Residential Practitioner - Children's Residential - Disabilities

Kirklees Council; Heckmondwike, Lower Hopton; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Kirklees Council is seeking passionate Residential Practitioners to support children in residential care. You will work in a dynamic environment helping young people with various needs, ensuring a nurturing and supportive atmosphere while meeting their daily care needs. Positions are available across multiple children’s homes, and training will be provided to help you excel in this rewarding role.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement

Ongoing training and career development

Access to discount schemes

Clinical support from the emotional wellbeing team

Excellent pension scheme

Qualifications

• Experience working with children and young people is essential.
• Understanding issues faced by young people in care and child development.
• Willingness to complete Diploma Level 3 if not already held.

Responsibilities

• Support up to six children with emotional and behavioral needs.
• Work on a rota including days and waking nights.
• Provide personal care and support for children with disabilities.

Skills

Creativity

Emotional resilience

Proactivity

Education

Diploma Level 3 in Residential Childcare

Job description

Residential Practitioner - Children's Residential - Disabilities

We adopt a ‘name blind’ approach to shortlisting. Recruiting managers will not have access to personal information, including your name and contact details, until a shortlisting decision has been made - please note that this also includes any CV uploaded. Equality monitoring information is not accessible by recruiting managers at any stage.

Organisation Kirklees

Directorate Children & Families

Service Area Resources, Improvement & Partnerships

Hours 1 x 30-hours (DAYS), 1 x 30-hours (WAKING NIGHTS)

Number of Jobs 2

Location(s) Children's Homes in Various locations in the Authority (Mirfield & Heckmondwike)

Position type Permanent

Grade 6 - 8

In addition to salary, there are payments of £73.71 for sleep-ins. 7% enhancement for flexible working over 7 days a week. 20% enhancement in addition for waking nights.

The Teams

Working with children and young people is rewarding and exciting - no two days are the same. Our Children’s Homes can accommodate up to four or six young people (dependent upon the service). Our children’s homes provide a high standard of care and support to the young people who live there. Our aspirations for young people are high and therefore we are looking for staff who share that ethos. We have two homes which provide specialist care for children with additional needs. We have four homes which provide care & support for children with emotional, social & behavioural difficulties.

We are looking for proactive, dynamic, creative, and emotionally resilient Residential Practitioners who are passionate about supporting and enabling children and young people to have positive experiences and life chances.

Some children may have experienced trauma or Adverse Childhood Experiences and display behaviours which could challenge and leave them vulnerable to risk or exploitation.

Some of the children you will support may have physical disabilities and have restricted mobility so you will need to be physically able to provide their support. Some of the young people may also present behaviours which can be seen as challenging, and you would be required to positively support and develop these behaviours

Training and support will be provided to enable residential practitioners to meet the needs of the young people.

The Role

Experience of working with children and young people is essential for this role to allow you to build rapport with the children and young people you support.

You will understand the issues faced by young people living in care, attachment, including child development, trauma and how life experiences impact on children and young people’s social and emotional well-being.

Our Children’s home operates 24-hours a day, 7-days a week including weekends and Public Holidays. You will be required to work on a rota basis; day shifts are between 7.00/7.30am and 10pm. Waking night shifts start at 9.30pm and finish at 7.30am. While these roles are to work during the day, some of the homes operate with waking night shifts & the other with sleep ins. Sleep ins are paid at an additional rate and not subjected to contracted hours. You will receive a 7% enhancement for flexible working over a 7-day rota.

For appointment at Grade 7 Residential Practitioner candidates must be in possession of a Diploma Level 3 in Residential Childcare. In the absence of the required qualification candidates will be appointed at Grade 6 and supported to complete their diploma level 3. Staff being qualified to a diploma level 3 is a requirement of the children’s home regulations for the staff who work in our homes. There will be opportunity to progress to a Senior Residential Practitioner, following completion of a development pathway plan at grade 8.

For a full list of the role requirements please see the attached Job Profile.

What can we offer?

• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Friendly and supportive team environment.
• Ongoing training and career development.
• Clinical support from the emotional wellbeing team
• Excellent pension scheme, plus an opportunity to access AVC.
• A range of family friendly policies, including flexible working.
• Access to discount schemes such as Vivup and Blue Light which offer savings with local and national retailers.
• A dedicated employee health care team that offers wellbeing initiatives.
• We offer a wide range of well-being initiatives including a cycle to work scheme and discounted Kirklees Active Leisure membership.

What the team say about the role

“It is a great environment for children who are supported by a very approachable and knowledgeable staff team who are caring & child focused.”

“The home presents as very warm and inviting, every time I have visited, the staff are extremely welcoming and nurturing. The home provides warmth and has a positive feeling about it.”

“The leadership is strong in the home with a strong registered manager & deputy managers and experienced passionate staff team.”

If you have any questions about the role, please contact the residential manager:

Should you wish to speak to a manager about a vacancy, please call our switch board and request to speak to one of the identified registered managers 01484 221000

Interview dates : w/c 14th July 2025

In order to be shortlisted and invited to interview for this role you will be asked the following as part of the application process:

• Please tell us what your experience is in supporting children & young people?
• Please tell us how you would develop positive working relationships with the young people we support?
• This role requires accurate record keeping, why is it important to complete these detailed records and how you could reflect the voice of the child within these records?
• What do you think makes a good or outstanding children’s home?
• If you have a diploma level 3 in children or young people’s social care, please give details of the qualification and the date completed below. If you do not have a qualification, would you be willing to undertake further learning to obtain this?

Jon Peaker is the manager for this role, please contact them on 01484 221000 for an informal discussion, or if you need any more information.

This job is subject to a DBS check at the appropriate level, please refer to the Job Description/Profile. A conviction may not exclude candidates from appointment but will be considered as part of the recruitment process.

We know there’s a wealth of talent among people who have a disability and we encourage applications from people with all differing abilities. So, if you need any support completing an application form, or any other format for the application or Job Description please contact the Recruitment Team for help by email: [e-mail] or phone: [phone] and ask for ‘Recruitment’.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.