About Fledglings Child Care

Fledglings Child Care is a new company that aims to grow the business to a group of homes over the next 5-7 years. We aim to create an education-focused children’s homes to ensure that children in care have the same opportunities as everyone else. 

Stratton House is a 2 bed therapeutic home in Chorlton that provides specialist support for children aged 8-17 years old 365 days a year. 

We have a team of highly trained staff that are available to provide support 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. The home is of minimal restrictions and aims to promote independence at every opportunity.

Job Summary

We are seeking a Senior Residential Care Worker who can support in establishing the home and who will take on responsibility for all children and the staff within the home. We are looking for innovative individuals who have vast experience with the challenges of running an Ofsted Registered Home. They will assist the manager to manage the house’s resources and to provide a positive living experience for the resident children.

You will report directly to the Registered Care Home Manager.

Senior Children’s Residential Care Worker Job Description

You will be responsible for managing key staff including:

• Senior residential social workers
• Residential care workers
• Administrative staff

Duties include, but not limited to:

• To assist the Registered Care Home Manager in the implementation of all aspects of the company’s objectives.
• To contribute to the devising, implementing and evaluation of changes with the involvement of front line staff to continually improve services, systems and standards, in conjunction with the Registered Care Home Manager and the Senior Management team 
• To deputise in the absence of the Registered Care Home Manager and Deputy 
• To ensure that each young person has an allocated key worker 
• To ensure that each member of staff is aware of each child’s placement plan and their responsibilities for its implementation 
• To attend childcare reviews and planning meetings to provide information and achieve best outcomes for young people 
• To undertake direct work with young people and acting as an appropriate role model. 
• To assist in developing systems in which young people are consulted about the quality of care they receive 
• To maintaining accurate written records in logs, continuation sheets and files both to record information and enable regular monitoring and evaluation to take place 
• To work in partnership with parents, carers and other professionals to safeguard and promote the welfare of young people. 
• To chair children’s meetings and facilitating consultation with young people generally 
• To act as an appropriate adult at PACE interview 
• To be the responsible person in managing child protection concerns and complaints. 
• To work in partnership with other professionals to achieve optimum outcomes for young people. 
• To offer supervision and support to senior staff in line with Children’s Homes Regulations 2015. 
• To undertake direct work with Children and young people as appropriate. 
• To be the responsible person in managing child protection concerns and complaints. 
• To work in partnership with other professionals to achieve optimum outcomes for young people. 
• To ensure children and young people are safeguarded as appropriate.
• To access the development needs of young people and to monitor and improve the home’s support plan and practices for each young person 
• To create an open and supportive atmosphere within the home between staff members and between staff and young people, to enable the growth and development of both staff and young people 
• To ensure the home is safe and to provide a pleasant quality environment for the children 
• To create and develop links between the community and the home to enable children to participate fully in the local community’s life. 
• To ensure children and staff are aware of all the procedures relating to complaints and concerns and how to activate them 
• To ensure the assessed needs of young people in the home are met on a day-to-day basis 
• To be responsible for the health and safety of young people and staff.
• On call service will be a feature of this role, especially in the absence of the homes manager.

Qualifications Required

• Level 3 Diploma in Children and Young People workforce is required (Level 5 or working towards will be preferred.)
• Secondary Education with good standard of literacy and numeracy.
• Current manual driving licence, required due to the nature of job role.
• Successful applicants are required to undergo an enhanced DBS disclosure and provide satisfactory references. 
• DBS Disclosure expense will be met by the employer.

Key Experience and Requirements

• 2+ years experience of working in a residential setting with young people with challenging behaviour or similar setting (2 years required).
• Candidates must have previous experience in a role requiring supervision and management of care staff. (1 year required).
• Extensive experience of managing and working with young people with complex behavioural issues including mental health, trauma and attachment issues.
• Highly experienced, passionate individual who has a proven track record of providing the highest quality care for the young people as well as providing the staff with a high level of aspirational leadership and management.
• Can demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of all current regulations related to Residential Childcare and has the ability to effectively apply these to the Day-Day running of the home.
• Can demonstrate the ability to provide the young people, staff and other stakeholders with clear leadership and high aspirations. Someone with passion and drive to develop a staff team that is robust and resilient.
• An individual who can demonstrate their passion to safeguard and promote the needs of young people with complex and challenging behaviour.
• Has a good working knowledge of Children’s homes regulations and the Social care common inspection framework
• Can evidence experience of working with multi-disciplinary teams
• Can evidence knowledge of working within a clear therapeutic framework and the importance of multi-disciplinary working.

Essential and Desirable Skills / Attributes

Essential:

• Resilient, enthusiastic and motivated person
• Has strong values and beliefs
• Has integrity and good character
• Good leadership skills
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Calm, approachable manner, adaptable and non-judgemental
• Able to work under own initiative and as part of a team
• Excellent organisational skills
• Knowledge of Child Protection & Safeguarding
• Ability to drive and holds a current manual driving licence

Desirable: 

• Previous experience in a Senior Role in a Residential Children’s Care Setting 
• Experience in the line management of staff, including supervisions 
• Social Work Qualification or equivalent 
• Any relevant or transferrable skills, such as First Aid trained 
• Knowledge of the Children Act & Children’s Homes Regulations 
• Understanding and knowledge of Therapeutic Approach to Childcare