Dorset Council UK
Youth Practitioner (zero hours contract)
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Dorset Children's Priorities
The priorities for our Dorset children are simple but powerful: that they stay in Dorset, the best place for them to grow up, and that they experience high-quality care. We ensure that all young people have access to education and opportunities that enable them to thrive and achieve their full potential.
About the Role
As a Youth Practitioner, you will play a vital role in creating a safe, stable, and nurturing home environment for children and young people who have experienced trauma, disruption, and neglect. You will support them both within our residential home and out in the community, helping them build resilience, independence, and positive relationships that last.
This is a dynamic role that blends residential care and outreach support. You will work directly in The Harbour / College House in Weymouth, while also supporting young people beyond the home engaging them in their communities, education, and family networks.
The role includes evening and weekend work, sleep-ins (paid allowance), and bank holidays.
The Residential Setting
College House is more than just a home; it is a place of safety for young people to grow.
In The Residential Environment, You Will
- Provide consistent, therapeutic care within a residential home for young people aged 12+, many of whom have experienced trauma, disruption, and are at risk of exploitation.
- Support structured daily routines including mealtimes, education attendance, personal care, and bedtime, helping to create stability, boundaries, and a sense of security.
- Create a safe, warm, and predictable home environment where young people feel valued, protected, and able to build trusting relationships with adults.
- Maintain a strong focus on safeguarding, recognising and responding to risks such as child exploitation, missing episodes, and harmful influences, and working proactively to reduce and manage these risks.
- Respond to and manage complex behaviours linked to trauma and adverse experiences, using a therapeutic, trauma-informed, and relationship-based approach.
- Support young people to develop independence and resilience, including emotional regulation, decision-making, self-care, and understanding personal safety.
- Work as part of a close-knit and vigilant team, ensuring effective information sharing, consistent boundaries, and a shared understanding of each young person’s vulnerabilities, risks, and needs.
- Promote protective behaviours and safe relationships, empowering young people to better understand risk, build confidence, and make safer choices within and beyond the home.
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You are not just supervising; you are living alongside young people, modelling positive relationships, building trust, and helping them rewrite their experiences of care.
The Outreach
Alongside your residential work, you will undertake outreach support, helping young people and families in the community.
This Includes
- Deliver targeted, trauma-informed support to young people at risk of entering care, experiencing exploitation, or facing vulnerabilities such as poor attendance, behavioural challenges, and social or emotional difficulties.
- Build consistent, trusting relationships with young people through outreach in community, school, and home environments.
- Assess individual needs and risks, and deliver tailored interventions to promote safety, emotional regulation, resilience, and positive decision-making.
- Support young people on the edge of care to maintain stable home placements.
- Identify, assess, and respond to risks of exploitation, including contextual safeguarding concerns.
- Work to improve engagement with education and reduce barriers to school attendance.
- Manage and de-escalate behaviours using a trauma-informed approach, recognising the impact of adverse childhood experiences.
- Work collaboratively with families, schools, social care, and multi-agency partners to provide coordinated, holistic support.
- Maintain accurate and timely records, ensuring all safeguarding responsibilities are met.
- Apply a child-centred, strengths-based approach in all aspects of practice.
About The Harbour
At The Harbour, we never give up on a child.
Our approach is to wrap care around each young person’s individual needs, rather than expecting them to fit into a system. We use an evidence-informed, trauma-aware model of care, underpinned by strong relationships and a belief in every child’s potential.
We Are Proud Of Our
- Integrated, multi-agency working through co-location and shared planning
- Strong focus on team development and wellbeing beyond mandatory requirements
- Culture of reflection, learning, and support
- Commitment to making meaningful, lasting change in young people’s lives
What You Will Be Doing
- Building strong, trusting relationships with children and young people through consistency and care
- Supporting daily life within the home, ensuring a safe, clean, and nurturing environment
- Planning and participating in activities that promote development, confidence, and enjoyment
- Supporting young people in education, training, and employment goals
- Working closely with families, social workers, and partner agencies to achieve the best outcomes
- Supporting family connections and reunification work where appropriate
- Responding calmly and effectively to challenging and dynamic situations
- Promoting independence, accountability, and emotional growth
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You will need to be both structured and flexible, able to provide stability while adapting to the changing needs of young people.
Training & Development
We are deeply committed to your development. Whether you are experienced or new to care, we will support you to succeed and grow.
Professional Qualifications
- Fully funded Level 3 Diploma in Childcare
- Option to complete Level 4 Therapeutic Care qualification
- Support with Maths & English, if required
Induction & Core Training
- Structured onboarding programme
- Safeguarding, trauma-informed care, and behaviour support
- First aid and health & safety
Ongoing Development
- Monthly reflective supervision
- Access to e-learning, workshops, and specialist training
- Advanced training in therapeutic care, attachment, and neurodiversity
Why Join Us?
- Be part of a supportive, values-driven team
- Make a real, lasting difference to children’s lives
- Access excellent training and career progression
- Work for Dorset Council with a competitive LGPS pension scheme and employee benefits
- Join a service that truly invests in both its children and its staff
About You
You will be a kind and caring person with a passion for improving lives, be aspirational in attitude and resilient and flexible in approach.
Requirements
- Ability to achieve QCF level 4 Health and social Care or equivalent.
- Numeracy and literacy skills
- Recording and report writing skills.
- Experience and resilience working with children and young people
- Ability to work flexibly across a range of settings
- Experience of direct work with families
- Have problem-solving skills
- Be skilled in forming and maintaining relationships with young people
- Have good communication, interpersonal and advocacy skills
- Have an understanding of key childcare legislation
- Have team working skills
- Have skills in inter-agency collaboration
- Have effective IT skills to use the recording systems
- Be willing to undertake training
- Be an excellent role model for children and young people
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