Team Leader – Residential Children's Home
Job Type: Full-time
Service: Ofsted Registered Children’s Home (4 bed - EBD)
Role: Team Leader / Senior Residential Childcare Worker
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced and motivated Team Leader to join our residential children’s home.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Residential Childcare Worker or Senior Residential Childcare Worker who is ready to take the next step into leadership and would like to progress further within residential childcare in the future.
You will work closely with the Registered Manager and Deputy Manager to support the effective day-to-day running of the home, provide guidance and leadership to the staff team and ensure that children receive safe, consistent and high-quality care.
The successful candidate will have a good understanding of working within an Ofsted-regulated children's residential setting, including safeguarding, risk management, care planning, recording and the Children’s Homes Quality Standards.
Essential Requirements
Applicants must:
- Hold a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare, or an accepted equivalent qualification.
- Have relevant experience working within a residential children’s home.
- Have experience working within an Ofsted-regulated environment and an understanding of Ofsted expectations.
- Have a good working knowledge of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and Quality Standards.
- Have a strong understanding of safeguarding and child protection.
- Be confident supporting children who may have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, exploitation or placement breakdown.
- Have experience completing and contributing to risk assessments, placement plans and behaviour/support plans.
- Be able to maintain clear, accurate and professional records.
- Demonstrate strong communication and leadership skills.
- Be able to lead shifts and provide direction to other members of the staff team.
- Be committed to ongoing professional development.
We are particularly interested in candidates who are looking to develop into Deputy Manager and Registered Manager positions in the future.
Key Responsibilities
As Team Leader, your responsibilities will include:
- Leading residential shifts and ensuring the home operates safely and effectively.
- Providing guidance, support and direction to Residential Childcare Workers.
- Ensuring children receive consistent, child-centred and individualised care.
- Developing positive and professional relationships with children.
- Supporting children with their emotional, behavioural, social and practical needs.
- Supporting children to develop independence and life skills.
- Promoting positive relationships, education, activities and meaningful experiences.
- Supporting children to attend education, appointments, family contact and activities.
- Undertaking key-working sessions and direct work with children.
- Supporting children in accordance with their placement plans and individual objectives.
- Implementing agreed behaviour support strategies and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
- Responding appropriately to challenging behaviour and incidents.
- Supporting children who may go missing or be at risk of exploitation or harm.
- Following safeguarding procedures and escalating concerns immediately where required.
- Completing safeguarding, incident, missing-from-home and other relevant records.
- Reviewing and contributing to children's risk assessments.
- Contributing to placement plans, behaviour support plans, safety plans and care plans.
- Ensuring staff understand and follow children's individual plans and risk management strategies.
- Ensuring medication procedures are followed correctly.
- Completing and checking daily logs, handovers, key-work records and other care documentation.
- Ensuring records are accurate, professional and completed within required timescales.
- Reviewing shift documentation and identifying any gaps or areas requiring follow-up.
- Completing effective handovers between shifts.
- Allocating responsibilities and tasks to staff during shifts.
- Monitoring staff practice and addressing concerns appropriately.
- Supporting new members of staff during induction and their development within the home.
- Providing positive role modelling and promoting a strong safeguarding culture.
- Participating in team meetings, supervision, training and reflective practice.
- Supporting the Registered Manager and Deputy Manager with audits and quality assurance activities.
- Supporting preparation for Ofsted inspections and ensuring the home remains inspection-ready.
- Following the home's policies, procedures and Statement of Purpose.
- Ensuring the physical environment of the home remains safe, welcoming and well maintained.
- Reporting maintenance, health and safety or environmental concerns.
- Supporting children with budgeting, cooking, cleaning and other everyday independent-living skills.
- Working collaboratively with social workers, families, schools, health professionals, CAMHS and other professionals.
- Attending relevant professional meetings when required.
- Providing appropriate updates to managers regarding safeguarding concerns, significant incidents and children's progress.
- Supporting the management team with the continuous improvement of the service.
Leadership Responsibilities
The Team Leader will be expected to:
- Act as a positive role model for the staff team.
- Maintain professional standards throughout the home.
- Challenge poor practice appropriately.
- Promote accountability and good recording practice.
- Ensure staff follow safeguarding procedures and children's individual plans.
- Support staff to reflect on incidents and improve practice.
- Escalate concerns to the Deputy Manager or Registered Manager where necessary.
- Support a culture where children are listened to and their wishes and feelings influence their care.
- Help maintain a consistent and therapeutic approach across the staff team.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding children is central to this role.
The successful applicant will be expected to understand their responsibility to identify, report and respond appropriately to concerns regarding abuse, neglect, exploitation, missing episodes, self-harm, bullying and other safeguarding risks.
All employees are expected to follow the home's safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures and immediately raise concerns regarding the safety or welfare of a child.
Professional Development
We are committed to developing our staff and creating opportunities for internal progression.
This role would suit someone who wants to develop their leadership experience and potentially progress towards a Deputy Manager or Registered Manager role.
The successful candidate will be expected to participate fully in:
- Supervision and appraisal.
- Mandatory and specialist training.
- Reflective practice.
- Team meetings.
- Continuous professional development.
- Leadership development opportunities.
What We Are Looking For
We are looking for someone who is:
- Child-focused.
- Calm and resilient.
- Reliable and accountable.
- Confident leading a shift.
- Organised and able to prioritise.
- Able to make appropriate decisions under pressure.
- A strong communicator.
- Comfortable challenging poor practice.
- Able to maintain professional boundaries.
- Reflective and willing to learn.
- Ambitious and interested in progressing within residential childcare.
Above all, we are looking for someone who understands that the purpose of a children's home is not simply to provide accommodation, but to provide children with safe, nurturing and consistent care that enables them to make progress and achieve positive outcomes.
Safer Recruitment
Appointment will be subject to our safer recruitment procedures, including:
- Enhanced DBS checks.
- Satisfactory references.
- Verification of employment history.
- Verification of qualifications.
- Right-to-work checks.
- Identity checks.
- Appropriate background and suitability checks.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment.
Pay: £15.50-£16.25 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
Work Location: In person
