Senior Therapeutic Residential Practitioner (Team Lead) – Children's Home
Location: Rushden, Northamptonshire (NN10)
Salary: £16.00 per hour (£20.00 per hour overtime) + £60 sleep-in (typically 8–10 per month)
Equivalent Salary: £37,248–£38,688 per annum plus overtime opportunities
Interviews: Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd July (Raunds, NN9)
Start Date: 1st September (Anticipated)
Please note that at present we are unfortunately unable to offer sponsorship.
We're committed to building a diverse team that reflects the children and communities we serve. We warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those with lived experience of care. As men remain underrepresented within children's residential care, we particularly encourage applications from men, recognising the important contribution that positive, nurturing male role models can make in the lives of children and young people. We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and all appointments are made on merit.
Build Something Exceptional From Day One
We're not looking for someone to fit into an existing culture we're looking for experienced residential childcare practitioners who want to help create one.
If you've ever finished a shift thinking, "there has to be a better way," this could be the opportunity you've been looking for.
Sapling & Stone is a values-led children's residential care provider committed to doing things properly from day one. Rather than inheriting outdated practices, you'll help build a truly therapeutic home where children feel safe, understood and able to thrive, and where staff are trusted, supported and valued.
We believe every child deserves more than safety - they deserve to feel loved, valued, understood and hopeful about their future. Inspired by the principles of Lovin' Care™, we're creating a home where relationships come first, everyday interactions support healing and growth, and high aspirations are the standard.
Our leadership team brings decades of experience with a proven track record in Ofsted-rated 'Good' and 'Outstanding' services. We're passionate about empowering experienced practitioners to make professional decisions, shape practice and continue developing their careers
The Opportunity
We're recruiting three exceptional individuals to form the founding leadership team within our new children's home in Rushden.
Supporting a maximum of just three children aged 6–17 means you'll have the time to build meaningful relationships, deliver high-quality direct work and truly understand each young person's individual strengths, needs and aspirations.
You'll have genuine influence from day one. You'll lead shifts, coach and develop colleagues, make confident decisions, and help shape the culture, standards and identity of the home. This is an opportunity to build something exceptional rather than inherit it.
As Sapling & Stone grows, so will opportunities for progression. For the right individual who consistently demonstrates exceptional leadership, values-led practice and operational competence, there is potential for swift progression into a Deputy Manager role. We're committed to developing our people and expect many of our future Deputy Managers, Registered Managers, Practice Development Leads and senior leaders to come from within our own team. If you're ambitious and looking for a long-term career rather than just your next job, we'd love to invest in your development.
The STONE Framework isn't just our values, it's our promise to children, young people and each other. As one of our founding team leads, you'll play a pivotal role in embedding these values from day one and helping shape the culture of our home. If this way of working excites you and reflects the practitioner you aspire to be, we'd love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead shifts and support the safe, effective day-to-day running of the home.
- Coach, mentor and develop colleagues, helping to build a confident, high-performing team.
- Act as a positive professional role model, demonstrating therapeutic leadership through your practice.
- Build meaningful, loving relationships with children, creating opportunities for fun, achievement and positive memories.
- Support children with education, hobbies, life skills, health, independence and community participation.
- Make confident decisions and respond calmly and professionally to complex or challenging situations.
- Contribute to care planning, behaviour support strategies and dynamic risk assessments.
- Produce high-quality, child-centred recording and contribute to reflective practice.
- Work collaboratively with families, education, health professionals and partner agencies to achieve the best possible outcomes.
- Champion safeguarding, advocacy and children's rights at all times.
- Work closely with the Registered Manager and Deputy Manager/Practice Development Lead to continually improve quality, practice and outcomes.
- Help identify and develop the strengths of newer team members, contributing to a culture of continuous learning and professional development.
- Take ownership of projects and service improvements, helping to shape the future direction of the home and the wider organisation.
- Play a key role in shaping the culture of our first home while helping to build the foundations of an organisation with exciting opportunities for future leadership and career progression.
Working Pattern
Standard shifts run from 10:00am until 10:15am the following day, including a sleep-in between 11:00pm and 7:00am.
Sleep-ins are paid at £60 per night, with a private staff bedroom provided.
On average, colleagues complete 8–10 shifts per month, equating to approximately 38 waking hours per week.
Example rota
Week 1: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
Week 2: Tuesday, Friday, Sunday
Week 3: Thursday only
This provides excellent work-life balance, long periods away from work and greater consistency for children.
We're committed to investing in your professional development. Alongside regular supervision and reflective practice, you'll receive protected Continuing Professional Development (CPD) time and be supported to complete the Level 4 Certificate in Residential Childcare or other relevant training.
What We're Looking For
We're looking for emotionally intelligent, ambitious practitioners who want to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and help shape an outstanding home from the very beginning.
You will:
- Hold a Level 3 or Level 4 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or be willing to achieve the Level 4 qualification if required).
- Have previous experience working in children's residential care, ideally in a Senior, Team Lead or shift leadership role.
- Be confident leading shifts, making sound decisions and supporting colleagues to deliver outstanding care.
- Demonstrate resilience, emotional intelligence and sound professional judgement, remaining calm and reflective under pressure.
- Understand and implement trauma-informed, attachment-aware, relationship-based and therapeutic approaches to their practice.
- Build genuine, trusting relationships with children, recognising that connection is the foundation for positive change.
- Believe that every interaction matters and that children thrive when they experience warmth, consistency, high expectations and unconditional positive regard within professional boundaries.
- Have excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands while maintaining high standards of care and recording.
- Lead from the front, taking a proactive, hands-on approach and never asking others to do something you wouldn't be prepared to do yourself.
- Be willing to roll your sleeves up and contribute wherever needed, recognising that outstanding homes are built through teamwork, flexibility and shared responsibility.
- Have excellent communication skills and build positive relationships with families, education, health professionals and partner agencies.
- Be committed to reflective practice, continuous learning and helping others to develop.
- Be ambitious for children, your colleagues and your own professional development.
- Hold a full UK driving licence.
Why You’ll Love Working With Us
We believe exceptional practitioners deserve exceptional support. That's why we invest in our team with a benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, professional development and long-term career.
- 1.25x rate for all approved overtime.
- £60 sleep-in payment with comfortable, private staff bedrooms.
- 30 days' annual leave (above the sector average), plus an additional paid day off for your birthday.
- All of our team receive one volunteering day each year to support a cause that's important to you.
- Fully funded Level 4 Children, Young People & Families Practitioner apprenticeship, together with further professional qualifications as your career progresses.
- Highly specialist training in trauma-informed care, attachment, therapeutic parenting, Positive Behaviour Support, safeguarding, leadership and therapeutic practice.
- Protected paid Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and study time, with no expectation to complete mandatory training unpaid in your own time.
- Regular reflective practice and clinical consultation with our therapeutic partners, helping you continually develop your practice and confidence.
- Individual leadership coaching and mentoring from an experienced Deputy Manager, Registered Manager and Responsible Individual.
- Clear career pathways into Deputy Manager, Registered Manager, Practice Development and wider leadership roles as Sapling & Stone continues to grow.
- Blue Light Card, BrightPerks, BHN Extras and Home & Tech Salary Sacrifice Schemes.
- Employee Assistance Programme, providing confidential wellbeing support whenever you need it.
- All meals provided whilst on shift.
- Business mileage paid at 55p per mile, use of a company vehicle where appropriate, plus discretionary additional mileage reimbursement for lift sharing.
- Monthly recognition awards celebrating outstanding practice and colleagues who embody our STONE values.
- Supportive, approachable and highly visible leadership, with an open-door culture and regular coaching and feedback.
- The opportunity to be part of our founding team, helping shape the culture, systems and future direction of an ambitious organisation with exciting growth plans.
Next Steps
Following shortlisting, successful applicants will be invited to an informal Microsoft Teams conversation before progressing to a face-to-face interview on 22 or 23 July.
In line with our safer recruitment practices, shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a full application form prior to interview.
We're looking for people who want more than just their next job. We're looking for practitioners who are passionate about changing children's lives, enjoy leading by example and want to help build something genuinely exceptional. If you're proud of the care you provide and want to work in a home where relationships, therapeutic practice and high aspirations come first, we'd love to hear from you.
For an informal and confidential conversation about the role, please contact Joey Shearman, Registering Manager, at [email protected].
Safeguarding & Safer Recruitment
Sapling & Stone Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all members of the team to share this commitment.
This post is subject to robust safer recruitment processes, including an Enhanced DBS check with Children's Barred List information, satisfactory references, verification of identity and right to work in the UK, qualification checks where applicable, and any other pre-employment checks required by legislation, regulation or best practice.
This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended). Applicants are required to disclose only cautions and convictions that are not protected under the current filtering rules. Having a criminal record will not automatically prevent appointment. Each case will be considered fairly, proportionately and on its individual merits, taking into account the nature of the role, the circumstances of the offence, and our safeguarding responsibilities.
Pay: £16.00-£20.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Paid training
- Store discount
Application question(s):
- Do you currently hold a Level 3, 4 or 5 in Children's Residential Care?
- Do you require sponsorship (Please note that we are unfortunately currently unable to offer this.)
Experience:
- children's residential care: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- driving licence, with six or less penalty points? (required)
Work Location: In person
