Residential Social Services officer

Portsmouth City Council; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a compassionate individual to provide day-to-day care for young people aged 8 to 14 with complex needs. This role involves building relationships with children, collaborating with professionals, and ensuring their safety and well-being. The ideal candidate will possess strong communication skills, a driving license, and a willingness to adapt to changing workloads. Join a dedicated team committed to making a difference in the lives of vulnerable young people, and enjoy the opportunity to contribute to their future outcomes in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Supportive team environment

Professional development opportunities

Employee assistance program

Qualifications

• Experience in engaging and building relationships with children.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and make sound decisions.

Responsibilities

• Interact and care for children with complex needs daily.
• Collaborate with professionals to manage care and risk.

Skills

Effective engagement with children

Good listening skills

Excellent communication skills

Decision-making skills

Flexibility in adapting to workloads

Education

Diploma at Level 3

Verifiable pass in English and Maths

Tools

Client database software

IT skills for writing reports

Job description

The White House

The White House is a three bedroom home for young people aged 8 - 14 and accommodates both male and female residents on a planned admission basis.

The Role:

You will be responsible for the day to day interaction and care of up to three children with a range of complex needs. You will work alongside children by helping them to achieve their specific individual needs and improving their future outcomes. You will be expected to apply relevant legislation, policies, procedures and guidance relating to residential child care.

Responsibilities include:

• You will work alongside other professionals, for example, schools and therapists, to provide a consistent team approach to manage care & risk.
• Attend meetings with children or represent the team at meetings.
• You will be required to input information into the client database and carry out other related administrative tasks.
• You will also be expected to attend and contribute towards team meetings.
• With support from a senior staff member (sometimes on call, not physically present), you will make sound judgements in the moment concerning safeguarding and general safety and wellbeing. These decisions must be within policy and practice and justifiable, demonstrating high standards of care.

The ideal candidate:

You will need to have/be:

• Be able to effectively engage and build relationships with children. Have an understanding of the issues and pressures affecting children today.
• Have good listening skills and be able to remain calm and focussed when working under pressure.
• Have excellent communication skills as you will be required to liaise with other agencies, parents, colleagues, and children.
• Be willing to use your initiative and make decisions around the needs of children on a day to day basis.
• Be flexible in being able to adapt to changing workloads of the team.
• A driving license is required.
• A verifiable pass is required in English and Maths. Have good written/IT skills in order to write contact sheets and reports.
• A Diploma at Level 3 would be an advantage or a willingness to work towards it is essential.

Please see the Job profile for the full details of this role.

Application process:

We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered.

As part of your application, we ask that you complete a personal statement. This statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person' points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work/personal experience.

We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal.

You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.

Please note we reserve the right to close the advert early if we have a successful applicant.

About Portsmouth City Council:

What we can offer you:

Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.

Read more about working at Portsmouth City Council and our benefits on our careers portal homepage: Careers Portal - Find jobs with Portsmouth City Council.

Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

DBS Disclosure at Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures.

Should you require any support in completing the application form, please contact [e-mail] or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616800.