Job Description

The closing date for completed applications for this post is 9am on Thursday 29 January 2026, and it is anticipated interviews will take place on Thursday 12 February 2026.


Hours: 18.5 hours per week


Salary: 38,073 - 40,077 (SCP 33-33) + 1/3 for night duty allowance (pro rata for part time hours)


Please note this job share role requires to provide annual leave cover for the job share partner!

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Lead Practitioner (Nights) provides visible, accountable and values-led leadership across Rossie's secure and residential night services. The post holder supports the Night Duty Manager in ensuring the safety, wellbeing, rights and positive outcomes of young people overnight, while providing effective supervision, guidance and professional support to night staff.


Working in line with Rossie values, behavioural expectations and ethos, the Lead Practitioner (Nights) ensures that care is trauma-informed, rights-based and least restrictive, and that staff practice meets legislative, regulatory and organisational requirements.


The role requires strong operational leadership, professional judgement and the ability to respond effectively to complex situations, safeguarding concerns and emergencies during night hours.

Employee Leadership & Development & Operational Management:

Provide visible delegated operational leadership and professional guidance across secure and residential night services, ensuring safe, consistent and high-quality care delivery. Coordinate shift planning, staff deployment and workload prioritisation to meet the needs of young people and service demands. Exercise delegated authority to respond to incidents, safeguarding concerns, health emergencies and unplanned events, escalating appropriately. Support admissions, including emergency and out-of-hours placements, liaising with social work, health services, police and senior managers. Ensure high-quality written and verbal handovers to day services, clearly communicating risks, incidents, health needs and emerging concerns. Work flexibly to respond to service exigencies while maintaining stability, consistency and staff wellbeing. Deliver shift-based supervision, mentoring and reflective support to promote safe, confident and skilled practice. Contribute to formal supervision, personal development plans (PDPs) and annual performance reviews as agreed with the Night Duty Manager. Support staff learning and development, ensuring night staff understand their roles, responsibilities and key worker duties. Challenge poor practice constructively, demonstrate professional courage and support improvement in line with SSSC expectations. Encourage reflective practice, professional curiosity and a culture of learning, accountability and continuous improvement. Promote safe practice and child protection in collaboration with the wider care services management team.

Care Quality, Safeguarding & Children's Rights:

Lead the delivery of safe, secure, nurturing and therapeutic night-time care that promotes emotional security and positive development. Safeguard and promote the physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing of young people at all times. Ensure practice is trauma-informed, rights-based, culturally responsive and sensitive to identity, gender, sexuality, race, culture, language and religion. Promote and uphold children's rights, dignity, participation and least restrictive approaches in all aspects of care. Oversee night-time risk assessment and management, including self-harm, absconding, emotional distress and health needs. Ensure compliance with Behaviour Management Policies and actively promote Rossie's Restraint Reduction Programme. Monitor the safe administration, recording and storage of medication in line with legislation and organisational policy. Ensure Health & Safety standards are maintained and that staff awareness of responsibilities is upheld.

Assessment, Planning & Recording:

Ensure night-time contributions to assessments, placement/support plans and risk management plans are accurate, timely and of high quality. Oversee night recording, reports and administrative tasks, using quality assurance and auditing processes. Ensure essential information from night care informs placement planning and the work of the Team Around the Child. Monitor and track progress against placement outcomes, ensuring night key workers contribute effectively. Use person-centred approaches to support emotional wellbeing, build trust and promote positive behaviour. Encourage positive behaviour support and conflict resolution through clear communication and positive reinforcement.

Partnership Working & Communication

Promote effective communication and collaborative working with colleagues, families and external agencies. Maintain effective working relationships with social work, health services, Police and out-of-hours professionals. Maintain awareness of the wider organisation and contribute to consistency and integration across services. Attend and contribute to team meetings, briefings and service development activities as required.

Professional Standards:

Act as a role model for professional integrity, ethical decision-making and accountability. Uphold confidentiality, data protection and professional boundaries at all times. Ensure compliance with legislative, regulatory, organisational and procedural requirements. Contribute to service improvement, policy development and quality assurance processes. Ensure the physical environment, furnishings, security and standards within the house are well maintained.

Please note this job description is to provide a clear and concise statement of the main tasks and activities of the post, and it is not intended as an exhaustive list of every aspect of the post holder's duties. All the above duties will be carried out in line with Rossie policies and procedures.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Knowledge Base (Essential):

Care Inspectorate Quality Framework Health & Social Care legislation Quality Care Standards Framework Secure Care Pathway & Standards Child protection & Safeguarding policy and procedures National policy/research/legislation relating to wider Child Care agenda Care Planning Trauma Informed Practice

Knowledge Base (Desirable):

The Promise: Scotland's Approach to Residential Child Care (2020) Getting it right for children in residential care (2010)(GIRFEC) National Residential Childcare Initiative (NRCCI) National Guidance for the External Management of Residential Child Care Establishments in Scotland

Qualifications (Essential):

HNC/SVQ 3 level or higher Willingness to undertake SVQ level 4 within a 2-year timeline CALM Accreditation SSSC registration

Qualifications (Desirable):

SVQ Level 4 in a care-related discipline Supervisory qualification

Experience (Essential):

3 years in a relevant care-related environment Multidisciplinary work to promote positive outcomes for young people

Experience (Desirable):

In a secure or residential setting Team leading or supervisory role

Skills (Essential):

Effectively support staff to deal with young people in crisis Strong written and verbal communication skills Strong presentation skills Ability to ensure child, staff and organisational confidentiality is maintained at all times Report writing and quality assurance Delegate effectively Effective judgment to balance competing risks.

Skills (Desirable):

Highly developed analytical and problem-solving skills Effective change management Intermediate understanding of ICT

Personal Attributes (Essential):

Ability to work as part of a team to achieve team objectives Ability to form excellent working professional relationships Demonstrate professional ambition Empathy and understanding Flexibility, understanding and hard working

Personal Attributes (Desirable):

Respectful, honest and open

Full Clean Driving Licence - Essential