A rare leadership opportunity in a truly unique setting. Maple House isn’t just another children’s home, it’s a nationally rare transitional service supporting young people aged 12–18 as they step down from secure care at Aycliffe Secure Centre. Here, young people stay for 6 to 9 months, rebuilding their lives and preparing for a stable future in supported accommodation, registered homes, or back with their families. This is your chance to lead a team that transforms lives, and to be part of something extraordinary. As a Senior Residential Worker, you’ll be at the heart of Maple House’s vision, driving forward the values and direction set by the Registered Manager. You’ll lead, supervise, and inspire a dedicated team, ensuring that every young person receives the highest standard of trauma-informed care. You won’t just manage, you’ll mentor, guide, and shape the culture of the home. You’ll be the bridge between strategy and practice, helping your team deliver life-changing support through strong relationships, consistency, and compassion. Lead with purpose: You’ll be a key figure in helping young people transition from secure care to independence. Shape futures: Your leadership will directly influence outcomes for vulnerable young people. Drive excellence: You’ll uphold and model outstanding standards under the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015. Build relationships: You’ll work closely with families, carers, professionals, and your team to create a cohesive support network. We’re not just looking for experience, we’re looking for visionaries. People who bring: Resilience and emotional intelligence Leadership with heart and integrity A passion for making a difference The ability to inspire and empower others If you’ve led teams, supported young people, and want to take your career to the next level in a setting that truly matters, this is the role for you. This is a hands-on leadership position. You’ll work flexible shifts, including weekends, bank holidays, and sleep-ins, averaging 37 hours per week between 7:00am and 11:00pm. You’ll be present, visible, and actively involved in the day-to-day life of the home. Maple House is more than a workplace, it’s a place where leadership meets impact, and where your skills can change lives. If you’re ready to take on a role that challenges, inspires, and rewards in equal measure, we want to hear from you. Please contact Natalie.Mulholland2@durham.gov.uk to arrange a discussion. Interviews are anticipated to be held on 12 and 13 January 2026. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran. OUR OFFER TO YOU We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions. EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process. HOW TO APPLY Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted. For guidance on completing your application, visit our website If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email RecruitmentCYPS@durham.gov.uk All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates CONNECT WITH US Follow us on Instagram Like us on Facebook Visit our website. VPRS/161