Residential Care Practitioner - Children & Young People

Do you want to make a real difference to the lives of Children and Young People in Solihull?

Solihull Childrens Services have an exciting new opportunity for a team of enthusiastic and passionate Residential Care Practitioners to join us as we launch three small (three bed) children's residential homes.

Whether you are an experienced Care Practitioner, or you are looking for a change in career, we would love to hear from you.

We will provide you with a comprehensive induction and training in the run up to the opening of the home, and where required, a funded Level 4 Residential Childcare qualification, to enable you to join us in our commitment to deliver the highest quality Children's Home for our children and young people.

Here in Solihull, Children's Services is our top priority within our Council Plan and we are placing children at the heart of all that we do. In this highly rewarding role, you will relish the opportunity to make a life-changing difference to children, young people and their families in Solihull. By providing a safe, supportive, stable, and stimulating environment that will allow our children and young people to live and remain in their locality, you will help to create a strong foundation for a brighter future.

Within this dynamic role, no two days will be the same. One day might see you complete the school run and a food shop, followed by a movie night. The next might be an action-packed day out or contributing towards a care plan and attending a meeting with other professionals. And while some days may have their challenges, every day should include hugs, laughter, reassurance, sharing, and learning.

You will build positive and meaningful relationships with our Children and Young People, acting as a role model to enable them to address challenges, build resilience and go above and beyond to enable them to achieve their upmost potential on their journey to adulthood.

Our Current Opportunities

We want the best for our children, and we recognise to prioritise our children's care we must also prioritise the wellbeing of those caring for them.

So we have developed various shift patterns to allow our staff the ability to maintain a good work life balance.

You will hold a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or equivalent e.g., NVQ Level 3 Health and Social Care, Level 3 Children and Young People Workforce Diploma etc), OR you will have GSCE Maths and English grade C/4 or above (or equivalent) and will be willing to work towards and successfully complete a Level 4 Diploma in Residential Childcare within 2 (full time) years of your appointment, as funded by us.

You will have experience and transferable skills working in a health and social care or educational setting, having also previously dealt with challenging behaviours.

Displaying great self-awareness and excellent communication skills, you will also have the ability to build strong relationships with our children and young people.

And you will have a passion for learning, reflection, and growth within this role; striving to deliver a high-quality service and demonstrating a continued commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of our children and young people.

Knowledge of The Children's Home Regulations 2015 and safeguarding are also essential.

This post also carries essential car user status, therefore you must be able to drive, have a driving licence and have access to a car, however for disabled applicants, reasonable adjustments will be made where required.

At Solihull Council, we pride ourselves on being a Council that is small enough to care, but big enough to make a difference.

We place children and young people at the heart of all we do to enable them to achieve their potential and lead fulfilling lives. This means our workforce needs to be effectively led, supported, and well trained. It's our aim to offer high-quality support and guidance to all team members. This includes supporting you, as you support others in the team.

We also have a strong culture of child-focused practice. This means transparency, cooperation, and a real commitment to the young people we will care for., We've implemented a new system from Monday 4th March which will improve your candidate experience!, About Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

Solihull is regarded as a popular and vibrant place to live in the UK. As one of the most prosperous towns in the Midlands, almost two thirds of our borough is designated as green belt. We have over 1,500 acres of parks across the borough, with 16 Green Flag Awards. Solihull is very well connected, with great transport links such as the M40, M42 and M6 all close by, and an excellent rail network, plus, of course, an international airport. We are home to the award-winning Touchwood Shopping Centre, National Exhibition Centre, Resorts World Birmingham, and the Resorts World Arena.

It is an exciting time for Solihull, although we are a relatively small local authority (c. 6000 employees), we still have ambitious plans including the development of UK Central and HS2.

Here at Solihull Council, we want to ensure that all our citizens have an equal chance to share in Solihull's success. We do this by putting our customers at the heart of everything we do.

We recognise that our employees are the key factor in achieving our vision and as such, we are always on the lookout for talented individuals, who want to make a real positive difference to people's lives and can help us to continue building on our success.

Both Smarter Ways of Working and Employee Wellbeing are key Council Priorities.

The transition to Smarter Ways of Working has presented us with the opportunity to re-think how and where we work. With the option to access portable technology, dependent upon the requirements of the role, a lot of our people are not bound to a single workplace or traditional ways of working, with many choosing to spend a good proportion of their week working from home.

Our people told us that they value flexibility, and that choice enables them to have a better work-life balance, manage family responsibilities, enhance their personal wellbeing, and continue to deliver excellent outcomes for the residents of Solihull.

Our people are our number one asset, and our aim is to have a healthy, happy engaged and thriving workforce.

Wellbeing is at the heart of our employee offer and we are a bronze accredited West Midlands Combined Authority Thrive at Work employer. This recognises our commitment and action in support of employee wellbeing; we are currently working towards silver accreditation.

Unpaid carers carry out a key role within our community and know that this can be challenging when combined with employment. Our Carer's Policy and the ongoing support we give to our employees has resulted in us winning Employer of the Year 2022 at the Carer Friendly Awards.

• Part time, 17 hours per week, working Saturday one week and Sunday the next. This role includes Sleeps for which an additional payment will be made (currently at £40.76 per sleep).



• Part time, 20 hours per week, working either weekends or weekdays, mainly in the afternoon and evenings. This role does not include Sleeps.


Our Offer to You

• A funded Level 4 qualification in Residential Care (where required)


• Competitive pay


• A clear career pathway


• Access to our Local government pension


• 25 days annual leave rising to 30 days after 5 years of service, and the opportunity to buy up to 10 days of additional leave per year


• Quality training and coaching via our Children's Social Care Academy


• Our Employee Assistance Programme - a 24 hour independent, free and confidential advice and support service


• Family and carer friendly policies


• Many other employee benefits including staff discounts, subsidised travel passes and Cycle 2 Work Scheme, This post is subject to compliance checks in line with Schedule 2 requirements for working in a children's home, including a pre-employment medical check.


This post will also be subject to require a DBS check.

This post is covered by the Fluency Duty, as outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers.

Solihull Council is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

Solihull Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.,
• Competitive salaries including, for those at the top of their scale, the opportunity to receive a non-consolidated lump sum;


• A range of flexible working options;


• Annual leave starting at 25 days and rising to 30 days after 5 years' service in addition to public holidays with an opportunity to purchase up to 10 additional days' holiday per year;


• A generous flexitime scheme (available for most roles);


• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme;


• A wide range of learning and development opportunities;


• A range of family friendly policies;


• Employee benefits including subsidised travel passes, Cycle 2 Work Scheme, confidential Employee Assistance Programme and staff discounts.


Solihull Council is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

As users of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who demonstrate they meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

Solihull Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

For roles eligible for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check this will be indicated in the advert and supporting recruitment documents. Where the post involves working with children, other vulnerable groups or in a position of trust it is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Further guidance is available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/945449/rehabilitation-of-offenders-guidance.pdf

Please note, where sufficient numbers of applications are received, we reserve the right to close a vacancy before the advertised closing date. We therefore advise that you submit your application as soon as possible.