Cook / Chef - Children's Homes

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, accepting of all, and free from discrimination and bias.

About Us: We offer a warm, family-style short breaks provision for children aged 5-18 years, providing individualised care tailored to each child's needs. Our well-established home is a safe place where children can flourish, be individual, and feel secure. You could be a key part of this much-loved service.

What Makes Us Exceptional?

• Family Atmosphere: Our home truly feels like home - offering a sense of wellbeing and genuine care.
• Your Voice Matters: Our strategy is shaped by the views and experiences of both our children and our carers - you'll help set the standards of excellence.
• Career Growth: We offer outstanding opportunities for training, development, and progression within our service.

What Our Children Say: We regularly ask our children how they want to be cared for, and they've told us that:

• They want to be fully listened to and respected as individuals.
• They want to feel safe in a supportive environment.
• They value help to reach their full potential, develop independence, build strong relationships, and stay connected to familiar people, places, and schools.
• Above all, they wish to make lasting, happy memories with caring adults who won't give up on them.

By joining our team, you'll play a vital role in delivering exactly what our children have asked for.

Our Values: In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled, and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do.

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

What is the job role? Broad Park House is a residential short break home for children with a learning disability and additional needs. We are looking for a cook to join our team to prepare, produce, and present good quality healthy meals for our children. You would be required to cook for a maximum of 8 people per day, which may include children with dietary/cultural requirements. Part of your role would be to order, store, budget, and prepare meals required for the home and children who spend their short break with us.

Please Note: This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Who are we looking for? Are you passionate about making a positive impact and ready for a role where every day brings new opportunities to inspire, support, and engage with our children? We want to hear from you! We're searching for dedicated, compassionate, and motivated individuals who truly care and want to become part of our vibrant and forward-thinking team. Whether you have experience in formal catering or simply enjoy developing and implementing a wide variety of healthy menus for a large family group, your commitment to making a difference is what matters most.

Important Information:

• Working hours: This role is 19.25 hours per week on average, calculated across the year. Please note that hours will fluctuate week to week in line with service requirements and may exceed 20 hours in a given week.
• Working Pattern: Days, evenings, and weekends, on a fortnightly rota, 7 days on followed by 7 days off.
• Right to Work: All candidates must have the correct Right to Work in the UK to meet the requirements of the role. We are currently not offering sponsorship for this role.
• Visa restrictions: Due to the variable nature of the hours, this role is not suitable for applicants who have a visa restricting them to a maximum of 20 hours' work per week.

Applications: As part of the process and to meet the requirements of Schedule 2 of the Children's Homes Regulations 2015, you will need to provide us with your full work history since leaving school and identify any gaps in employment.

Interview dates: 17-Jun-26

For role-related queries or additional information please email childrenshomeshr@coventry.gov.uk. If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme: As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care.
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition.

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'. If there is any evidence of a candidate using AI to complete their application, then the application will be rejected unless the candidate can provide a justification which the Council considers to be reasonable.

About Coventry: Coventry has a proud, innovative, and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change. We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant, and diverse. At Coventry, we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together, and find better ways of doing things. To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities. If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package.