Residential Child Care Practitioners, Dunkeld

Permanent: £29,347.14‑£35,542.95 per year. Full‑time (40 hours) and part‑time (20 hours).

Job Purpose: To work as part of a multidisciplinary team offering a comprehensive service to young people and their families/carers. To ensure the physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual and developmental needs of young people are met. To support young people within a therapeutic environment to recognise their past, enjoy the present and prepare for the future.

Overview: The postholder will report to the Registered Service Manager or Assistant Service Manager. All care tasks are allocated by the manager. The care plan, developed by the care team and manager with the young people and families, guides daily work. The postholder manages day‑to‑day care needs and updates managers, referring more serious issues to managers and/or local authorities or other agencies. If acting as a case worker, the postholder reviews, re‑evaluates and documents long‑term planning in line with the care plan. Work may involve staff coverage across services as required. The role works in an environment that can be both challenging and rewarding, dealing with complex needs of young people affected by trauma and loss. The postholder must manage risk and keep young people safe, exercising judgement about how each young person functions and lives. Plans and interventions are adapted accordingly. Lone working is supported by local guidance. The postholder prepares and provides reports and attends child‑plan development meetings, case reviews, children’s panels, case conferences and other relevant meetings.

Key Accountabilities / Responsibilities:

• Ensure and promote the safe care and safeguarding of all young people.
• Work in line with Moore House Care & Education ethos, values, SSSC Codes of Practice and National Care Standards.
• Assist young people to understand previous life experiences and meet their mental health needs.
• Act as a positive role model and advocate on behalf of young people, families, carers, the organisation and the profession.
• Provide appropriate personal care and a safe, clean environment; support physical comfort, health and wellbeing.
• Assist in assessment, planning and delivery of services; contribute to development and review of individual care plans on a day‑to‑day basis.
• Care for and work with young people within a therapeutic environment.
• Actively contribute to the social and academic education of the young people.
• Support the ongoing review and development of policies, procedures, practices and processes.
• Maintain recording systems to meet the care needs of young people.
• Provide outreach work or after‑care support in line with agreed plans.
• Collaborate with other aspects of the organisation and external professionals for the best interests of the young person.
• Engage positively with young people when managing behaviour, using management techniques and implementing appropriate strategies.
• Maintain recording systems for finance and administration in line with policy and procedure.
• Be physically and mentally fit to meet the demands of the role, including safe crisis management.
• Show high motivation, commitment and enthusiasm to working with young people.
• Demonstrate a caring attitude and genuine interest in the rights and welfare of young people.
• Be mature, trustworthy and reliable.
• Work under pressure and adapt to change.
• Exhibit good interpersonal and team working skills.
• Display good communication skills, verbal and written.
• Show good conflict/crisis resolution skills and ability to deal with aggression.
• Work in a therapeutic way with children and young people using contemporary theory.
• Develop and maintain appropriate relationships with children, colleagues and agencies.
• Apply learning and development in a solution‑focused, person‑centred way.
• Recognise and respond to the effects of abuse, deprivation, trauma and the environment on children and young people’s functioning.
• Communicate clearly and sensitively with colleagues, parents, young people and agencies.
• Use approved approaches for positive behaviour management, e.g., Safe Crisis Management.
• Initiate, engage in, and promote meaningful activities for children and young people.
• Engage in reflective practice.
• Deliver services in a way that enables and empowers the service user.
• Assess needs.
• Be self‑motivated, work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Use own initiative and make judgements drawing from experience and learning.

Experience: Significant experience working with young people in a community or residential setting.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Child protection awareness.
• Proficiency in approved behaviour management techniques (e.g., SCM).
• Anti‑discriminatory practice.
• Understanding of trauma, deprivation, displacement and environmental impacts on young people.
• Knowledge of child care law and vulnerable groups protection.
• Human and child development, attachment and resilience theories.
• Children’s and vulnerable groups’ rights and responsibilities.
• Social care theory for practice.
• Social policy application to social services provision.
• Inter‑agency procedures and practice.
• Ability to work with groups of young people to ensure collective and individual needs are met.
• Use of established behaviour management systems.
• Remain constructive and positive in emotionally challenging environments.

Other: Residential shift patterns and sleepovers may be required.

References and Associated Checks: Professional references, including previous and current employers, verifying personal and professional competencies. Protection of Vulnerable Groups checks at Enhanced Level.

Shift Pattern and Job Type: Practitioner opportunities are full‑time and include sleepovers and variable working patterns. Shifts may include days, evenings, weekends and sleepovers, with a typical cycle example: Week 1 – Tuesday, Friday, Sunday; Week 2 – Tuesday, Thursday; Week 4 – Monday, Sunday. Variable shifts including sleepover shifts are required.

Salary & Benefits:

• Practitioner – Grade 2 (HNC or SVQ3): £30,038.63
• Practitioner – Grade 4 (Degree or above): £31,421.63
• Practitioner – Grade 5 (HNC and SVQ3): £32,836.64
• Practitioner – Grade 6 (HND and SVQ3): £34,187.62
• Practitioner – Grade 7 (Degree or above and SVQ3): £35,542.95

Benefits include annual salary benchmarking, private medical insurance, a comprehensive training programme, qualifications support through the Training Academy, generous annual leave entitlement, confidential employee assistance programme, referral bonuses, group pension scheme and qualification or Blue Light Card support.