You will be part of a dedicated team that values compassion, consistency, resilience and teamwork. This is a role where small moments matter – from helping a child manage a difficult day to celebrating progress, building confidence and supporting them towards greater independence.
What You’ll Do
- Create a safe, nurturing and supportive home environment where children feel valued
- Support daily routines, education, hobbies and activities that build confidence and life skills
- Build stable, trusting relationships and be a consistent, positive role model
- Use calm, therapeutic and consistent approaches to support children through difficult moments
- Keep clear and accurate records of progress, behaviour, achievements and important information
- Work closely with colleagues, managers, families, local authorities and other professionals to maintain high standards of care
- A genuine passion for making a positive difference in children’s lives
- A caring, resilient and patient approach, with the ability to stay calm under pressure
- Flexibility to work varied shifts, including evenings, weekends and sleep-ins
- Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle, due to the rural location of some homes
Helpful but not essential
- Experience working with children, care, education, youth work, mental health, residential services or similar settings
- Level 3 Residential Childcare/Families Practitioner/Health & Social Care qualification, or willingness to work towards it
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- A team-focused attitude, good sense of humour and emotional resilience
- Confidence following procedures, writing reports and contributing to care plans
Benefits
- Competitive salary and sleep-in allowances (£35 per night, typically one per week)
- Every other weekend off
- Fully funded qualifications and professional development
- Clear promotion pathways and career progression
- Company pension
- Access to employee discount and wellbeing programmes
Why join Apple Orchard
- Competitive salary with regular sleep-in payments
- A healthy work-life balance, including every other weekend off
- Full induction, ongoing training, regular supervision and fully funded qualifications
- Clear career progression, including routes into senior and leadership roles
- Supportive managers, experienced colleagues and a team culture where you will not be expected to learn alone
- Company pension, employee discounts and wellbeing support
- Practical support to complete your Level 3 qualification and develop your confidence in therapeutic residential care
Training and support from day one
We know that starting a role in residential childcare can feel like a big step, especially if you are new to children’s homes. That is why we provide structured training, regular supervision and practical support from experienced managers and colleagues. You will be supported to understand each child’s needs, use therapeutic approaches confidently, follow safeguarding procedures and develop the skills needed to progress in your career.
About Apple Orchard
Apple Orchard runs five residential children’s homes across Surrey and West Sussex, providing calm, therapeutic environments for boys aged 12-18. Many of the children we support have experienced trauma or disruption, and our homes are designed to help them feel safe, build trust and develop the confidence they need for the future.
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