Job Description
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- Job Title: Senior Residential Child Care Worker
- Salary: Pay Scale 7-8, Spine Points 19-28. Actual Salary Range: £28,115-£34,757 PA. Annual Salary Range: £29,777-£36,648 PA. Plus NJC payment Sleeping-in Duty Payments. Pay Award Pending.
- Hours: 40.75 hours per week, term time & inset days. Working 39 weeks per academic year.
(Y)Our Opportunity
We are looking for a dedicated, passionate and committed Senior Residential Child Care Worker to join our residential team in our highly successful academy, which holds a Good Ofsted status. Our residential provision holds Outstanding Ofsted status. This post involves working with boys aged 10 -16 years who have social, emotional and mental health needs.
Candidates need to be able to work as part of a team as well as use their own initiative in this fast paced and fun environment. The residential team work closely with the school and aim to provide a balanced 24-hour curriculum to meet individual and group needs. You must be caring, nurturing and fair to enable the students to develop positive and trusting relationships. A good sense of humour is essential.
There is a strong emphasis on activities to learn new skills and to help develop confidence and self-regulation. You will be encouraged and expected to take part by being enthusiastic and willing to support those that are struggling.
Hours of work are 40.75 hours per working week, working within a rota system which is set and communicated on a half termly basis. Rota shifts comprise of: Day Shift: 7.30am to 3.30pm and Evening Shift: 2.30pm to 10.45pm. Senior Residential Child Workers will normally be on rota to work two day shifts and three evening shifts per working week. Sleeping in duties also apply to this post of which the NJC Sleeping-in Duty payment is payable, currently £40.76 per duty. Rota changes may be changed providing 24 hours' notice. . No weekend shifts, public holiday or school holiday shifts are required.
The role & you
The primary role of a Senior Residential Child Care Worker is to support the students from the point of leaving school, during the evening and until the following morning when they go back off to school. This post involves formal supervision of designated staff.
Once students arrive from school staff support them by making healthy snacks, agreeing activities, talking about their day and encouraging the students to have a shower and get changed.
Staff encourage students to choose at least one physical activity which staff will support and get involved with. We then eat together at dinner time before going off for our second activity such as playing in the park, visiting the beach, playing on skateboards, playing board games, having a quiz or going to bowling/cinema/golf etc. Later in the evening we help with school work, watch TV or a film before the students are supported to go to bed after a story or chat before staff complete evening reports. In the morning staff wake the students to get ready and go off to breakfast ready for their school day.
Staff are expected to attend residential holidays when needed and undertake driving duties as required.
In addition, residential staff write and agree placement plans, risk assessments, activity rotas and review reports when required. During the school day staff support in the school for on call duties, activity events and training.
Throughout, staff participate in the general supervision of students, ensure that students adhere to acceptable standards of behaviour, give sensitive and effective care in a safe and supportive environment so that students enjoy a calm and relaxed group living experience.
Candidates must have:
- A minimum of 2 years successful experience of working with adolescents is essential and with SEMH preferable.
- NVQ Level 3 in Child/Young Persons Care is essential.
- Willingness and ability to administer medication.
- Supervisory/shift lead experience.
- Knowledge of relevant legislation e.g. Children Act and NMS for residential special schools.
- Good knowledge of First Aid.
- Driving qualification (mini bus) is desirable.
- Good working knowledge of ICT to support learning.
- Ability to confidently use MS Word, Excel and Outlook.
- With a current car driving license along with flexibility and willingness to use own car to transport students, if required.
- Ability to complete detailed and complex reports.
- Ability to use clear language to communicate information unambiguously.
- Ability to listen effectively and respond in an appropriate and professional way.
- Uses initiative to overcome communication barriers with children and adults.
- Consult with children and their families and carers and other adults.
- Ability to apply a range of behaviour management policies and strategies which contribute to a purposeful learning environment.
- Understand and support the importance of physical and emotional wellbeing and the wellbeing and safety of children.
- Enthusiastic, reliable and committed. Possess energy, vigor, perseverance, and empathy. Adaptable and flexible to changing circumstances. Good organisation skills and ability to remain calm under pressure.
- Good understanding and knowledge of the school curriculum.
- Good understanding of child development and learning processes. Ability to assess and record progress and recommend appropriate strategies to support development.
- Good understanding of statutory frameworks relating to teaching.
- Ability to learn school policies and procedures.
- Understand the importance of physical and emotional wellbeing.
- Works effectively as part of a team.
- Good understanding and effective implementation of child protection procedures.
- Understand procedures and legislation relating to data protection and confidentiality.
Demonstrates a clear commitment to develop and learn in the role. Constantly improves own practice/knowledge through self-evaluation and learning from others.
We will offer you
- Working 39 weeks per year (during school term time). Paid prorated holiday and pay for the remaining 13 weeks of the year.
- Recognition of continuous service
- Automatic enrolment into Local Government Pension Scheme
- Continuous Professional Development
- Free onsite car/bike parking at our Academy
- Access to the Employee Assistance Programme
- Access to excellent catering facilities when the kitchen is operational
- A responsive, supportive and involved team
- A Residential Academy that is fully committed to nurturing the potential in all of our pupils.
Potential candidates are invited to contact us for an informal conversation, please contact Jane Quilter-HR Operations Manager on telephone: 01277 624580 or email: jquilter@ramsdenhall.org.uk We reserve the right to call applicants to interview and appoint, prior to the closing date.
To apply please complete the employment application form, which can be found on our website, or follow this link: https://ramsdenhall.org.uk/careers/vacancies This form must be fully completed and submitted to jquilter@ramsdenhall.org.uk (unaccompanied CVs or third party application forms will not be accepted) by the closing date stated.
Ramsden Hall Academy (RHA) is part of the Parallel Learning Trust (PLT), a Multi Academy Trust based in Carshalton and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all pupils attending the Academy. As the duties of this post involves regular contact with children, any offer to the successful candidate will be conditional upon an Enhanced Disclosure being obtained via the Disclosure and Barring Service, medical clearance and satisfactory references. We will also carry out online searches on shortlisted candidates to help identify any incidents or issues that are publicly available online.
PLT is a Multi Academy Trust and Approved DfE Academy Sponsor; a forward thinking and innovative primary, special and alternative provision provider. PLT is committed to Safer Recruitment and aims for quality services and equal opportunities.
Information about the School
Ramsden Hall Academy is a Residential Special School for male students with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH) based in Ramsden Heath, Billericay, Essex.
The Academy was judged Good at its recent Ofsted inspections and is part of the Parallel Learning Trust, a Multi Academy Trust and DfE approved sponsor.
The Academy works with up to 100 secondary-age and Year 6 male students who have an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) for Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) issues offering a residential provision.
The Academy aims to support all students with their specific needs and barriers to learning to enable them to reach their full potential both academically and in terms of managing their behaviour. This is achieved by providing high quality teaching and learning and by using assessment, engagement and developing educational programmes. The Academy works actively with students and their families to ensure positive outcomes for all.
Focused attention is paid to the student’s individual needs through an integrated therapeutic approach to the curriculum. The Academy works with families to put in place aspirational targets for all learners and always celebrate the achievements of students to reinforce their success and achievement.
Any of the students demonstrating the skills and attainment required to successfully reintegrate into a mainstream school will be supported in the transition. Families will also receive support and guidance on how to best work with the school to help ensure their child is successful. The Academy aims for all students to enter further education, training or employment on exit from the Academy.
Our site is both attractive and well equipped in all areas of the curriculum and is well resourced. The school is situated with 14 acres of land in Ramsden Heath, near Billericay.