Residential Childcare Practitioner

Job Title: Residential Childcare Practitioner

Location: Reading

Salary: £23,088 - £25,974 per annum

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time

About Us:

At Positive Footsteps we aim to create a safe and nurturing environment; enabling children and young people to recover from past trauma and grow to achieve their full potential. We provide an outstanding quality of care for a child/ young person or sibling group, who, for whatever reason, are unable to live with their own families.

About The Role:

We are looking for a Residential Childcare Practitioner to join our new 4 bed home in Reading. The home can be a complex and challenging environment, so we need determined, resilient people to offer unconditional care and commitment to our children. Joining Positive Footsteps is a unique opportunity as you can play a pivotal role in being part of the growth and development of a brand-new Children's Home organisation.

We would welcome applications from both qualified, experienced Childcare workers and unqualified individuals who would like a change in direction. We require candidates that believe they have the attributes to offer children who have experienced trauma and abuse, a safe, consistent and non-judgemental, caring approach. We are looking for someone who displays attitudes and behaviours in line with our company values.

Help us to make our house 'their home'!

If you hold a level 3 qualification - we may have a more senior role available.

Applicants Should Have:

• A genuine commitment to engaging with children who have challenging behaviour and complex history
• The ability to create positive relationships with the children, meeting their needs and safeguarding them at all times
• Ability to react calmly in stressful situations
• Empathy and understanding, ensuring the children's views and wishes are heard and communicated
• The ability to be a good role model
• High personal and professional standards
• Flexibility to undertake shift work including weekends and bank holidays, and occasional sleep-ins
• Initiative and ability to work autonomously whilst considering risk
• Personal resilience
• The ability to maintain administrative records as required by the organisation
• A willingness to arrange and engage in social activities and holidays, our children ask for adults who can have 'fun'

We are looking for someone with:

• Energy and enthusiasm
• Able to demonstrate the ability to engage with children, ideally in a similar environment
• Experience of working with young people that have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties (desirable)
• NVQ Level 3 in Children and Young People Workforce (or willingness to complete)
• Full, clean UK Driving Licence (Preferred)
• Ability to work shifts and sleep ins

A full list of responsibilities will be shared at point of interest.

Working hours include evenings, weekends, and bank holidays.

You will also be expected to undertake regular 'sleeping-in' duties, on average 1 -2 per week after an initial induction period, for which an additional allowance is paid (£50 per sleep in).

Benefits include:

• Entitlement to 28 days' annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays)
• Progressive pay scale
• Referral programme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Paid Training, including additional training to support progression
• Enrolment into the NEST Pension scheme
• Staff incentives, achievement awards

All candidates will be subject to Safer Recruitment and DBS checks.

Please click the APPLY button to submit your CV for this role.

Candidates with experience or relevant job titles of; Social Worker, Support Worker, Enabler, Carer, Care Management, Care Support Worker, Support Coordinator, Support Manager, Care Coordinator, Social Worker, Guidance Councillor, Young Persons Advisor, Youth Worker, Youth Support, Support Assistant, Mental Health Support, Support, Residential Care Worker, Care Assistant, Recovery Social Worker, Recovery Support Worker, Care Worker, Senior Support Assistant, Care Helper, Healthcare Assistant, Residential Care Support and Social Care may also be considered for this role.