Job Description:

Join Our Team at Young UK Today!

Are you passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of children and young ? Young UK Today is on a mission to provide safe and supportive environments. Our commitment to safer recruitment, equality, and diversity drives our mission.

Why Choose Us?

Make a Real Difference: You'll play a crucial role in empowering young people, promoting their independence, and enhancing their overall well-being.

Professional Growth: We invest in your development with ongoing training in areas like safeguarding, mental health support, and more.

Team Collaboration: Work closely with a passionate team and collaborate with various professionals to transform young lives.

Rewarding Work: Join an organisation dedicated to creating a positive change in the lives of vulnerable young individuals.

Specification

Service: Young UK Today – Willow House / Olive House

Responsible to: Deputy Manager / Registered Manager

Terms and Conditions

• Hours: 40 hours per week
• Holidays: 28 days including Bank Holidays
• Employment Statues: Permanent
• Probation: Six months
• Notice Period: One month after probation
• Disclosure: Enhanced DBS with Children's Barred List check

Service Description

Young UK Today operates two therapeutic children's homes in South Croydon. Willow House supports children with learning disabilities and neurodevelopmental needs, while Olive House provides specialist care for children subject to DoLS. Both homes offer child-centred care supported by a multidisciplinary clinical team.

Job Purpose

To provide visible leadership and day-to-day operational oversight, ensuring safe, therapeutic, and high-quality care across both homes. The Senior Team Leader supports staff, promotes safeguarding and compliance, and deputises for the Deputy Manager or Registered Manager when required.

Support the Deputy Manager in maintaining operational oversight across the home, responding proactively to emerging risks, staffing pressures and changing operational demands to ensure continuity of care and effective service delivery.

Act as the senior operational lead in the absence of the Deputy Manager and/or Registered Manager, exercising delegated authority appropriate to the role and ensuring matters requiring senior management oversight are escalated appropriately.

General Duties

• Provide confident, visible and approachable leadership throughout each shift
• Promote safeguarding, equality, inclusion, and therapeutic practice.
• Maintain a safe, nurturing, and well-organised home environment.
• Build positive relationships with children, families, and professionals.
• Ensure children's voices are heard and acted upon.
• Monitor standards, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Champion relational and trauma-informed practice, ensuring children are consistently supported in a way that promotes safety, trust, resilience, independence and positive outcomes.

Care Planning & Daily Practice

Oversee the implementation of care plans, risk assessments, and support plans.

Ensure staff understand and respond to each child's individual needs.

Promote children's identity, culture, dignity, and inclusion.

Support children to develop independence and everyday life skills.

Safeguarding

Maintain oversight of safeguarding during each shift.

Ensure concerns are recognised, recorded, reported, and acted upon promptly.

Promote a culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns can be raised openly.

Staff Support & Development

Coach, mentor, and supervise Residential Support Workers and Seniour Support Workers

Provide guidance, feedback, and performance support.

Support staff induction, learning, and reflective practice.

Promote a positive, accountable team culture focused on high standards of care.

Person Specification

Minimum two years' experience in a regulated children's residential setting.

Experience leading shifts and supporting operational management.

Knowledge of care planning, risk management, and safeguarding processes.

Ability to maintain high-quality records and support staff development through coaching and mentoring.