Residential Support Worker in Chatham

We are looking for a warm, caring and motivated person to join our team at Clifton House, which is an Ofsted-regulated children’s residential home. As a Therapeutic Practitioner, you will play an important role in creating a safe, nurturing and positive home environment for the children and young people in our care. Our young people may have learning disabilities, additional needs and behaviours that can sometimes be challenging. They need adults around them who are patient, resilient, dependable and genuinely interested in helping them grow. This is much more than simply supervising young people or completing daily tasks. We want practitioners who can build meaningful relationships, notice the small things that matter and help young people experience a positive and fulfilling childhood.

The Job Role

Every young person is different, and no two days in a children’s home are exactly the same. We are particularly looking for people who are proactive, creative and confident using their own initiative. You might organise an activity based on a young person’s interests, suggest a spontaneous trip to the park, find a new way to help someone develop a life skill, create a game at home, support a hobby, or simply recognise when a young person needs some one-to-one time. You will be encouraged to bring your own ideas, interests and personality to the role while working within each young person’s care plan and the home’s therapeutic approach.

As a Therapeutic Practitioner, you will:

• Provide high-quality day-to-day care, emotional support and guidance to children and young people.
• Help create a warm and welcoming home where young people feel safe, valued and listened to.
• Plan and take part in activities, hobbies, outings and experiences based around young people’s interests and individual needs.
• Use your initiative to find new and engaging ways of helping young people participate, learn and enjoy themselves based on their interests and needs.
• Support young people to develop independence and everyday life skills appropriate to their age and abilities.
• Encourage young people to engage positively with education, learning and personal development.
• Complete meaningful key-work sessions and support young people to work towards their individual goals.
• Support young people to maintain positive relationships with family members and other important people in their lives, where appropriate.
• Recognise changes in a young person’s behaviour or wellbeing and respond appropriately.
• Respond calmly and professionally to behaviours that challenge, using positive behaviour support and approved de-escalation techniques.
• Follow individual care plans, risk assessments and behaviour support plans.
• Maintain accurate, clear and professional records of the support provided.
• Follow all safeguarding, health and safety and organisational policies and procedures.

The Kind of Person We’re Looking For

You don’t even need to have experience working in a Children’s Home, what matters is how you approach young people. We are looking for someone who is:

• Caring & Compassionate: you genuinely want young people to do well.
• Patient & Resilient: you understand that progress can take time.
• Proactive: you notice what needs doing and take appropriate action rather than always waiting to be asked.
• Creative: you can think of activities, conversations and experiences that will keep young people engaged.
• Reliable & Consistent: young people need adults they know they can depend on.
• Calm under pressure: you can remain professional when situations become challenging.
• Reflective: you are willing to learn from situations and think about how you could approach things differently next time.
• Team Player: you communicate well and work positively with your colleagues.
• Professional: you understand the responsibility that comes with caring for vulnerable children.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding children is at the heart of everything we do. All members of staff have a responsibility to promote the welfare of the children and young people in our care and to act immediately if they have concerns about a child’s safety or wellbeing. You will be expected to understand and follow the home’s safeguarding procedures, report concerns appropriately and contribute to creating a culture where children feel safe, listened to and protected. This role is subject to safer recruitment checks, including an Enhanced DBS check with the appropriate barred list check, satisfactory references and verification of employment history.