Most team leader roles in residential care ask you to manage chaos without the tools or backing to actually lead. This one is different. We're looking for someone with real experience and proven leadership skills to step into a senior role where your mentoring, your clinical judgment, and your ability to build a therapeutic culture will genuinely shape how a team operates and how young people thrive
You'll be working in a residential home where your day-to-day focus is overseeing the care, safety, and development of the children in placement. You won't be drowning in paperwork alone - you'll be working closely with the Registered Manager and Assistant Manager, sharing the load and having real clinical oversight. This is leadership with backup, not leadership by abandonment
Your role is to be the person the care team looks up to. You'll mentor residential care practitioners, model high-quality child-centred practice, and foster a team culture where creativity, professional development, and collaboration are the norm. You'll observe and assess the young people regularly, track their progress, shape care plans to fit their individual needs, and work with external professionals - therapists, social workers, whoever it takes - to coordinate support. The young people will know you as someone who builds genuine relationships with them and promotes the skills they'll need for life beyond the home
This is a role where your experience with trauma-informed care, attachment theory, and behaviour management actually gets used every day. You'll stay current with best practice in residential childcare, you'll facilitate training and professional development for your team, and you'll bring your expertise to bear on the toughest situations - crisis management, conflict resolution, safeguarding, risk. It's demanding work, but it's also deeply purposeful
What you will be doing
- Lead and mentor the residential care team, acting as a senior practitioner and role model for high-quality, child-centred care
- Oversee the day-to-day running of the home, ensuring all care is delivered safely, in line with policies, procedures, and regulatory standards
- Develop and implement person-centred care plans and therapeutic interventions tailored to each child's needs, working with external professionals and the management team
- Conduct regular observations and assessments of the young people, documenting progress, incidents, and any changes in behaviour or well-being
- Coordinate team meetings, training sessions, and professional development opportunities for the care practitioners
- Ensure safeguarding procedures, risk assessments, and health and safety compliance are maintained throughout the home
Why you will love working here
- A senior role where your clinical expertise and leadership actually matter - not a title with no authority
- Work as part of a management team (Registered Manager and Assistant Manager) so you're not carrying safeguarding concerns alone
- Ongoing training and professional development to keep your skills sharp and stay current with best practice in residential childcare
- The chance to build a positive, therapeutic team culture where collaboration, creativity, and high-quality care are the benchmark
Is this you?
- You hold QCF Level 3 or are actively working towards it (essential) - or you've got Level 4 or 5 (even better)
- You have real experience working with children and young people in a residential care or childcare setting, and you understand child development, attachment theory, and trauma-informed approaches
- You've got demonstrable leadership and supervisory skills - you know how to mentor, motivate, and support a team of care staff through difficult moments
- You're grounded in safeguarding legislation, regulations, and your responsibility to keep young people safe. You can manage crisis situations, resolve conflicts, and make sound decisions under pressure
- You're able to work a flexible rota including evenings, weekends, and public holidays as required in a residential setting
- You hold a valid driving licence
Applications close on 12 October 2026. Great roles like this are filled quickly, so the sooner you apply the better.
Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.