Senior Residential Childcare Workers

About the team

Hertfordshire County Council has its own residential service for children, consisting of 7 homes, including 2 very specialist homes, 1 disability home, and the rest mainstream multi-bedded homes. All homes currently hold Ofsted ratings of good or outstanding. As a senior, you form part of the leadership of the home and ensure the needs of the home and young people are met and maintained at the highest possible level. Each home is made up of a Registered Manager, Deputy, Senior Residential Childcare Workers, Residential Childcare Workers, cleaners, and home administrators. As a Senior within the residential service, there will be times you are asked to support other homes.

About the role

Below are some of the things you could say about your role on a day-to-day basis working in our Residential Care homes:

• “It’s the best job in the World”
• “The work-life balance is brilliant”
• “I am at home more than I am at work - both families benefit”
• “Thanks for running me a bath” - is what made me smile today - win/win

If you really want to make a difference to a young person’s life, then read on… It is hard to put a job title on a role where you are a mentor, teacher, coach, deliverer of parental guidance, role model, therapist, councillor, and family liaison, often all in the same day. Daily, you will be liaising with a host of individuals and services, from our young person’s family to schools and education authorities, social workers, police, and a whole range of other internal and external contacts.

The essence of the role is to support, almost as an extension of the family, one young person to help them develop into adulthood as effectively as possible, establishing routine, boundaries, and consistency in a calm, non-judgemental manner. You will work with children and young people who display challenging behaviour due to early life trauma. No two days are the same in our Residential Service - on your working days, you could be taking your young person horse riding, painting, for a drive, for a walk, out shopping, or attending virtual schools. You will support children to achieve and grow through positive experiences.

“You are there when I rise, when I eat, when I play, and you are there to put me to bed at the end of my day.” Our commitment to young people in our care is to be there around the clock for them. As part of your role, you will complete relevant paperwork and work within relevant legislation. You will be part of a team working on a shift/rota basis; you will work together with the rest of the team, and your senior, to organise this in advance. Due to the nature of our care, there may be occasions where you need to swap shifts, and working together with your team we can achieve this flexibility.

As a Senior Residential Childcare Worker, you would need to do the following:

• Shift work including evenings, weekends, bank holidays, and sleep-in duties.
• Lead and manage shifts.
• Plan weekly activities for the young people.
• Ensure the home is working to the regulations.
• Line manage and supervise Residential Childcare Workers (RCWs).
• Train and develop RCWs.
• Report writing.
• Undertake specialist training for the role.
• Oversee the children’s files, ensuring all documentation is up to date and relevant.
• Manage incidents.
• Maintain the safety of the young people, staff, and home.
• Manage and report safeguarding concerns in line with policy and procedure.

About you

Essential:

• Minimum 9/12 months experience of working in residential children’s homes.
• Hold NVQ level 4 Health & Social Care.
• Hold a full driving licence and business insurance.
• Willingness to undertake shift work.

Desirable:

• Staff supervision.
• Attending/leading meetings with key stakeholders.
• Working with families.