Children’s residential care
More than just a job! It’s a chance to change lives, and an opportunity to transform your future in ‘the most rewarding career there is’
Every child deserves a safe, loving home and positive experiences that will set them up for life. That’s why residential childcare is so important. Working in a children’s home is a chance to make an enormous difference to the lives of young people.
But working in residential childcare is more than just a rewarding job. You can pursue a career with opportunities for personal development and role progression.
Your personal qualities mean more than your qualifications
You can start working in residential childcare with no qualifications. You don't need a degree, you don't need specific experience. We're looking for warm, nurturing people who know that good care looks like. If you care, you can do it!
A career in residential care could be for you:
- do you have the personal qualities that enables you to support children and young people?
- have your life experiences set you up to provide them with a safe and nurturing home? and start in life
- do you have transferable skills from a different career? These may help you progress into management or specialist roles
- are you great at building positive, trusting relationships, and willing to work hard at it?
Use our dedicated job site to see what residential care roles we have currently available
Training and development
We'll support you will all the necessary training from day one.
As a member of our team, you will have to undertake a Level 3 Diploma / Level 4 Apprenticeship in Residential Childcare. Along with our mandatory and specialist training.
We also support Social Worker Apprenticeships for our internal employees* – fully funded and supported by Wakefield Council. *Please note you have to be an existing team member to be eligible.
Why Wakefield Residential?
Top rating for Local Area special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) inspection
Inspected by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Reviewing the district’s arrangements for education, health and social care services. Inspectors recognised that the partnership working ‘led to positive experiences and outcomes’.
Last three children’s homes rated as Outstanding by Ofsted
Ofsted rated three of our council run children’s home as outstanding. Meaning 50 per cent of our homes are outstanding. The remaining three are as good.
A highly commended innovation of children in care sufficiency in LGC Awards 2024
In a competitive year, our submission was:
'Excellent. Evidence of innovation and whole scale change. Addressing the national challenge of children in care sufficiency. Our integrated model children's home is a national exemplar of best practice. And is able to evidence excellent impact for children accessing the service."
Access to our Emotional Wellbeing Team
Our teams have monthly consultations with the Emotional Wellbeing Team.
Access to our Learning Academy
Our in-house Learning Academy offers a dynamic hybrid training model. Combining in-person sessions with online learning accessible through a dedicated website. You can access learning wherever you are and whenever you want.
More about Residential Services
What does a Residential Childcare Practitioner do?
You’ll provide care for children living in a children’s home or other residential setting. You’ll get to know the children living in the home. Working as part of a team you'll provide an environment and the love and support they need to thrive.
You will work as part of a team be part of a team that’s:
- provides a safe, stable and nurturing environment
- guide children through their daily routine, build relationships and trust with them
- provide positive experiences and learning opportunities
You will have the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of children and young people. And help them towards the bright future they deserve.
Who are the children that I'll care for?
Children and young people can be placed in a residential care setting for a wide range of reasons. The children you will care for may have:
- experienced trauma, loss, abuse or neglect
- physical or psychological difficulties, making it hard to live in a family home
- experienced placement breakdown in other settings
What are the different roles and responsibilities?
Residential worker
In most cases you can begin your career as a residential childcare practitioner without any qualifications, as long as you’ve got the personal qualities, or some experience in a caring role (whether in your personal life or a different care setting).
As soon as you start, you’ll be supported to complete your Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare as the first step of your career development.
Senior Residential Worker
In these positions, you’ll play a key role in creating a positive environment for your team and the children and young people in your care. You’ll also provide support to the Assistant/Deputy Manager and Registered Manager, bringing opportunities to expand your knowledge and experience.
Assistant Manager
As an Assistant Manager/Deputy Manager, you’ll assist the Registered Manager in providing support, guidance and supervision to the team of Residential Childcare Practitioners in a children’s home.
Registered Manager – running a children’s home
This is a key role in our children’s home, responsible for every aspect of care provided to children, as well as managing staff within the home. Every home has a Registered Manager.