Specialist Education ServicesCHILD CARE PRACTITIONER with Specialist Education Services

If you would like a rewarding career making a difference to the lives of children, with the opportunity for quick career progression, we would love to welcome you to our team.

Starting salary £26,421 to £27,803 (depending on experience) plus sleeping in payments (which will usually increase your annual salary by around £1000).

We are looking for Child Care Practitioners to support our children and join the teams at our inspiring dual registered children’s homes and educational settings; Turnstone House (near Beccles) and Avocet House (near Loddon), on a full-time permanent basis. Each home accommodates up to 8 children, all with social, emotional and mental health complexities.

Typical duties include:

Ensuring children are fully prepared for daily life
Working closely with the onsite education team to support children’s learning
Maintaining a homely feel in the house
Planning activities for evenings, weekends and holidays
Supporting young people with attending outside clubs and activities
Building positive relationships with young people
Role modelling in life skills and social interactions
Ensuring we work towards the personal development plan for each child

You don’t need to have any previous experience to apply for a Child Care Practitioner position with us, just the desire to improve the lives of our children and to be part of a team that aspires to give them a better chance of having a happy and fulfilling future. You will work to provide a family environment, nurturing and educating children in life skills and their personal, emotional and social development.

You will need to be qualified in English Language or Literacy to a Level 1 standard and hold a full UK driving licence. Staff working in a children’s residential setting will be supported in completing a Level 3 Diploma in residential childcare, ensuring it has been completed within two years of employment.

As our homes provide care and nurture for children 24 hours a day, the position involves working shifts (with occasional paid sleep ins and overtime). The shift pattern is over four-weeks and is based on a 37 hour week. Due to the nature of the role you will be required to have your own transport but parking is always available on site. We have two homes within 3.5 miles of each other, providing great opportunities for shared professional development.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointments are dependent on a satisfactory enhanced DBS disclosure.

Section 7(1)(a) of the SVGA 2006 states it is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

We are an equal opportunity employer with diversity and inclusion at the centre of everything we do.

It is always worth a conversation with us if you are unsure whether this work is for you, or to get more information to help you make your decision. If you are interested please contact us on 01508 517000 or go to our Contact Us page to request more information.