council; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in Gloucester is seeking passionate individuals to provide high-quality care and support to children in new residential homes. Candidates should have a Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare or be committed to achieving it. The role requires resilience, strong communication skills, and the ability to work flexible hours. The council is committed to professional development and offers ongoing training to staff.

Qualifications

• Passionate about supporting children and young people to thrive.
• Willing to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.
• Experience in a residential or care setting is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality, personalized care to children and young people.
• Promote a trauma-informed approach to care.
• Encourage positive behaviour and support young people’s development.

Skills

Empathy

Communication

Teamwork

Resilience

Education

Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England)

Tools

DBS clearance

Job description

Overview

We are looking for individuals who are passionate and who share our deep commitment to ensuring that every child, especially our most vulnerable, receives the care, love, and support they need to thrive. If you share our vision about making a lasting difference in the lives of children and young people, we want you to join us in this transformative journey. We are opening new children’s homes with specific purposes: a small home for short-term care to help younger children transition to foster care or return home; a larger home for older children with a plan of long-term residential care and supported accommodation studios to aid independence; and a third home to support older children with a step-down plan from residential care to foster care or a return home. We are committed to supporting our staff in delivering the highest quality of care, with regular input from two Children and Mental Health clinicians and an Advanced Practitioner who leads residential training strategies for professional development.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality, personalized care to children and young people in a residential setting.
• Promote a trauma-informed approach to care, using your understanding of each child\'s individual needs and experiences.
• Encourage positive behaviour and support young people in developing life skills, emotional resilience, and independence.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to deliver tailored care plans, ensuring the safety, welfare, and well-being of every child.
• Build positive relationships with the children, their families, and other professionals involved in their care.
• Manage challenging behaviours calmly and professionally, applying therapeutic techniques to support children through difficult times.
• Help children engage in education, recreational activities, and personal development opportunities.
• Support the daily operations of the home, ensuring compliance with safeguarding and regulatory requirements.
• Hours and pay: Any hours worked between 20:00 and 06:00, weekends and bank holidays attract an unsociable payment over and above the basic salary for this post.

What we are looking for

• Passionate about supporting children and young people to thrive.
• Resilient, empathetic, and patient, with strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Able to build trust and positive relationships with children who may have experienced trauma.
• Willing to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and sleep-ins.
• Committed to professional development and continuous learning.
• Experience working in a residential or care setting is desirable but not essential. Full training will be provided, along with opportunities for ongoing development.

Qualifications and requirements

• Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) or an equivalent qualification, or a commitment to achieving the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare within two years of commencing employment if not already held.
• A full driving licence and willingness to drive
• DBS clearance

About Gloucestershire Children\'s Services

Gloucestershire Children\'s Services are improving. Our latest Ofsted inspection (February 2022) identified significant progress in many areas. We are a local authority adopting systemic social work practice and training colleagues to work relationally with families to enable children to thrive. Guided by the principle of "right child, right support, right time, every time," the service is built on values of kindness, respect and fairness. The workforce is skilled, collaborative and courageous, delivering evidence-based help and advocating boldly for children\'s futures. Ofsted rated us as Good with elements of Outstanding.