Children Residential Practitioner

Why Southwark? We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse and growing population. At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality, underpins all that we do.

What You'll Be Doing: Are you passionate about positively impacting the lives of children and young people? If so, this exciting opportunity is tailor-made for you! As a Residential Practitioner, you'll create a person-centred, safe, and nurturing environment for children and young people, offering bespoke support. Committed to promoting well-being and rights, you'll support individuals to develop skills, independence, make friends, and have a positive experience.

• Develop and implement personalised care plans to support the unique needs of each child.
• Create a safe and respectful environment fostering children’s personal growth.
• Offer emotional support and guidance, helping young people understand and address their behaviours.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, including therapists, teachers, psychologists, and social workers.
• Organise and participate in group activities promoting social skills, self-esteem, and positive interactions.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation to track children’s progress and to ensure compliance with regulations.

What We're Looking For: Whether you're a recent psychology graduate, possess experience in art or drama therapy, worked as a youth worker, have lived experience as a care leaver looking to give back, or a parent with the skills of a role model – we'd love to hear from you.

• Genuine passion for helping children and young people overcome challenges and make positive changes.
• RCF Level 3 qualification or equivalent, or commitment to undertaking the relevant course post-probation.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to establish rapport and trust.
• Ability to handle sensitive situations with empathy and professionalism.
• Patience and resilience to work with individuals exhibiting challenging behaviours and who may have experienced significant trauma.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding.

Additional Information: This vacancy is subject to the Council’s redeployment arrangements. Eligible redeployees will be considered first, and the vacancy may be withdrawn if a suitable redeployee is appointed. Our Values and Behaviours: At Southwark, our REACH values are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to being Resident-focused, Empowering, Accountable, Collaborative and Honest, in how we work with colleagues, residents, partners and communities. We welcome applications from people who share these values and are passionate about making a positive difference to our borough.

Benefits and more information: Competitive salary of up to £43,014 per annum. Access to training and development for continuous personal and career growth. Opportunity to advance up the pay scale as a Team Leader. Enjoy the rewards of working for a Local Authority with fantastic benefits. Professional supervision.

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Recruitment Timetable: Closing date: Friday 27 November 2026 at 23:59. The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Interview date: to be confirmed.

Disability Confident (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.