Job Details:
Salary range: £21,403 – £24,055 per annum (plus £5,000 market supplement per annum and enhancements including Sleep-ins and Sunday working)
Salary after allowances: You can expect to earn between £28,000 – £32,000 when enhancements for market supplement, evenings and weekends are added.
Work location: Swanwick Lodge, Southampton, commutable from Winchester, Eastleigh, Portsmouth, Fareham
Hours per week: 37
Contract type: Permanent
Closing Date: 20 December 2020
Interviews: Week Commencing 04 January 2021
Contact details for an informal discussion: Call our Swanwick Lodge team on 01489 581 913, or email Jade.Bennett@Hants.gov.uk.
Please note, the first four months of the role will comprise an induction programme, including mandatory training.
About the Role
We have an opportunity for you to join our dedicated team as a Secure Children’s Home Practitioner.
You will work as part of a diverse and supportive team of professional carers to provide a highly structured, stimulating and caring environment for young people who may display extreme behaviour and high levels of distress, and who may have great difficulty forming and maintaining relationships.
Your focus will be to act as a ‘therapeutic parent’ and role-model to the young people by forming positive, trusting relationships that enable them to feel safe and cared for. This requires you to have a great deal of patience, empathy and understanding, and the ability to be consistent, kind and respectful, even in the face of extremely challenging behaviour.
Experience of working with children, young people or adults within a residential, secure or similar setting is advantageous and you will also be provided with training in ‘therapeutic parenting’ as well as regular ongoing training and support to develop both personal and professional skills.
You will also need the ability adapt your approach and expectations to take account of a young person’s intellectual and emotional development, which may be much younger than their actual/chronological age.
Skills required for this role.
Essential
Passionate about working with young people who have experienced a traumatic
childhood.
Able to respond to challenging behaviour whilst maintaining positive relationships,
support and an environment which enables young people to maximise their
potential.
Be emotionally intelligent, resilient, and put the needs of a young person first.
Be physically fit enough to undertake the role and complete mandatory training
English and Maths GCSE (or equivalent) and basic computer skills
Desirable
Level 3 (or equivalent) Diploma in Residential Childcare (or willingness to complete
a Level 4 Apprenticeship in Children, young people, and Families Practitioner within
2 years of employment)
Professional experience related to residential childcare
Knowledge of child protection procedures
Knowledge of SharePoint
Knowledge of HCC Residential Service
In return, Hampshire County Council can offer you an improved work-life balance through our excellent benefits package including:
Access to Local Government Pension Scheme (employer contributions starting at 16.1% of your salary).
Between 24 – 27 days annual leave entitlement (dependant on Local Authority service).
Interest free travel loans and discounts.
Employee Support Services.
Family friendly policies.
You will work a shift pattern whereby you will work alternate weekends and a mixture of early and late shifts to suit your home-life balance. Please email Jade.Bennett@hants.gov.uk for further information about shift patterns.
As critical workers, supporting vulnerable young people, Swanwick Lodge continues to recruit during these unprecedented times. Interviews will be carried out virtually. We are currently looking for permanent and casual positions, offering flexible hours for casual roles. Call for an initial chat on 01489 581 913
Vetting Requirements:
This role requires an enhanced DBS disclosure (Criminal Records Check). As such, please note, we will take up references prior to interview.
This role requires a Safeguarding Check. As such, please note, all previous employment involving contact with children will be contacted for an additional reference.
Hampshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.
Corporate Equalities Employment Policy: In order to combat indirect discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied to any for achieving equality of opportunity in its employment practices. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of their gender, disability, age, ethnic or national origin, marital status, creed, sexuality, trade union activity or responsibility for dependants unless a Genuine Occupational Qualification (GOQ) applies. In order to combat indirect discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied to which would have a disproportionately adverse effect on any one group.
