Youth Development & Engagement Lead - Residential in London

Dwelling Places Homes LTD is a growing, values-led residential care provider creating safe, supportive and nurturing environments for children and young people. We are not interested in providing care that only sounds good in policies. We want our values to be seen in the daily life of the home — in the way staff speak to young people, respond to distress, plan meaningful activities, support education, manage risk and create a genuine sense of belonging.

We are looking for a passionate, ambitious and emotionally intelligent Youth Development & Engagement Lead to join our growing team in South East London. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants more than a job title. We are looking for someone who wants to help shape the culture of a home, develop staff practice, create meaningful opportunities for young people and contribute to transforming lives and improving futures, relentlessly.

About us: Dwelling Places Homes LTD provides personalised care, support and housing solutions for children and young people. We focus on holistic care, emotional wellbeing, safeguarding, education, independence, personal growth and positive life outcomes. Our approach is person-centred, trauma-informed and rooted in strong relationships. We work closely with local authorities, schools, families, communities and partner agencies to ensure young people receive consistent, joined-up support.

As a growing organisation, we are looking for staff who want to grow with us. We value reflection, integrity, inclusion, respect, professional curiosity and continuous improvement.

About the role: As Youth Development & Engagement Lead, you will play a key role in supporting the day-to-day running of the residential setting while leading on youth development, engagement, keywork, independence skills and emotional wellbeing. You will provide direct support to young people, while also supervising, coaching and mentoring support staff to ensure care is consistent, purposeful and emotionally attuned.

This role requires someone who can combine warmth with structure, creativity with accountability, and ambition with strong safeguarding practice. You will need to be confident working with young people who may have experienced trauma, instability, disrupted relationships and complex life circumstances. You will help ensure that young people are not simply “looked after”, but actively supported to build confidence, resilience, life skills, positive relationships and hope for the future.

Key responsibilities

• Build trusting, professional relationships with young people.
• Support young people’s emotional, social and personal development.
• Lead purposeful keywork systems, ensuring sessions are planned, recorded and outcome-focused.
• Plan and deliver life skills sessions that promote independence, confidence and wellbeing.
• Support young people to engage in education, training, employment and community opportunities.
• Develop creative, structured recreational, cultural and enrichment activities.
• Promote positive routines, healthy boundaries and consistent expectations within the home.
• Use trauma-informed, restorative and PACE-informed approaches to support young people.
• Respond to behavioural challenges with empathy, structure, emotional regulation and clear boundaries.
• Support the development and review of support plans, risk assessments and outcome-focused care planning.
• Champion youth voice, participation and consultation within the home.

Leadership and staff development

• Supervise, coach and support residential staff in delivering high-quality care.
• Provide day-to-day shift oversight and guidance.
• Conduct regular staff supervisions, informal check-ins and performance conversations.
• Support staff induction, probation and ongoing professional development.
• Model high standards of care, communication, recording and professional conduct.
• Lead reflective practice discussions and promote a learning culture.
• Address practice or performance concerns appropriately and escalate where required.
• Support staff to understand young people’s behaviour through a trauma-informed and relational lens.

Safeguarding, compliance and quality assurance

• Contribute to safeguarding procedures and ensure concerns are identified, recorded and escalated appropriately.
• Maintain accurate, timely and high-quality records in line with organisational and regulatory expectations.
• Oversee daily and weekly health and safety checks, including fire safety, environmental checks, room checks and maintenance reporting.
• Monitor incident reports, keywork records, daily logs and care planning documentation for quality and consistency.
• Complete internal audits across areas such as safeguarding, health and safety, keywork, recording and care planning.
• Support management with continuous service improvement and inspection readiness.
• Identify areas for development and help implement improvements in staff practice.

Partnership and multi-agency working

• Build positive working relationships with social workers, schools, virtual schools, therapists, families and other professionals.
• Attend and contribute to meetings such as PEPs, placement reviews, strategy meetings and professional discussions.
• Advocate for young people so their needs, views and wishes are understood and acted upon.
• Communicate professionally and effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively to ensure young people receive consistent, joined-up support.

Essential criteria

• NVQ/QCF Level 3 in Children and Young People’s Workforce, Residential Childcare, Health and Social Care, or equivalent — or be willing to work towards this.
• At least 2 years’ experience supporting young people in residential care, supported accommodation, youth work, education or a similar setting.
• Experience delivering structured keywork, life skills work, youth development activities or educational support.
• Experience supporting, mentoring or supervising staff, either formally or informally.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, professional boundaries and risk management.
• Understanding of trauma-informed practice, emotional regulation and behaviour support.
• Excellent communication, organisation and record-keeping skills.
• Good basic IT skills, including email, digital recording systems and online documentation.
• Emotional intelligence, resilience and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and shift patterns as required.
• Willingness to travel to our homes across South London and surrounding areas.
• The right to work in the UK.
• Enhanced DBS check, or willingness to obtain one.

Desirable criteria

• Supervisory or mentoring experience in a care setting.
• Experience in residential childcare or supported accommodation.
• Relevant Level 4 qualification or willingness to work towards one.
• CPD in youth work, mental health, restorative practice, education support, safeguarding or therapeutic approaches.
• Experience working with young people with trauma, attachment needs, SEND, emotional dysregulation or complex needs.
• Full UK driving licence.

Personal qualities

• Passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people.
• Ambitious, proactive and solution-focused.
• Warm, relational and emotionally available.
• Confident leading staff while remaining approachable and supportive.
• Reflective and open to feedback.
• Calm under pressure and able to model emotional regulation.
• Organised, reliable and professionally curious.
• Able to balance nurture, structure and accountability.
• Committed to doing the work properly, not just talking about values.
• Excited by the opportunity to grow with a new and ambitious organisation.

Working pattern

• This is an on-site role and will require flexibility in line with the needs of the home. The role may include:
• Weekday shifts.
• Evening work.
• Weekend work.
• Occasional sleep-ins or shift cover where required.
• Attendance at meetings, training and supervision.
• Travel across South London and surrounding areas.

Benefits

• We value our staff and are committed to their continued professional development. Benefits include:
• Smart casual dress.
• Company events.
• Free parking.
• Birthday voucher.
• Pension scheme.
• Career development scheme.
• £50 referral bonus.
• Entertainment benefits.
• Exclusive discounts.
• Ongoing training and development.
• Opportunity to grow with a developing, values-led organisation.

Safer recruitment

Dwelling Places Homes LTD is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All applicants will be subject to safer recruitment checks, including references, right to work checks and an Enhanced DBS disclosure.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and value diversity within our workforce.

If you are passionate about youth development, confident supporting staff practice and serious about making a difference in the lives of young people, we would love to hear from you. Join Dwelling Places Homes LTD and help us transform lives and improve futures, relentlessly.