CHILDREN’S RESIDENTIAL CAREER PATH TO REGISTERED MANAGEMENT
So you want to work in children’s residential care, but don’t know where to start?
Working in children's residential care is a rewarding and fulfilling career path that allows you to make a positive impact on the lives of young individuals. To get started in this field, it's important to first research the specific requirements needed in your area.
This blog is for advisory purposes only and each children’s home is very different.
We would advise initially working with children in a position of trust, for example, working in a school, scouts, or volunteering with children. This will open up more options when applying for roles without direct experience.
What is a Children’s Residential Home?
A children's home is a place where a child or children are provided with a safe and nurturing setting where dedicated and qualified staff, such as social workers, therapists, and support workers, focus on the emotional, educational, and physical well-being of the children. These homes are regulated and monitored by Ofsted to safeguard the welfare of children who have disabilities or have faced abuse, neglect, or other difficult situations within their families.
Entry Level: Residential Support Worker
Working as a residential support worker is centered around the well-being of children. This includes forming bonds with children to help them feel safe, offering continuous care and support to boost their self-assurance, and teaching them valuable coping mechanisms. Additionally, it entails collaborating with health and education professionals to guarantee they receive necessary access to additional services.
No two days are the same, you will play games, plan activities, cook meals, bake, talk with the children, help with homework, and clean to name a couple of responsibilities. You will work shifts which normally include, days, evenings, waking nights (actively working through the night) & sleeping nights (sleeping at the home and would be woken if needed). You will be required to work over weekends and bank holidays.
Various children's homes serve different purposes, catering to specific needs. Some homes specialise in caring for children with disabilities, striving to provide a nurturing environment where they can thrive. Others offer a safe haven for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or loss of parents. Children in these homes may exhibit withdrawal, communication challenges, or aggressive behaviour as coping mechanisms. Residential Support Workers must be well-versed in de-escalation techniques and possess strong first-aid skills to address self-harm and potential violence among the children & young people.
In certain cases, children in residential care homes maintain positive relationships with their families and may reunite with them once temporary challenges are resolved. Staff members must effectively communicate with family members to preserve important emotional ties and minimise the distress that children may feel from repeated separations.
Studying: Level 3 in Children’s Residential Care
At this stage, you would look to study a Level 3 in Children’s Residential Care.
This level 3 training program enhances the understanding, abilities, and attitudes needed to assist children, young individuals, and families in attaining positive outcomes and lasting transformations in their daily routines.
This is an online course and typically takes around 18 months to complete, your employer will support you with this course and will usually give you paid study time.
What will you be learning about?
Safeguarding & health and safety
Effective communication and collaborative working
Care planning and multi-agency working
Child development
Group living and supporting positive outcomes
Understanding the care system and managing risk
Supporting with complex disabilities and conditions
Equality and diversity in residential childcare
Progression: Senior Residential Support Worker
Once you have a minimum of 12 months experience as a Residential Support Worker you potentially could be eligible to progress into a Senior Residential Support Worker position either in the same company or with a new employer. You don’t usually need to have completed your Level 3 in Children’s Residential, but it would definitely help.
Again, you will work shifts which normally include, days, evenings, waking nights (actively working through the night) & sleeping nights (sleeping at the home and would be woken if needed). You will be required to work over weekends and bank holidays.
In the role of Senior Residential Support Worker, you will guide, assist, and train new team members while utilising your expertise to handle any challenges that may arise. In caring for children & young people, you will offer emotional support, build strong relationships, set boundaries and routines, and create a comforting home environment. Your focus will be on advocating for each child's needs, empowering them, and helping them achieve their full potential. Whether it involves cooking, sports, outdoor activities, music, or pampering sessions, you will involve the children, introduce them to new adventures, and boost their self-esteem and confidence.
Progression: Team Leader
Once you have a minimum of 12 months experience as a Senior Residential Support Worker you potentially could be eligible to progress into a Team Leader position either in the same company or with a new employer. At this point you will have completed your Level 3 in Children’s Residential, it’s usually a requirement for Team Leaders to be qualified.
Again, you will work shifts which normally include, days, evenings, waking nights (actively working through the night) & sleeping nights (sleeping at the home and would be woken if needed). You will be required to work over weekends and bank holidays.
You will play a crucial role in caring for the children and young people, ensuring smooth operations and fostering memorable experiences. As a team leader, you will support the staff team and maintain the home's high standards, deputising for the Registered and Deputy Managers when needed. At this stage, you will be an individual who will lead by example and have polished skills in building bonds and de-escalation. Compassionate, emotionally strong, and supportive, you will also offer the leadership that motivates your team members.
Progression: Deputy Manager
Once you have a minimum of 12 months experience as a Team Leader you potentially could be eligible to progress into a Deputy Manager position either in the same company or with a new employer.
Depending on the home and the company you work for, you will work shifts with weekends or bank holidays or you would match the hours of the registered manager which is normally 9 AM to 5 PM Monday to Friday. You are likely to be included on the on-call rota at this level where senior residential support workers and team leaders will call you if there is an emergency and they need support or advice when you’re not at work. This is normally shared with the registered manager.
The Deputy Manager's role involves working closely with the Registered Manager of the Residential Children’s Home. Together, you would efficiently manage the house budget, oversee staff and young people’s development, and update placement plans, risk assessments, and positive handling plans. Additionally, you would assist the Registered Manager in providing high-quality service, ensuring the care, welfare, safety, and security of all children and young people. You would support the staff team in daily home management tasks. Working on shifts as the lead person to model best practices. You would communicate with multi-agency partners for effective collaboration.
Studying: Level 5 in Leadership & Management
For Residential Childcare
At this stage, you would look to study a Level 5 in Leadership & Management for Residential Childcare.
You will enhance your leadership and team management skills, as well as your abilities in safeguarding, communication, and information handling. You will also be trained in risk management, group living leadership, and supporting children and young people who have faced harm or abuse. The goal is to achieve positive outcomes and enforce a positive relationship policy. Additionally, you will focus on promoting the well-being and resilience of children and young people, along with understanding the safe usage of digital, internet, and mobile technologies. Industry experts, who are qualified teachers and assessors, provide support through monthly in-person meetings.
You need to have a Level 3 in Children’s Residential Care (or equivalent) and be employed, working in a children’s home as a member of the management team, to study for this qualification. This is an online course and typically takes around 12 months to complete, your employer will support you with this course and will usually give you paid study time. The course costs approximately £2,500 (Feb 2024), this can be self-funded or your employer may offer to pay for this course for you.
You will be assessed by building a portfolio, completing assignment briefs, independent research, discussions, observations of practice, and collecting evidence and feedback in your role.
Progression: Registered Manager
Once you have a minimum of 2 years experience as a Deputy Manager you potentially could be eligible to progress into a Registered Manager position either in the same company or with a new employer. At this point, you don’t usually need to have completed your Level 5 in Leadership & Management in Residential Childcare, but it would definitely help. You do, however, need to complete the course in the first 12 months of your registration.
Depending on the home and the company you work for, you would normally work 9 AM to 5 PM Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays. You will be solely responsible for on-call unless this is shared with the deputy manager and sometimes other managers in the group if your employer has other residential homes in your area.
At this stage, you will register with Ofsted as the Manager of a children's home. In your role as a Registered Manager, your primary focus will be to ensure that children and young people receive top-tier care tailored to their individual needs for the best long-term positive outcomes. This will involve leading and nurturing the staff team within the home and fostering collaborations with colleagues, professional partners, families, and communities.
Your expertise and experience will be crucial in actively contributing to the broader service, its ethos, work, and objectives. You will play a key role in the supportive leadership team, understanding the responsibilities and challenges involved.
