Residential Practitioner - Maximum 2 bed Children's home
Location: Droylsden & Newton Heath Manchester
Job title: Senior Children's Residential Support Worker
Earnings: £15.50 per hour
Hours: Full Time (plus £50 sleep-in)
Shift pattern: Varies to meet the needs of the home, usually two on four off.
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced, reflective, and values-led Senior Residential Support Worker / Team Leader to support the day-to-day running of our therapeutic children's home. This role is pivotal in holding the emotional tone of the home, modelling best practice, and supporting staff to deliver consistent, trauma-informed care.
Our home operates within the PACE Model of Care, developed by Dan Hughes, recognising that children's behaviours are rooted in lived experiences, attachment disruption, and unmet emotional needs. As a Senior, you will lead by example, responding to challenge with calm authority, curiosity, empathy, and consistency, while maintaining clear boundaries and high standards of care.
Key Responsibilities
As a Senior Residential Support Worker / Team Leader, you will:
Leadership & Practice
* Act as a positive role model for therapeutic, PACE-informed practice
* Support the Residential Manager in maintaining a safe, stable, and nurturing home environment
* Lead shifts, ensuring routines, boundaries, and care plans are followed consistently
* Provide in-the-moment guidance and support to staff during challenging situations
* Help staff reflect on practice and understand behaviour as communication
Therapeutic Care
* Build and sustain secure, trusting relationships with children and young people
* Support young people to feel emotionally contained, safe, and understood
* Respond to behaviours with empathy and curiosity, while maintaining structure and safety
* Promote emotional regulation, resilience, and positive identity development
Staff Support & Development
* Mentor and support Residential Support Workers, including new starters
* Contribute to staff inductions, modelling boundaries and therapeutic approaches
* Share best practice and encourage reflective, learning-focused team culture
* Support supervision preparation and contribute to probationary reviews
Operational Responsibilities
* Support with care planning, risk assessments, and safeguarding processes
* Ensure accurate recording and reporting in line with policy and regulation
* Liaise with external professionals, including psychologists and therapeutic services
* Support young people to attend appointments, education, and leisure activities
* Undertake practical duties including cooking, household tasks, and shared activities
Our Ethos
While this is your place of work, it is the children's home. As a Senior, you will play a key role in ensuring the environment remains:
* Warm, predictable, and family-like
* Emotionally safe and attuned
* Structured yet nurturing
* Consistent across staff and shifts
Induction, Support & Development
You will receive ongoing support from the Residential Manager and wider leadership team, including:
* Advanced PACE-informed training and reflective practice
* Regular supervision and leadership support
* Opportunities to develop leadership skills and progress within the organisation
Essential Requirements
* NVQ Level 3/4 Diploma in Residential Childcare (minimum)
* Experience working in a children's residential setting with complex needs
* Demonstrable ability to manage and respond to challenging behaviour therapeutically
* Confidence in leading shifts and supporting staff practice
* Ability to work flexibly across shift patterns, including sleep-ins
* A strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting positive outcomes
* Full UK Driving Licence
* Right to work in the United Kingdom
Desirable Criteria
* Working towards or willingness to complete NVQ Level 4 or 5
* Experience mentoring or supervising staff
* Strong reflective and emotional intelligence skills
* Confidence working alongside psychologists and therapeutic professionals
Personal Qualities
* Calm, emotionally regulated, and reflective
* Consistent, fair, and nurturing
* Confident decision-maker with a child-centred focus
* Able to balance empathy with authority
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £15.50 per hour
Benefits:
* Company pension
* On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:
* Droylsden M43 6AJ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
* Residential Childcare: 1 year (required)
* Support Environment: 1 year (required)
Licence/Certification:
* Driving Licence (required)
* NVQ Level 3/4/5 Diploma (required)
Work Location: In person