Youth Practitioner - Level 1

Dorset Council; Wimborne Minster; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Dorset Council in Wimborne is seeking a Youth Practitioner to support children and young people, including those with disabilities, in a short break setting and, in time, outreach support in families' homes.

You will work with a small team, align with core values, and contribute to a nurturing environment that helps each child reach their potential.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children and families.
• Qualified with Level 3 Diploma in Childcare or Level 4 Therapeutic Certificate in Childcare.
• Willing to complete Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare within two years.

Responsibilities

• Support young people with daily lives and activities, promoting community participation and social inclusion.
• Form and maintain positive relationships with children, young people, families and partner agencies.
• Provide opportunities for disabled children to flourish and reach their potential.
• Collaborate with the team around the child and adapt to an inclusive, aspirational ethos.

Skills

Safeguarding

Trauma-informed care

Behaviour management

First aid

Education

Level 3 Diploma in Childcare

Level 4 Therapeutic Certificate in Childcare

Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare

Job description

About the role

Dorset is committed to creating environments for our children and young people to thrive. This is an exciting opportunity to join our new service as a Youth Practitioner based in the Wimborne area providing care and support to children and young people initially in a short break setting working within a small staff team and in the future, additionally providing much needed outreach support to children and families in their own homes.

The priorities for our Dorset children are; that they stay in Dorset, which is the best place for them to live, that they are given the best start in life through good care provision and the best education and training opportunities, which enable them to thrive and be the best they can be.

The role of youth practitioner is to ensure a safe and nurturing environment in which children and young people with disabilities are supported to reach their potential.

We are aspirational for our staff team as well as our children and you will be joining a supportive and inclusive council who will provide nurture and invest in you to enable you to thrive in your job.

Dorset has a comprehensive training programme which supports your professional growth and development. Whether you're experienced or just starting out, we will equip you with the skills, confidence, and qualifications to succeed.

We invest in your long-term development with a training offer that's comprehensive, accredited, and tailored to you:

Professional qualifications

• fully funded Level 3 Diploma in Childcare or the nationally recognised Level 4 Therapeutic Certificate in Childcare
• support with Maths & English if needed

Core skills & induction

• structured onboarding programme to help you settle in
• safeguarding, trauma-informed care, and behaviour management
• first aid and health & safety

Ongoing development

• monthly reflective supervision and peer learning
• access to e-learning, workshops, and specialist courses
• specialist training in therapeutic care and attachment
• deep dive into child development and neurodiversity

Career Progression

• clear routes to Senior Youth Practitioner and Team Leader roles
• leadership programmes, coaching, and mentoring

What you can expect to be doing:

• you will be passionate and aspirational in supporting young people, share our core values and celebrate differences.
• you will support young people with their day to day lives, activities and promote community participation and social inclusion, as well as helping children develop life skills.
• you will be a naturally caring person who can form and maintain positive relationships with our children, young people and families, as well as partner agencies and allocated social workers who form a team around the child.
• you will be ambitious for our children, creative and passion to ensure children and young people who are disabled are supported to achieve the best outcomes and provide them with the opportunities to flourish.

Skills and qualities we appreciate:

• You will be a kind and caring person with a passion for improving lives, be ambitious for our children and flexible and creative in approach.
• You will be able to work independently and as part of a team and are flexible in the approach so we can creatively individually support to each child, as well as work together to find solutions.
• You must also have some experience working with children and families.

Further Information

You must be able to work evenings, weekends and bank holidays, the role requires the applicant to work a three week rolling rota alongside other colleagues in the team.

You must also hold, or be happy to work towards the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare, to be completed within two years of employment.

This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed.

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.

See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.

See our adult safeguarding policy.

The friends and family referral scheme applies to this post. If an employee recommended this post to you, mention them when asked on your application form.

About Us

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

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At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.