Part-Time Contract (Evenings and Weekends) Salary: £29,093 - £32,654 (pro-rata to hours worked). This is the basic salary for a Residential Worker, in addition the post is paid enhancements for unsociable hours (evening and weekend work) and sleep in payments. The Role We are expanding our Children’s Homes Service, developing homes which meet the individual needs of young people and building supportive teams who are skilled in trauma-informed approaches. We are committed to ensuring that our children and young people live in homes where they feel happy, safe and aspirational for their futures. We have an opportunity for Residential Workers to join us working on a part-time basis (18.5 hour contract). This role will involve working a range of shifts with the majority scheduled for an evening and weekend which will include sleep in duties. There may be an expectation to work outside of this arrangement as required to meet the needs of the service, participate in training and team meetings. As a Residential Worker, you will be responsible for undertaking all aspects of caring and supporting our young people who live in the home, as any parent would. For example, transporting them to school, college or appointments, making their home a clean, warm and cosy environment, cooking meals and encouraging participation in local activities and hobbies. You will adopt an aspirational approach to support and develop the Children’s Homes Service to achieve its vision of providing high quality care and support to children, young people and their families as detailed in the Children’s Homes Statement of Purpose. Our Values Durham Cares incorporates our core values and strategic objectives, shaping our work and the high-quality care we provide for young people, as well as the culture across the Children’s Homes Service. Our ‘Durham’ values - Dignity, Unity, Responsibility, Heart, Aspiration, and Mindset are at the heart of everything we do for both our young people and our teams. What You Will Need We are looking for child centred practitioners with experience of working with children and young people with a range of needs either in a voluntary or professional capacity. Candidates should have excellent interpersonal skills, ability to cope with challenging and stressful situations and sensitively deal with emotional distress. You should be emotionally resilient, reliable and flexible in your approach to work. Our children and young people have often experienced trauma. We need you to offer them understanding through meaningful relationships aimed at keeping them safe and able to enjoy the world around them. We need you to listen to them and to consider their views, wishes and feelings. The role can be challenging and requires dedication and resolve however, the personal rewards are immense. The essential qualifications for the post are: GCSE Grade A – C in Maths and English or a qualification that is equivalent or higher All candidates must hold or have the commitment to attain a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or equivalent as stated in the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015) within 18 months of programme enrolment to meet regulatory requirements Please note to be shortlisted for interview, you must evidence in your application that you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the person specification for the role. In accordance with Durham County Council’s requirements, candidates must be a minimum of 22 years of age or above to apply. The successful applicant for this post will be required to apply for a Disclosure & Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure. We operate a 365 days per year, 24 hours a day service. As part of this, our shift-based roles work on a rota basis and attract enhanced payments which include time and a third for overtime and unsociable hours (working between the hours of 8pm to 6am and on weekends), as well as sleep in payments at £41.78 per sleep in. Our Offer to You You will benefit from a comprehensive programme of training to support you to develop in your role. We offer competitive rewards and benefits to help you perform at your best, including: 27 days holiday (plus bank holidays), rising to 32 days after 5 years' continuous local government service Option to purchase up to 10 additional days annual leave per year Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), with top-up options Wellbeing Portal and Employee Assistance Scheme Learning and development opportunities, including professional qualifications and mentoring Employee Benefits Portal with discounts at major retailers Discounted gym membership Staff-led networks (Race Equality, LGBT, Carers, Armed Forces, Menopause) Trade Union membership Salary sacrifice schemes, such as car leasing Take a closer look at our Rewards and Benefits You can contact us via childrenshomesjobsdurham.gov.uk if you would like any additional information on the post or have any queries. Interviews It is anticipated that interviews will be held on 13 March 2025. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran. How to Apply In line with the County Council's Recruitment and Selection Policy, please note that we are unable to accept CVs. Applications must be submitted on-line via the Northeast Jobs portal. Please use the ‘Person Specification’ section of your application form to demonstrate that you have the essential and where possible, desirable experience, skills, and knowledge. Candidates who do not evidence that they meet the essential qualifications and experience listed on the person specification will not be short-listed. If you have any support needs or require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27 (option 2), or the Recruitment Team via email at RecruitmentCYPSdurham.gov.uk Removal and Lodgings Removal, lodging and separation expenses may be available to the successful candidate if at the time of application for appointment their place of residence is outside the administrative area of County Durham and more than 30 miles in a straight line from their new administrative centre, along with several other criteria for eligibility. We collect personal information from you when you register with North East Jobs and make an application. Details on how we process your personal data is available in our Privacy Notice. https://www.durham.gov.uk/media/24645/Privacy-notice-human-resources/pdf/PrivacyNotice-HR.pdf PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION REGARDING YOUR APPLICATION FOR THIS POST WILL BE SENT TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS THAT YOU HAVE REGISTERED WITH NORTH EAST JOBS, INCLUDING YOUR INVITE TO INTERVIEW IF YOU ARE SHORTLISTED. PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL AFTER THE CLOSING DATE FOR NOTIFICATION FROM DONOTREPLYNORTHEASTJOBS.ORG.UK AS YOU WILL NOT BE NOTIFIED BY ANY OTHER MEANS. PLEASE ENSURE YOU CHECK YOUR JUNK MAIL. VPRS/161