Residential Care Officer Level 2

About the role

As a Residential Care Officer (Level 2) your responsibilities will include supervision, shift leading, developing projects, developing direct work with children and mentoring and inspiring new staff. In this role you will lead in different areas of practice and you will be expected to chair and take part in professional meetings. You’ll also help with the usual tasks involved in running any household and preparing our young people for independent living. Building and maintaining resilient relationships with stakeholders is an important part of this role.

Our roles are offered on a full time, permanent basis where you will work a shift pattern including evenings, weekends and nights. A ‘sleeping in’ payment of £40.76 is paid for each shift you sleep in, mileage is paid at 45p per mile, overtime is paid at time and a half and there is free parking at all our homes.

We currently have vacancies for Residential Care Officers (Level 2) at: Eastgate and Strut House. Below is a brief overview of all our homes – please see the attached brochure for further details on each home. During your application you will have the opportunity to select any of the homes with current vacancies that you are interested in.

About our homes

Mainstream Homes: We currently have 4 mainstream homes – Albion Street in Spalding, Eastgate in Sleaford, Northolme in Gainsborough and Robin House in Lincoln, which is a specialist residential home providing therapeutic care and support for children. We've also recently opened a brand new home, Riverhead House in Louth. The children we care for in our mainstream homes are between primary school age and 18 years old and move into residential for a variety of reasons. Our aim is to create a warm and nurturing home where we support them to thrive and reach their full potential.

Supported Accommodation: We have a home in Grantham (Denton Avenue) and one in Gainsborough (Rowston Close) that provides 16–18 year olds with the opportunity to experience independent living in an environment that encourages them to develop new skills in a supported manner. Carers working in our Supported Accommodation Homes will be lone working at times and will be expected to travel between both sites.

Children With Disabilities: We also have 3 homes specifically designed for children with disabilities. The Beacon at Grantham is a long term care home. Haven Cottage in Boston and Strut House in Lincoln provide short term breaks. We provide care for children from primary school age up to 18 years old in these homes.

Lincs Secure Unit: Young people come to our secure home via the courts through the Youth Custody Service or for Welfare reasons. Our Care Officers here are trauma informed and help children rehabilitate back into the community, or transition into adult estates. We provide full training in trauma informed practices as well as in residential childcare to ensure children are being empowered to believe in themselves and to promote the best possible outcomes through education, health and intervention. We usually care for children age 11 – 18 years old. If you are interested in working in the secure home please see the attached LSU Job Description which is specific to this home.

About You

We are looking for someone who:

• Is passionate about care and deeply committed to helping our children and young people grow and develop, socially and emotionally
• Is willing to develop themselves and undertake a QCF qualification in working with children (or have a Level 3 QCF qualification if applying to the Secure Unit)
• Can be a keyworker for one of our children
• Can make informed decisions and has the ability to supervise staff
• Has the ability to lead a shift and make decisions in the absence of the management team
• Works well under pressure in a fast paced environment
• Is able to produce reports and maintain accurate records
• Has IT skills and experience

About Our Offer

Our devoted Carers live by our core values: kindness, nurture, care, respect, empathy and compassion.

Along with a competitive salary we are offering:

• Access to an excellent local government pension scheme
• A comprehensive benefits package including discount schemes and cycle to work
• Career progression and development opportunities
• A generous annual leave entitlement plus the option to buy more

We know the importance of high quality induction, training and professional development and make sure our employees receive it. We ensure our Children’s Homes employees are well trained in trauma and therapeutic support as enabling the children in our care to feel safe and to thrive is what we are passionate about. We have a strong leadership team and you will be fully supported in your new role. 

Further details on the benefits of working for Lincolnshire County Council can be found in our rewards and benefits brochure. More information is also available in the attached Residential Homes Brochure.

Lincolnshire County Council are committed to being an equal opportunity employer, we encourage a supportive and inclusive culture and have been accredited as a Disability Confident employer.

If you would like an open and informal discussion regarding any of these vacancies please email: residential.recruitment@lincolnshire.gov.uk and a member of the Residential Homes Management Team will contact you.

Applications close on 30th April 2024.

Interviews will be arranged on a flexible basis with candidates who have evidenced in their application that they meet the essential criteria for the role. Interviews may take place before the closing date.

Please ensure that you select the homes you are interested in working in as part of your application. 

Please be advised that this position may be subject to a criminal record check.

All candidates are advised to read the attached job information pack prior to making an application.

On occasion we receive significantly more applications than expected for some vacancies and under such circumstances we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date of the advertisement. We therefore strongly advise you to apply for the role promptly to avoid disappointment should the closing date be brought forward. 

We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions.

Lincolnshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Fluency Duty

In accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 (Fluency Duty), the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.