Learning & Skills Practitioner Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway £24,960 to £27,165 per annum The Greenleaf Team We’re looking for people to join our team that share our beliefs. We believe in a holistic approach: that even the smallest detail can mean a world of difference to a vulnerable young person. We want team members who never give up on our young people, who are compassionate and who believe that our young people deserve the best we can give them. We specialise in solo placements for young people in care up to the age of 21 and adopt a therapeutic, trauma-informed approach to care. In our work, we uphold Greenleaf’s values of Integrity, Compassion, Excellence, Collaboration, and Respect. If it’s your ambition to create a future filled with hope and optimism for our young people, we would love to hear from you. Visit our website for more info: greenleafhouse.co.uk Role Overview We look after children and young people from a variety of backgrounds, who have experienced trauma or adverse life experiences and need specialist therapeutic support in a small residential setting. We offer solo placements with a core care team to provide consistent, trauma-informed, therapeutic care to the young people in our homes. Within the role of a skills practitioner, you will be responsible for working 1:1 with the young person within the service to engage them in learning life-based skills that enhance their overall development and meet their individual needs. The learning of the young person will take place within the service and outdoors and will promote hands on meaningful life experiences for the young person. You will be required to deliver learning in its widest form, from the academic to the intrapersonal under the broad headings of Developing my Literacy, Developing my Numeracy, Developing my Health, Developing Myself, Staying Safe, Finance & Enterprise and Developing my sense of belonging. You will work together with the care team to ensure the best outcomes for the young person. Greenleaf Benefits With greater expectations come greater rewards. If you’re selected to become part of the Greenleaf family, you’ll not only enjoy a salary that’s higher that the sector average, but you’ll also enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including: 29 days holiday entitlement plus a day off on your birthday Additional annual leave with length of service, starting at 2 years’ service Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) with a 24/7 wellbeing line and free counselling Health Cash Plan, which includes dental and optical cover, physio therapies, and a 24/7 GP helpline. Greenleaf For You platform which offers a range of savings including discounts, offers, and money back on vouchers Aspiring Leaders Programme to develop and progress in your career Pension scheme with Nest Pensions Casual dress code The ideal candidate will: Be compassionate, patient, and understanding of trauma. Understand the impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences on learning. Possess an HNC in Education or Social Care (or equivalent). Have experience working in a residential children’s home and/or an educational environment. Have excellent communication, IT, teamwork, planning and time management skills. Have exceptional analytical skills and use data to inform practice. Be aware of relevant legislation. Understand safeguarding and child protection. Be skilled in report writing and collecting evidence. Reflect on practice and act on feedback. Specific Duties and Responsibilities Build a meaningful and trustworthy relationship with the young person within the home that will encourage their engagement within their learning. Be creative in your planning and implementation to make learning practical and enjoyable for the young person to improve their engagement. Gain the young person’s views on their interests and support them to become skilled in their areas of interest. Transport the young person during their day of learning and support appointments. Plan the daily learning of the young person in line with their current needs and academic ability. Evaluate your day, the positives and negatives, and make informed decisions on what you will do differently. Compile the evidence of all the work the young person has completed. Evidence the young person’s journey and deliver this to external professionals at various meetings. Evidence the outcomes and goals of the young person within their care plan. Manage the service budget and evidence the spending. Manage resources and ensure they are kept to a good standard and replenished when required. Provide support to our children and young people in accordance with policies and procedures and participate in a therapeutic approach. Ensure positive support to children and young people. Attend planning and review meetings. Ensure quality recording of information in accordance with policies and regulations. Implement de-escalation and physical intervention strategies as necessary and appropriate in line with mandatory training. Promote young peoples’ participation, ensuring young people are actively involved in the environment and day to day activities of the home. Comply with the code of conduct. Understand the principals of safeguarding young people, staff and self, and the process of reporting child protection issues. Have a good understanding of the emergency call out procedures of The nature of residential work is varied and, in many instances, unpredictable. All staff are therefore expected to work in a flexible way and tasks that have not been covered in the job description have to be undertaken. Skills Practitioners are expected to conduct themselves professionally and adhere to Greenleaf Policies and Procedures. They must successfully complete induction and ongoing training. The Company reserves the right to vary duties and responsibilities at any time. Requirements Minimum Requirements To be considered for this position, you must: Possess an HNC in either Education or Social Care, or equivalent and/or have experience of working within services for young people. Be eligible for SSSC registration and PVG membership for work with children and adults. Possess a full manual UK driving licence and be eligible for car insurance for company cars. Possess excellent communication and teamwork skills. Understand safeguarding and child protection. Be IT literate. Working knowledge of legislation in relation to child care including Health & Social Care Standards 2019, Children (Scotland) Act 1995, GIRFEC. Benefits Greenleaf offers a comprehensive wellbeing package, including EAP with a 24/7 wellbeing line and free counselling sessions, a health cash plan, with dental and optical cover, physio therapies, and a 24/7 GP helpline, and a Greenleaf For You platform, which gives you access to a wide range of discounts and savings. You will also have access to a wide range of development opportunities. At Greenleaf we believe in progression, we look after our staff so that they can focus on caring for our young people.