Job Description

Residential Social Worker

Lifestyles Residential Services welcome applications from those in their AYE year.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for Residential Social Workers to join the team at Lifestyles Residential Services - a Children's Residential Service.

Lifestyles provide young people in care with individualised therapeutic residential services within Northern Ireland. Our mission is to employ experienced, passionate and qualified staff, to support young people who may have been affected by trauma on a medium to long term basis with a view to transition into a less intense model of care.

Our service values focus on being supportive, responsive, empowerment, safe, consistent, personal, social and educational development.

The children/ young people that can be placed or involved in our services sometimes display challenging behaviours. Our home, which is located in Dromore, is a large, detached property which is designed to house 2 children/ young people aged 6-12 years.

Job Purpose

As a residential social worker, you will be required to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to create a therapeutic and safe environment where young people can feel secure, cared for and nurtured. You will work to build positive relationships with young people, assessing needs, assessing strengths and looking at innovative ways to overcome any challenges that young people experience.

Key Responsibilities:

To work with children, young people using person centred approaches and trauma informed practice to work towards achieving positive outcomes. To work co-operatively with children's services, health agencies and other community-based services, to provide the most effective service for children young people and families. To take responsibility for the more complex cases/situations presenting within the service. Work as part of a multi- disciplinary team with an aim to achieving high quality, safe practice and service To apply safeguarding and child protection procedures.
What we require:

Education/Knowledge

Qualified Social Worker registered with the relevant professional body Awareness of challenges which may impact vulnerable children and young people Knowledge of personal, social and educational development Knowledge of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children Experience of direct work with children and young people who present with challenging behaviours Experience of applying safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures.
Skills/Abilities

Ability to listen to and communicate effectively with children and young people Ability to work as part of a team. Possess the necessary skills to factually and clearly record daily records Ability to write reports and produce other management information Ability to lead a shift when required Ability to analyse and resolve problems or challenges children and young people experience
A full UK driving license

What Lifestyles offer:

A comprehensive induction/ training programme

Team reflective practice sessions

Regular practice supervision

Excellent professional development including potential progression routes into management

Salary: FTE 28,631 - 34,000.00

Consideration will be given to AYE candidates where all other essential criteria is met.

Successful AYE candidates will start on 28,631 per annum until completion of assessed year and/or probationary period at which time their salary will increase to 32,000 per annum.

Hours & Working Pattern: 37 per week on a rota basis including evenings, weekends and sleep-in duties.

Closing Date: 12th January 2026

Interviews: To be scheduled week beginning of 12th January 2026

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 28,448.20-34,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Company pension Free parking On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:

Dromore (County Down): reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:

social work: 1 year (required)
Work Location: In person