Children's Senior Residential Practitioner

Job Introduction

Are you ready to take the next step in your career?

Children's Senior Residential Practitioner

Working Pattern: Full time, permanent, rota-based shifts including sleeping-in duties

Salary: £33,673 - £36,580 plus a sleeping-in payment of £44.54

Location: Riverhead House, Louth LN11 0BX

Closing Date: 8th November 2026

We’re looking for a passionate and experienced individual to join our dedicated team at Riverhead House in Louth as a Children’s Senior Residential Practitioner.

If you have a background in working with children and experience leading a team, this is your opportunity to grow within a supportive and progressive environment. Our homes are committed to providing high-quality, nurturing care that helps young people thrive.

About the Role

As a Children’s Senior Residential Practitioner (known locally as Residential Care Officer Level 2) your responsibilities will include:

• Supervision and Shift Leading
• Developing projects and direct work with children
• Mentoring new staff and leading practice areas
• Chairing professional meetings
• Managing household tasks and preparing young people for independent living.

Building and maintaining resilient relationships with stakeholders is also an important part of this role.

Salary: £33,673 - £36,580 plus a sleeping-in payment of £44.54 and mileage reimbursed at 55p per mile. Overtime paid at time-and-a-half. This means that on average you could have the opportunity to earn an extra £5,000 - £10,000 on top of your annual salary.

Shift Pattern: Full time, permanent, you will have a good work/life balance with a rota split between different shifts, some will include sleeping at the home. Rotas are given in advance to ensure this balance is met

Our Home

We are proud to offer a rewarding Children’s Senior Residential Practitioner opportunity at Riverhead House in Louth, a therapeutic reunification home dedicated to helping children rebuild and strengthen family relationships in a safe, supportive environment. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted, we provide a nurturing, homely setting where children feel valued, cared for, and empowered to achieve positive outcomes.

Our team is passionate, dedicated, and supportive, working together to create a warm and inclusive home where both children and staff can thrive. As a Children’s Senior Residential Practitioner, you will play a key role in delivering high-quality, child-centred care, supporting children through their reunification journeys, and leading and guiding your team during shifts.

At Riverhead House, we take pride in providing therapeutic care that focuses on building trusting relationships, promoting emotional wellbeing, and helping children develop resilience. We are committed to creating a family-style environment where children experience stability, nurture, and a true sense of belonging. Equally, we invest in the development of our staff, offering opportunities for learning, progression, and professional growth within a supportive team culture.

As a Children’s Senior Residential Practitioner, you will work closely with colleagues and partner agencies to provide the wraparound support children need to thrive. Every day brings new opportunities to make a meaningful difference, whether supporting a child through challenges, celebrating achievements, or helping families build stronger connections for the future.

If you are looking for a role where you can combine leadership, compassion, and therapeutic practice within an Ofsted Outstanding home, we would love to welcome you to Riverhead House, where care, nurture, and dedication are at the heart of everything we do.

About You

We are looking for someone who:

• Is passionate about care and deeply committed to helping our children and young people grow and develop, socially and emotionally
• Is willing to develop themselves and undertake a Level 3 QCF qualification in working with children in residential childcare or have a relevant Level 3 QCF qualification
• Has the ability to be a key worker, supervise staff, lead shifts and work under pressure
• Can produce reports and maintain accurate records and has IT skills and experience
• A driving licence is desirable but not essential.

Our Offer

We are offering a competitive salary with an excellent local government pension scheme, along with a comprehensive benefits package, career progression opportunities and a generous annual leave entitlement.

We can also offer you:

· High-quality induction and ongoing training and development

· Trauma training and therapeutic support

· Strong Leadership Team support

 You can find out more about the benefits of working for Lincolnshire County Council in the attached document.

Lincolnshire County Council Children’s Services are one of the best in the country and have an overall Outstanding rating from Ofsted. Lincolnshire has been chosen by the Department of Education as one of the three national Families First for Children Pathfinders which will run between September 2023 and 2025. This is an exciting time to join Children’s Residential Services and help us shape the future of Social Care!

Contact Us

If you would like an open and informal discussion regarding this vacancy please email: samantha.white@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Applications close on 8th November 2026 

PLEASE NOTE: It is imperative that your personal statement clearly states why you have applied, how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role as set out in the Job Description (attached on LCC jobs Site) and what you feel you can bring to this role, the team and the wider County Council.

Please refer to our Job Information Pack here to support you in your application.

Please be advised that this position is subject to a criminal record check. 

On occasion we receive significantly more applications than expected for some vacancies and under such circumstances we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date of the advertisement. We therefore strongly advise you to apply for the role promptly to avoid disappointment should the closing date be brought forward. Please also note: once an application is submitted it is final and cannot be amended. If you withdraw your application, it cannot be reinstated and you will not be able to submit another application for that vacancy. If you have an issue with your submitted application, please contact recruitment@lincolnshire.gov.uk.

We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions.

Lincolnshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Fluency Duty 

In accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 (Fluency Duty), the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

Our values – collaborative, adaptable, eco-conscious, supportive, and responsible – guide everything we do. We’re looking for candidates who share these values and bring them to life in their work, helping us build strong teams and make a real difference in the communities we serve.