Senior Residential Childcare Practitioner

Greenleaf House; Lockerbie; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

29 days holiday entitlements

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) 24

Health cash plan

Nest pension

Meals on shift

Casual dress code

Company-funded qualifications

Job summary

Greenleaf is recruiting a Senior practitioner in Lockerbie to lead a dedicated team. You will deliver therapeutic care in a residential setting, focusing on trauma-informed approaches and high standards of care for young people.

The role involves 14-hour shifts followed by a 10-hour sleepover, working in a 2 day on/3 day off pattern. You’ll benefit from progression opportunities, funding for qualifications, and a comprehensive wellbeing package.

Qualifications

• Experience in a residential children’s home with supervisory duties.
• Excellent communication, teamwork and leadership skills.
• Understanding safeguarding and child protection requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide care and support to children and young people in accordance with policies.
• Supervise and mentor care practitioners supporting the young people.
• Ensure care standards and safe practice are maintained across shifts.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Teamwork

Safeguarding

Crisis intervention

Education

SVQ 3 in social care

HNC in social care

Job description

Lockerbie, United Kingdom | Posted on 30/09/2026

Our mission is to support young people to recover from trauma, live fulfilled lifestyles and engage in lifelong learning to transition on to positive destinations.

Our vision is to be the most trusted therapeutic care and education provider throughout the UK. We trust our staff to help support and nurture our young people to have the best outcomes.

Our difference is that we believe in a holistic approach: that the smallest details can mean a world of difference to a vulnerable young person.

We sweat the small stuff.

Job Description

Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway

From £38,543 to £43,136 OTEplus overtime at time and a half

The Greenleaf Team

We’re looking for peopleto join our team who share our beliefs. We want team members who'llnever give up on our young people, who are compassionate and whobelieve that our young people deserve the best we can give them.

We specialise in soloplacements for young people in care up to the age of 21 and adopt atherapeutic, trauma-informed approach to care. In our work, we upholdGreenleaf’s values of Integrity, Compassion, Excellence,Collaboration, and Respect.

If it’s your ambition tocreate a future filled with hope and optimism for our young people, wewould love to hear from you.

Visit our website formore info: greenleafhouse.co.uk

Role Overview

You will be part of aunique team who will work together to facilitate excellent practiceand shape the development of our Service. As a Senior practitioner,you will lead your team to excellence.

Note: This role involves completing 14-hour shifts followedby a 10-hour sleepover. This is a 2 day on, 3 day off shift pattern.

Our vision is for everyyoung person who lives with us to experience a safe, happy andnurturing present and a future that is filled with hope and optimism.You will contribute to this by ensuring high standards of care and support.

We look after childrenand young people from a variety of backgrounds, who have experiencedtrauma or adverse life experiences and need specialist therapeuticsupport in a small residential setting. To succeed in this role, youwill be compassionate, patient, nurturing, and therapeutic in yourapproach to care. You will believe in and strive for continuousimprovement and professional development both for yourself and foryour team.

The young people in ourhomes are with us 24/7 and deserve a safe and caring environment wherethey can grow and achieve positive outcomes. You will demonstrate adrive for supporting, motivating, supervising and mentoring highperforming teams to ensure that they achieve good outcomes for young people.

You will demonstrateexcellent prioritisation and allocation of high-level needs, includinginvolvement in child protection and outcome focused interventions. Youwill believe in the benefits of a mindful, team approach placing thechild at the centre of the care plan whilst being committed topartnership working by practicing this methodology with all stakeholders.

Our progression pathwaysallow Senior practitioners to benefit from further training andopportunities for progressing onto managerial positions within thecompany. Through this initiative, progression within Greenleaf canoccur quickly, creating a stepping stone to management roles.

With greaterexpectations come greater rewards. If you’re selected to become partof the Greenleaf family, you’ll not only enjoy a salary that’shigher that the sector average, but you’ll also enjoy acomprehensive benefits package, including:

• 29 days holidayentitlement, increasing with every twoyears of service
  
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) with a 24/7wellbeing line and free counselling
  
• Company-funded qualifications and support from an internalassessor – we can deliver SVQ 3 and 4 and HNC in social services
  
• Health Cash Plan, which includes dental andoptical cover, physio therapies, and a 24/7 GP helpline.
  
• Greenleaf For You platform which offers a range ofsavings including discounts, offers, and money back on vouchers
  
• Progression pathways and opportunities to develop and progressin your career
  
• Pension scheme with Nest Pensions
  
• Complementary meals while on shift
  
• Casual dress code
  

The ideal candidate will:

• Possess previous experience of working in a residentialchildren’s home and in a supervisory capacity.
  
• Possess an SVQ 3 and HNC in social care or equivalent.
  
• Demonstrate excellent communication, teamwork, andleadership skills.
  
• Understand safeguarding and child protection.
  
• Have the ability to work shifts, including weekends,sleepovers, and long hours.
  
• Understand the behaviours displayed by childrenand young people and be skilled in a range ofintervention strategies.
  
• Be aware of relevant legislation.
  
• Be trained in crisis and physical intervention.
  

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide care and support to our children and youngpeople in accordance with policies and procedures andparticipate in a mindful, teamwork approach to therapeuticchildcare practice.
  
• Provide a supervisory and mentoring role to carepractitioners supporting the young people.
  
• Ensuring that the care team have the skills, knowledgeand ability to care for children and young people effectively.
  
• Supporting on-call arrangements as a senior memberof the team.
  
• Assisting with management tasks including finance,staffing, recruitment, training and environment.
  
• Contributing to the maintenance and improvement ofcare standards.
  
• Contributing to and completing professional reportswithin agreed timescales.
  
• Contributing to the assessment process for youngpeople and the delivery of support programmes,working together with your team.
  
• Ensuring quality recording of information inaccordance with policies and regulations.
  
• Working within a shift system including night orsleepover duty.
  
• Undertaking health and safety checks and othersafety/security checks as necessary.
  
• Participating in on-going training and development tomaintain and build your professional skills.
  
• Implementing de-escalation and physicalintervention strategies as necessary and appropriate inline with mandatory training.
  
• Promoting young people’s participation, to ensure theyare actively involved in the environment and day to dayactivities of the home.
  
• Being fully aware of child protection issues andunderstanding the principles of safeguardingyoung people, staff and self.
  
• Fully understanding the emergency call out procedures ofthe house.
  
• Promoting structure, boundaries and domesticroutines within the house.
  
• Participating in and completing records forstatutory reviews and meetings concerning the young people.
  
• Contributing to the maintenance of a safe, hygienic andclean environment.
  

The nature ofresidential work is varied and, in many instances, unpredictable.All staff are therefore expected to work in a flexible way and tasksthat have not been covered in the job description have to be undertaken.

Senior practitioners areexpected to conduct themselves professionally and adhere to GreenleafPolicies and Procedures. They must successfully complete induction andongoing training.

The Company reserves theright to vary duties and responsibilities at any time.

Requirements

To be considered for thisposition, you must:

• Have significant experience of working in a residentialchildren’s home.
  
• Possess an SVQ 3 and HNC in social care or otherrelevant subject.
  
• Be eligible for SSSC registration and PVG membership forwork with children and adults.
  
• Be able to work shifts including evenings, sleepovers, and weekends.
  
• Possess excellent communication and teamwork skills.
  
• Understand safeguarding and child protection.
  

Greenleaf offers acomprehensive wellbeing package, including EAP with a 24/7 wellbeingline and free counselling sessions, a health cash plan, with dentaland optical cover, physio therapies, and a 24/7 GP helpline, and aGreenleaf For You platform, which gives you access to a wide rangeof discounts and savings.

You will also haveaccess to a wide range of development opportunities andcompany-funded qualifications. At Greenleaf we believe inprogression, we look after our staff so that they can focus oncaring for our young people.