We believe you can be deeply committed to care without sacrificing your life outside work.
You already know how rewarding children’s residential care can be.
You probably also know what makes good people leave the sector:
Chaotic rotas. Constant calls on days off. Unsupported responsibility. Being promoted into leadership and then expected to cope with everything alone.
At Niche Care, we are building something different.
We are looking for two experienced Senior Youth Mentors or Team Leaders who want to lead meaningful work, develop a strong team and help create safe, warm homes for young people—without allowing the job to take over their entire life.
This is not a “manage everything and hope for the best” role
You will have real responsibility, but you will not be left carrying the home alone.
You will work alongside a supportive Registered Manager, Deputy Manager, experienced senior leaders and a committed staff team. You will receive ongoing training, regular supervision and practical support when situations are difficult.
We believe good leadership should feel supported, not isolated!
Genuine flexibility—not just a line in the advert
We know experienced care professionals often have families, responsibilities and lives outside work.
That is why we are willing to have an honest conversation about the working pattern that suits you.
Depending on the needs of the home, this could include:
- agreed working days;
- longer shifts across fewer days;
- a consistent weekly pattern;
- flexibility around family or other commitments;
- opportunities for additional hours when you want them.
We cannot promise that residential care will always be predictable. It will not.
But we can promise to treat your time with respect, communicate clearly and work hard to create a rota that is sustainable.
Why this role matters
Our homes support young people who have experienced trauma, disruption and adults letting them down.
They do not need perfect adults.
They need calm, consistent and emotionally aware adults who can build trust, hold boundaries, repair relationships and keep showing up.
As a Team Leader, the way you lead a shift matters.
Your calm can steady the whole home.
Your support can help a new member of staff grow in confidence.
Your judgement can prevent a difficult situation from becoming a crisis.
Your belief in a young person can help them begin to believe in themselves.
This is leadership that people can feel.
What you will be doing
You will:
- lead shifts and help create a calm, organised and positive home
- support, guide and motivate Youth Mentors and Senior Youth Mentors
- role-model warm, professional and boundary care
- make sure young people feel heard, respected and safe
- support staff through difficult situations and help them reflect afterwards
- delegate responsibilities and ensure important tasks are completed
- oversee key work, care planning and accurate recording
- contribute to staff supervision, development and training
- work closely with managers, families, social workers and other professionals
- maintain high safeguarding and care standards
- help create a culture where people communicate honestly, learn from mistakes and support one another
- take part in the senior on-call system as agreed.
You will still spend meaningful time with young people. This is not a role where you disappear into an office and only appear when something goes wrong.
What makes Niche different
We are a small, growing organisation with two children’s homes in the Suffolk countryside.
Because our homes are small, relationships matter. Your ideas will be heard, your leadership will be visible and your contribution will not disappear into layers of management.
We offer:
- a genuinely supportive senior leadership team
- high-quality in-house therapeutic and leadership training
- funded qualifications and ongoing professional development
- regular supervision and reflective practice
- small homes where you can get to know the young people properly
- a committed team that wants to do the job well
- flexibility around working patterns
- a culture that values kindness, honesty, accountability and growth
- the opportunity to help shape how our homes develop.
We are committed to being an outstanding employer, not only an outstanding care provider.
Who we are looking for:
You may already be a Team Leader looking for a healthier and more supportive organisation.
Or you may be an experienced Senior Youth Mentor who is ready to take the next step into leadership.
You will need to be someone who:
- has experience supporting children or young people in residential care
- understands that behaviour is communication
- can remain calm when situations become emotionally charged
- is warm and approachable but able to hold clear boundaries
- can lead people without needing to dominate them
- is organised and understands the importance of accurate records
- is willing to reflect, learn, apologise and repair
- will speak up when something is not right
- enjoys helping colleagues grow
- can bring energy, humour and humanity into the home
- has a full driving licence and access to a vehicle
- has the right to work in the UK.
A Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare is desirable. We are also interested in experienced candidates who are working towards the qualification or are willing to complete it.
This role will not suit everyone
This is meaningful work, but it is not easy work.
Young people may reject your support, test boundaries, or communicate distress through challenging behaviour.
There will be paperwork, safeguarding responsibilities, difficult conversations and shifts that do not go exactly to plan.
We are not looking for someone who wants a title without responsibility.
We are looking for someone who can combine warmth with authority, compassion with accountability and confidence with humility.
What you can expect from us
We will not expect you to know everything.
We will expect you to care, communicate, take responsibility and keep learning.
In return, we will:
- support you properly
- invest in your development
- listen to your ideas
- give you honest feedback
- respect your life outside work
- recognise the responsibility you carry
- stand beside you when the work is difficult
- celebrate the progress you help create.
Ready for a leadership role that does not require you to sacrifice everything else?
Send us your CV and tell us briefly:
What does excellent leadership in a children’s home look like to you?
Applications are reviewed promptly, and suitable candidates will be invited to an initial conversation followed by a formal interview and a visit to one of our homes.
Care deeply. Lead confidently. Still have a life.
Niche Care is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to safer recruitment checks, satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS check.
Pay: £14.70 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Flexible schedule
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
Application question(s):
- Do you have a full valid UK driving licence, with access to your own car?
Language:
Work Location: In person
