Southwark Council
Children's Residential Team leader
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Why Southwark?
Do you see yourself leading a dedicated team that helps children and young people build brighter futures?
Can you use your experience to support Residential Practitioners in delivering outstanding trauma-informed care?
Does the idea of joining a service that places children's wellbeing, safety and development at the heart of everything it does inspire you?
If yes, we have the perfect role for you!
Our new Children's Residential Homes Service is looking for 3 passionate and dedicated Team Leaders to join our amazing team and help make a difference every day.
As a Team Leader, you will support Residential Practitioners to provide high-quality care directly to children and young people living in our homes. You will help create and sustain a safe, nurturing and child-centred environment where children can thrive, develop positive relationships and achieve their potential.
Many of the children and young people in our care have experienced adverse childhood experiences, complex trauma, attachment difficulties and, in some cases, learning difficulties. Through a trauma-informed approach, you will support them to build emotional resilience, develop life skills, increase independence and grow in confidence and self-worth.
Working closely with the Registered Manager, you will lead by example, supervise staff, and promote a culture of excellence that delivers the very best outcomes for children and young people. Some of our homes may accept emergency or same-day placements following a thorough assessment of the child's needs and the home's ability to provide appropriate care.
What You'll Be Doing
- Providing day-to-day leadership, guidance and supervision to a team of Residential Practitioners.
- Creating and maintaining a safe, nurturing and child-centred home environment.
- Supporting children and young people to develop resilience, independence and positive life skills.
- Ensuring high standards of care are delivered in line with children's care plans and individual needs.
- Promoting trauma-informed practice and positive behaviour support approaches.
- Building effective relationships with children, families and partner agencies.
- Supporting the Registered Manager with the effective operation of the home and service delivery.
- Monitoring practice standards and driving continuous improvement across the home.
- Responding positively to the needs of children, including those arriving through emergency placements where appropriate.
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What We're Looking For
We are seeking an inspirational and resilient leader who is passionate about improving the lives of children and young people and can motivate others to deliver exceptional care, and has:
- Experience of working with children and young people in a residential childcare or similar setting.
- Experience of supervising, leading or mentoring staff teams.
- A strong understanding of safeguarding, child development and trauma-informed practice.
For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification located at the bottom of the advert.
You will need a QCF Level 3 in Residential Childcare, QCF Level 4 Children Young People and Family Practitioner Diploma or equivalent (this is an essential criteria).
The hours of work will be: 36 hours per week (Monday – Friday)
The location will be: Peckham Rye, South East London.
Type of contract: Permanent, x 3 Positions
The post holder will be required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check at Enhanced – Children’s Barred List level
Contact Information
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Radoslaw Bielec at Radoslaw.Bielec@southwark.gov.uk.
Additional Information
Benefits and more information:
https://jobs.southwark.gov.uk/why-us/
Southwark Council will only contact candidates through official Council recruitment channels. We will not ask you to provide passport details, proof of address, National Insurance number, bank details or payment at application stage. These checks are only requested at the onboarding process – once an offer of employment has been made. If you’re unsure whether a communication you’ve received is genuine, please contact the Resourcing team directly on recruitment@southwark.gov.uk before sharing any personal information.
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Recruitment Timeline
- Advert close date: 11:59pm on Sunday 18th October 2026.
- Shortlisting date: Monday 19th October 2026.
- Interview date: Monday 26th October 2026.
The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
Guaranteed Interview Scheme
As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:
- Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
- Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
- If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition
Attachments
Job Description and Person Specification
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