Children's Residential Practitioner

Job Introduction

About the Home

We are excited to reopen our children’s home in Menston after refurbishment. We can look after up to 6 children between the ages of 5 to 11 years old with a drive and passion to help them to find their forever foster family.

Some of the children who will live with us struggle with a range of needs that can sometimes present as challenging behaviour due to what they have experienced in their early life.

We are committed to providing a caring, therapeutic environment to support and encourage a stable base where children can understand and gain support to ensure their needs are met. We have a high aspiration for our children so that they can go on to meet their full potential in their future. We aim for a warm, caring, loving and relaxed atmosphere that is flexible and secure for children.

The home is situated in the village of Menston, which is off the A65 main road to Ilkley from Bradford and Leeds. Menston is well served by public transport. There are frequent trains from Leeds and Bradford into the village. The village has a regular bus service from Leeds/Bradford and the surrounding area. There is car parking space in the grounds.

About the role

Bring your experience working with children and young people to our home and help us to create childhoods full of positive experiences and happy memories.

Building unique relationships offering support and encouragement, guiding children and young people through a critical period in their lives. This is what you’ll be doing every day as a Residential Practitioner in our home.

The children and young people in our care have suffered significant trauma, neglect or abuse and may also be facing other complex issues, making it vital that we provide them with a secure and stable environment, as part of our experienced, committed and compassionate team.

We’re looking for committed individuals who are passionate about putting children and young people at the heart of everything they do.

This role involves shifts, weekends, sleep ins and bank holidays on a rota basis.

What our children want

• Warm and caring personality
• Playing with them
• Watching television with us and joining in with hobbies that we enjoy
• You won’t see the role as a job and will instead see it as our home that we live in

What our children say

• “I love to go out to have a pamper day getting my nails and eyebrows done!”
• “I enjoy dedicated time with those who care for me especially going for a walk and getting a Starbuck’s. We have a good chat about what’s going well for me or anything I may need support”
• “I love going to the farm and horse riding, I had never ridden a horse before”
• “I loved the caravan as it was my first ever holiday and it was very nice. I especially loved the kids disco and playing in the arcades.”
• “I love getting my bedtime stories read to me at night time.”

What we expect from you

• Provide a loving, safe and positive environment for our children living with us.
• Be instrumental in creating a positive future for the children living with us from a social, educational and an individual approach.
• Assist with daily activities such as getting ready for the day, including school and assisting with homework where possible.
• Thinking creatively about activities that our children can get involved with and assisting with bringing this to life.
• Being aspirational in relation to plans for children.
• Support our children with their social and emotional needs.
• Experience working with young children.
• Hold natural empathy and a caring attitude towards the children that live with us and adopt a family mentality within the home.

What you can expect from us

• The opportunity to give children and young people a childhood that they deserve.
• Enhancements for sleep ins, waking nights, bank holiday are paid in addition to salary.
• Regular supervision to support development.
• Generous employer contributions in a Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Competitive salary and pay progression structure.
• Real living wage as the minimum rate of pay.
• Supportive carer and parental policies.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
• Access to Occupational Health and confidential counselling services.
• Supportive staff networks.
• Access to Blue Light Card discounts.
• Professional development and support to work towards a qualification in Residential Childcare.
• Career progression.
• Enhanced annual leave entitlement.

Location: Menston

Next Steps

For an informal discussion about this role please contact Sharron Brennan via email at Sharron.brennan@bradfordcft.org.uk.

Closing Date: Sunday 5th January

Interview Date: Week commencing 6th January

Bradford Children and Families Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

If shortlisted, you will be required to disclose relevant information regarding criminal history prior to interview.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check including a check against the Children’s barred list, will be carried out on preferred candidates.

• Salary: £30,060 - £32,654 per annum plus enhancements for waking nights, sleep ins and bank holidays
• Frequency: Annually
• Job Reference: bradfordcft/TP/653/111
• Contract Type: Full Time / Permanent
• Closing Date: 05 January, 2025
• Job Category: Corporate Parenting
• Business Unit: Residential, Fostering & Placements
• Location: Menston, United Kingdom
• Posted on: 19 December, 2024