Senior Residential Childcare Practitioner58pa to start, with a rise after successful 6-month probationContract Type: Permanent5 hours per week (inclusive of sleep-ins), 3-week rolling rota
We’re working with a forward-thinking, therapeutic children’s home in Derby who are looking for a committed Senior Residential Care Practitioner to join their team. If you’ve got real experience in residential childcare, know what it means to build trust with young people, and can lead by example in often challenging environments, this could be a brilliant opportunity.
The home supports young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD), many of whom have faced significant disruptions in their lives, be it family breakdown, instability in foster placements, or trauma.
As a Senior Practitioner, you’ll provide nurturing, high-quality care and be a key part of the young person’s support network. You’ll also have responsibility for leading shifts, supporting other staff, and contributing to the safe, consistent running of the home. You’ll take the lead on care plans, risk assessments, and be a reliable point of contact for the young people in your care.
Leading shifts and supporting a small, committed staff teamSafeguarding young people and implementing individual risk management plansSupporting daily routines including school runs, appointments, family contact and activitiesBeing a keyworker and taking ownership of care planning and outcomesTaking part in regular supervision, completing required training and qualificationsProviding hands-on care including cooking, cleaning and day-to-day responsibilitiesYou’ll already have at least two years’ experience in a residential childcare setting and will have managed or supported staff during shifts. You’re naturally calm under pressure, able to maintain boundaries, and understand how your behaviour influences the young people you support.
Holds a Level 3 or 4 diploma in Residential Childcare or Children, Young People and Families PractitionerHas at least 2 years of experience working with children in residential or transferable youth support settingsHas experience managing teams or leading shiftsIs emotionally intelligent, patient and committed to trauma-informed careHas a full, clean UK driving licence (this is essential for the role)Shift pattern and working hours:You’ll be working on a 3-week rolling rota , averaging 10 shifts per month (including sleep-ins), totalling 244.Shifts are 08:00 to 23:00 with a sleep-in, then half-hour handover the next morning (08:00–08:30). This structure allows for proper rest between shifts and a clear, consistent rhythm in the home.
A therapeutic, relational approach to careAn opportunity to genuinely make a long-term difference in the lives of young people
If you’re ready to take the next step in your residential childcare career and want to work in a home where young people and the staff who support them are genuinely valued, we’d love to hear from you….