Team Leader – Children’s Residential Home
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Expected annual earnings: Starting at £35,475–£39,375, rising to £36,938–£40,838 after three years, plus overtime
Contract: Full-time, permanent
Contracted hours: 162.5 hours per month
Take the next step in your residential childcare career
Are you an experienced children’s residential care professional ready to progress into leadership, or an established Team Leader looking for a supportive organisation where you can continue developing?
West Valley Home is looking for a dedicated, compassionate and confident Team Leader to join our warm and welcoming children’s home in Sheffield.
You will support young people with emotional, behavioural and complex needs, helping to provide a safe, nurturing and empowering environment where they can overcome challenges, build resilience and work towards positive futures.
As a Team Leader, you will support the Registered Manager and Deputy Manager with the day-to-day running of the home. You will lead shifts, guide Residential Support Workers and help ensure young people receive safe, consistent and high-quality care.
We offer competitive expected earnings, funded training, support towards a Level 5 qualification and genuine opportunities to progress into deputy and management positions.
Your earnings and pay progression
Your starting contractual hourly rate will be £14.50–£16.50, depending on your qualifications, experience and suitability for the position. This will be your individual base rate, and each annual service-related increase will be added on top of it.
· Starting rate: £14.50–£16.50 per hour
Expected annual earnings: £35,475–£39,375
· After one year (+25p per hour): £14.75–£16.75 per hour
Expected annual earnings: £35,963–£39,863
· After two years (further +25p per hour): £15.00–£17.00 per hour
Expected annual earnings: £36,450–£40,350
· After three years (further +25p per hour): £15.25–£17.25 per hour
Expected annual earnings: £36,938–£40,838
After each completed year of continuous service during your first three years, you will receive an additional 25p per hour.
After three years, this provides a total increase of 75p per hour on top of your original base rate, equivalent to an additional £1,462.50 per year based on your contracted hours.
Expected annual earnings are calculated using:
· 162.5 contracted hours per month.
· An average of 10 sleep-ins per month.
· £60 for every completed sleep-in.
Sleep-ins are paid separately and are an essential requirement of the role. The exact number may vary according to the rota and needs of the home. The annual figures therefore represent expected earnings rather than a guaranteed basic salary.
Any authorised overtime worked above your contracted hours will be paid at your applicable contractual hourly rate plus an additional £1 per hour.
Why join West Valley Home
We want our Team Leaders to feel valued, supported and able to build a long-term leadership career with us. Benefits include:
- A 25p-per-hour pay increase after each completed year of service during your first three years.
- A total service-related increase of 75p per hour after three years.
- Expected annual earnings rising to £36,938–£40,838 after three years, plus overtime.
- An average of 10 paid sleep-ins per month.
- £60 for every completed sleep-in.
- An additional £1 per hour for authorised overtime.
- A progressive pay structure based on qualifications, experience and continuous service.
- Structured career progression into deputy and management positions.
- Funded support towards a Level 5 leadership and management qualification.
- A comprehensive induction programme and ongoing management support.
- Free specialised training and funded accredited qualifications.
- First access to internal vacancies as the organisation grows.
- Blue Light Card access, offering potential savings with participating shops, supermarkets, restaurants, travel providers, leisure attractions and other services.
- Refer-a-friend rewards of between £250 and £500, subject to the terms of the referral scheme.
- Company pension scheme.
- Team away days.
- Free meals, snacks and drinks while on shift.
- Free on-site parking.
- Good public transport links.
- A supportive, values-led working environment focused on staff development and wellbeing.
About West Valley Home
West Valley Home is a mixed-gender children’s home in Sheffield supporting young people aged 8–18 who may have emotional, behavioural and complex needs.
We are committed to providing a safe, stable and nurturing home where young people receive consistent care, develop trusting relationships and are supported to achieve positive outcomes.
Your role
As a Team Leader, you will combine direct work with young people with responsibility for leading shifts and supporting the staff team.
You will act as a positive role model, maintain high standards of care and help ensure the home operates safely and effectively in line with safeguarding requirements, Ofsted expectations, the Children’s Homes Regulations, the Quality Standards and West Valley Home’s policies and procedures.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Leading shifts and ensuring care, safety and safeguarding standards are maintained.
- Allocating responsibilities and providing clear direction to staff.
- Providing guidance, support, mentoring and supervision to Residential Support Workers.
- Supporting the Registered Manager and Deputy Manager with the home’s day-to-day operation.
- Building safe, trusting and professional relationships with young people.
- Supporting young people to develop confidence, resilience, independence and essential life skills.
- Ensuring individual care plans, risk assessments and behaviour-support strategies are followed.
- Contributing to the development and review of care plans, risk assessments and support strategies.
- Responding calmly and professionally to incidents, emergencies and safeguarding concerns.
- Supporting young people and staff through appropriate debriefs following incidents.
- Leading effective handovers and ensuring important information is communicated.
- Maintaining and overseeing accurate daily records, reports and incident documentation.
- Contributing to reports for reviews, professional meetings, monitoring visits and inspections.
- Overseeing safe medication administration when appropriately trained and authorised.
- Working positively with families, social workers, schools and other professionals.
- Supporting staff induction, development and performance.
- Monitoring the safety, presentation and day-to-day organisation of the home.
- Contributing to the home’s development and continuous improvement.
- Escalating concerns promptly to the Deputy Manager or Registered Manager.
- Deputising for senior managers on shift when required.
Essential requirements
Applicants must:
- Hold a Level 3 or Level 4 qualification in Residential Childcare or a recognised equivalent.
- Have at least two years’ experience in a children’s residential care setting.
- Have a strong understanding of safeguarding procedures, relevant legislation and Ofsted expectations.
- Be resilient, empathetic and able to model positive behaviour to young people and staff.
- Be able to lead shifts confidently and make safe, appropriate decisions.
- Have excellent communication, organisation and problem-solving skills.
- Be able to maintain accurate records and produce clear written reports.
- Be willing to work long shifts, weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins.
- Hold a full driving licence due to the requirements of the role.
Previous leadership, mentoring or shift-leading experience is desirable.
Working pattern
West Valley Home operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Employees work according to a rota designed around the needs of the young people and the home.
The working pattern includes:
- Approximately 15-hour daytime shifts.
- An average of 10 paid sleep-ins per month.
- Weekends and bank holidays.
- Christmas and New Year.
- Additional authorised hours where required to meet the needs of the home.
The exact number of sleep-ins may vary according to the rota. Rotas are not fixed rolling rotas but will be provided in advance wherever possible.
Additional information
Job type: Full-time, permanent
Remote working: No
Work location: West Valley Home, Sheffield
Driving licence: A full driving licence is required
All appointments are subject to satisfactory safer-recruitment checks, including references, employment-history checks and an enhanced DBS check.
If you are ready to take the next step in your residential childcare career and help lead a team that makes a lasting difference, apply today to join West Valley Home.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £35,475.00-£39,375.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Paid training
- Referral programme
Application question(s):
- Do you require a sponsorship to work?
- Are you a minimum of 23 years old? (Safeguarding Reasons)
- Are you comfortable with working with children that display challenging behaviours?
Experience:
- In Children’s homes: 2 years (required)
Licence/Certification:
- Fully Enhanced Clean DBS (required)
- Ofqual Level 3 social care in children (required)
- DBS on the update service? (preferred)
Work Location: In person
