At a Glance
- Tasks: Support and care for children who have experienced trauma in a nurturing environment.
- Company: Join Safe Places, a compassionate organisation dedicated to therapeutic care.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, 33 days' leave, and ongoing professional development.
- Other info: Structured rotas for work-life balance and opportunities for career progression.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in young people's lives while building a rewarding career.
- Qualifications: Experience with challenging behaviours and a Level 3 qualification in relevant fields.
The predicted salary is between 25245 - 30855 £ per year.
Salary: £32,946.42 per annum, plus opportunities for additional earnings through extra shifts
Contract: Full-Time
Location: Downpatrick and Dungiven, Northern Ireland
Make a Difference. Build Relationships. Develop Your Career.
Join Safe Places as a Residential Youth Worker and help provide therapeutic, relationship-based care to children and young people who have experienced trauma. At Safe Places, it's all about the young people. We're looking for compassionate, resilient and committed Residential Youth Workers to join our therapeutic children's homes in Downpatrick and Dungiven. This is more than a job in residential care. It's an opportunity to build a rewarding career while helping children and young people who have experienced significant trauma to feel safe, develop trusting relationships and work towards positive futures.
What You Can Expect
- £32,946.42 annual salary
- 33 days' annual leave
- Three-week paid induction programme
- Comprehensive therapeutic training and ongoing professional development
- Structured rotas designed to support work-life balance
- Structured career development, including opportunities to progress to Youth Worker 2 and Key Worker roles
- £250 loyalty bonus every six months following successful completion of probation
- Opportunities to increase your earnings through additional shifts
- Ongoing wellbeing, supervision and therapeutic support
- Monthly paid group reflective practice sessions
About Safe Places
Safe Places provides therapeutic residential care through nurturing, trauma-informed homes where compassion, consistency and meaningful relationships are at the heart of everything we do. We believe that positive relationships can change lives. Our two-bed children's homes enable our teams to provide highly individualised care, create consistency and build meaningful, trusting relationships with the children and young people we support.
About the Role
As a Residential Youth Worker, you will play a vital role in the day-to-day care and support of children and young people who have experienced trauma. You will:
- Build positive, trusting and meaningful relationships with children and young people.
- Provide therapeutic, child-centred care within a safe and nurturing home environment.
- Support young people's emotional, social and practical development.
- Work as part of a small, consistent team using trauma-informed practice.
- Respond confidently and professionally to complex and pain-based behaviours.
- Help young people develop resilience, independence and positive life experiences.
Residential care can be challenging as well as incredibly rewarding. We're looking for people who can remain calm, compassionate and consistent during challenging moments and who understand the importance of relationships when supporting children and young people who have experienced trauma. This is a full-time, shift-based position and includes sleep-in duties within a registered children's home. Sleep-in duties are included within the advertised salary.
Your Working Pattern
We believe it's important that candidates understand the working pattern from the outset. Our structured rota is designed to provide consistency for our young people while supporting a healthy work-life balance for our teams. An average of 38 working hours per week, including an average of two sleep-in duties per week. Hours are managed through an Hours Bank System, meaning the number of hours worked may vary from week to week while balancing over the agreed period. Your normal salary remains consistent. A rotating four-week rota consisting of 2 shifts, 2 shifts, 2 shifts and 3 shifts across the four-week period. Each shift is 24.5 hours, comprising 16.5 hours of working time and an 8-hour sleep-in period. Opportunities are available to work additional shifts and increase your earnings.
Invest in Your Career
We want our Residential Youth Workers to develop, progress and build rewarding careers within therapeutic residential care. From the beginning, we'll invest in your learning and development through:
- A three-week paid induction programme
- Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) training, with refresher training every six months
- Trauma and Attachment training
- Safeguarding training
- Medication Management training
- Health & Safety and Fire Safety training
- Ongoing professional development
- Reflective supervision and coaching
- An Individual Professional Development Plan following successful completion of probation
- Structured opportunities for career progression, including Youth Worker 2 and Key Worker roles
Supporting You to Do Your Best Work
Working in therapeutic residential care requires resilient, well-supported teams. We recognise the importance of supporting the people who support our young people. Our wider benefits and support include:
- 33 days' annual leave
- Annual Leave Loading
- £250 loyalty bonus every six months following successful completion of probation
- 24/7 therapeutic on-call support from trained TCI Post Crisis Response staff
- Triple Tier Employee Wellbeing Programme, including confidential external counselling
- Monthly paid group reflective practice sessions
- Planned and structured rotas designed to support work-life balance
- Hours Bank System to help promote a healthy work-life balance
- Opportunities for additional earnings through extra shifts
- The opportunity to help shape the future of therapeutic residential care across Northern Ireland and the UK
Could You Be a Safe Places Residential Youth Worker?
We're looking for people who are:
- Compassionate, caring and emotionally intelligent.
- Resilient and able to remain calm under pressure.
- Passionate about improving the lives of children and young people.
- Committed to trauma-informed, relationship-based care.
- Able to provide consistency, boundaries and reassurance, including during challenging situations.
- Positive team players with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Open to learning, reflection and professional development.
- Motivated to build a rewarding career within therapeutic residential care.
Above all, we're looking for people who understand that relationships matter and who have the commitment and resilience to be a consistent, positive presence in a young person's life.
Essential Criteria
- A minimum of one year's experience supporting children, young people or adults who present with behaviours that can be challenging.
- A Level 3 qualification in Health & Social Care, Youth Work, Social Care or another relevant discipline.
- A full UK or Irish driving licence held for at least one year, with no more than three penalty points.
- Ability to obtain a satisfactory Enhanced Access NI check.
- Ability to register with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC), or already be registered.
Desirable Criteria
- A degree in a relevant discipline.
- Experience working within children's residential care.
- Experience supporting children and young people who have experienced trauma using trauma-informed approaches.
Ready to Make a Difference?
The work isn't always easy, but the relationships you build and the difference you can make can be significant. If you have the resilience, compassion and commitment to make a lasting difference in a young person's life and you're looking for an organisation that will invest in your development and support your career we want to hear from you.
Applications
Opportunities are available in Downpatrick and Dungiven. Please indicate your preferred location when applying. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, and suitable candidates may be invited to interview as applications are received. We therefore encourage early applications. Safe Places reserves the right to close this vacancy once sufficient suitable applications have been received.
How to Apply
Please complete an application form via the Safe Places website. A full Job Description can also be downloaded from our vacancies page.
Safer Recruitment
Safe Places is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including Enhanced Access NI clearance, NISCC registration, employment references and all other relevant safer recruitment requirements. Safe Places is an Equal Opportunities Employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. Applications may be retained for up to six months to fill future Residential Youth Worker vacancies unless you request otherwise.
Residential Youth Worker Therapeutic Children's Home employer: Safe Places for Children UK
As a Youth Employment Advisor, you will thrive in a supportive and dynamic work environment that prioritises the growth and development of its employees. With a strong commitment to fostering a positive work culture, the company offers comprehensive training programs and opportunities for career advancement, all while making a meaningful impact in the lives of young people across beautiful locations like Bunbury and Cairns. Join us to be part of a team that values your contributions and encourages a healthy work-life balance.
Contact Details:
Safe Places for Children UK Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Residential Youth Worker Therapeutic Children's Home
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Safe Places for Children UK.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Safe Places for Children UK!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Safe Places for Children UK, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Safe Places for Children UK or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Residential Youth Worker Therapeutic Children's Home
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Safe Places for Children UK:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Safe Places for Children UK! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Safe Places for Children UK
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
