Job Description

Salary

34,434 - 36,363

Contractual hours

37

Basis

Full Time

Job category/type

Leeds City Council

Date posted

06/09/2025

Job reference

REQ003222

Job title:

Senior Residential Practitioner

Salary:

SO1 34,434 - 36,363 pro rata

Hours:

37

Contract:

Permanent

Location:

Kirkstall, Leeds

As our next Residential Practitioner, you'll thrive on providing vital care to disadvantaged young people living in our 45 bed Kirkstall Accommodation. This role in an exciting opportunity to transform vulnerable young lives for the better. It is a challenging yet fulfilling and rewarding role.

You'll act as a role model for the young people within your care, as well as the staff in your team, playing an essential part in each care leaver's journey to adulthood, independence and beyond. We are proud to work with young people from diverse backgrounds. We're committed to promoting inclusion while creating brighter futures for our residents, which you will play a vital role to achieving this goal as a Senior Residential Practitioner.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council valuesand ambitions.

About you

As a Senior Residential Practitioner, you will bring to the role:

NVQ Level 3 qualified (minimum) in Caring for Young People. QCF, Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People Services or the commitment to undertake this qualification (and we'll fund it).


The ability to demonstrate a clear understanding of young people's needs within the supported accommodation service, including a trauma informed approach and crisis management skills. A flexible approach to work as a rota shift system is in operation to meet the changing needs of the young people.


Leadership skills, experience of staff supervision and team development and training

About the role

As a Senior Residential Practitioner, you'll use your excellent communications skills to build positive relationships with vulnerable young people to support and guide them in their journey to adulthood and independent living. This role is varied and stimulating with no two days the same, from supporting the residents with cooking and personal care to making arts and crafts and gaming with them.

The role is integral to our Kirkstall Accommodation, your work will go beyond just supporting our team, you'll be helping to a create safe, welcoming space where young people can heal, thrive and flourish.

You will be joining a supportive team who have your wellbeing and development at heart, to ensure you have every success in this rewarding role.At Kirkstall Accommodation, we are more than just a team, we're a diverse, passionate community united by one goal: supporting and empowering young people.

As our next post holder, you'll also have internal responsibilities including staff supervision and appraisal, training and development of the team, as well as liaising with stakeholders and external colleagues in health and education. You will also contribute to developing the role in a positive manner.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays


membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions


being part of an outstanding service with an excellent support network, strong leadership and guidance


a clear career pathway and continuing professional development and training opportunities


a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form. Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.

If y have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Tina Grant Team Manager on 07845520998 or tina.grant@leeds.gov.uk

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children's or Adults' barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our

recruitment of ex-offenders policy

.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the

Skilled Worker visa

route before applying.

To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least 41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job purpose

The Senior Practitioner's role is to lead the residential practitioner team which supports, encourages and safeguards children and young people in their development, enabling them to make positive contributions to their families, society and local communities.

You will do this by fostering positive relationships and maintaining strong bonds between children and staff based on shared daily life and routines, joint activities and established boundaries of acceptable behaviour.

Responsibilities

Undertake key worker role, implement care plans, conduct risk assessments and devise support and health plans Provide and maintain a safe, stimulating and secure living and learning environment supporting day-to-day physical and emotional needs Work with professionals and communities of origin to sustain links and understand past problems Nurture children's ambitions for their future and their learning, both in and out of school Support children and young people's emotional, mental and physical health needs to build self-esteem Respect privacy whilst maintaining a duty of care ensuring that living spaces are clean and safe Provide appropriate levels of personal care for children and young people with disabilities and complex needs, including bathing, toileting, dressing, changing and feeding as appropriate Ensure that all records are accurate, up to date and GDPR compliant Manage complex and challenging behaviour in an assertive, restorative and sensitive manner Work to reduce the likelihood that a child/young person becomes criminalised, encouraging restorative approaches and outcomes Day-to-day management including deployment of staff ensuring appropriate cover in the home Responsibility for the home in the absence of the Registered Manager and Deputy Manager commensurate to the grade Lead and participate in the planning and delivery of opportunities for of young people Supervision and appraisal of staff in line with associated policies and procedures, including participation in recruitment, selection, induction, training and support processes as required Administer and record prescribed and other medication and supervise others in this activity in line with Medication Policy and Procedure Provide reports, minutes, maintain records, attend, and chair meetings and reviews as required The hours of work are primarily determined by the needs of the service and are worked on a rota basis and include weekends and Bank Holidays. There may be a need to undertake sleeping-in duties as required Maintain a close working relationship with colleagues, other council directorates, service users, carers, external agencies and the wider public Be flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required, commensurate to grade Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up-to-date knowledge and skills Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion and development programmes Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice Contribute to the overall ethos, work and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days and events as requested Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures such as child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all by working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures The postholder is expected to work within the parameters of the council's flexibility protocol The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post

Qualifications

To work in this role, you must hold at minimum NVQ/QCF Diploma Level 3 in Residential Child Care, as well as the QFC Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People's Services Level 5. If you do not hold this qualification, we will fund you to study for it. You must complete the qualification within a reasonable period of starting work, normally 3 years. Failure to achieve the QFC Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People's Services Level 5 will prevent you from continuing in this post.

Person specification

Essential requirements:

The candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities. We will use one or more methods to assess whether candidates meet the essential requirements, including application form, interview, test and certificate.

We will only shortlist candidates for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.

Skills required

Able and willing to travel and work flexibly across different work locations including providing support to children living within family settings as appropriate Able and willing to work on a rota basis and change work patterns as reasonably required, including undertaking sleep-ins, early mornings, late evenings, weekends and bank holidays Able to build relationships and actively engage with individual and groups of children and young people Able to build relationships and communicate effectively with a wide range of people Able to accurately maintain manual and digital records in accordance with the requirements of GDPR Able to use initiative to adapt to changing circumstances and develop solutions to issues Able to demonstrate skills in managing conflict and aggression using de-escalation techniques Able to take a lead role, manage, plan, deploy staff, follow procedure and maintain records Able to make assessments, formulate and facilitate care plans and present observations and reports on young people Able to lead in the planning, implementation and evaluation of group activities and individual work

Knowledge required

NVQ/QCF Diploma Level 3 in Residential Child Care QFC Leadership Health and Social Care and Children and Young People's Services Level 5; if you do not hold this qualification, you must complete it within a reasonable period, normally 3 years after starting work (we fund the course) Of relevant legislation, guidance, policies and the ability to interpret and apply them consistently Understanding of child and adolescent growth and development Principles of risk assessment and management, child protection and safeguarding Understanding of responsibilities in terms of health and safety, security, confidentiality and data protection Of the needs of looked after children and the importance of advocacy for children and young people Good standard of literacy and numeracy Basic computer literacy and of the use of Microsoft packages

Experience required

Recent experience of working with young people or vulnerable adults who may have emotional or behavioural difficulties, in either a paid or voluntary capacity Of supervision of staff, personal and team development and training

Behavioural and other characteristics required

Be physically fit enough to carry out all requirements of the role including the use of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) to manage challenging behaviour as required Committed to continuous improvement Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council's Equality and Diversity Policy Carry out all duties having regard to an employee's responsibility under the council's Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up-to-date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development * Understand and embrace our values, behaviours and codes of conduct