Care services
Children, young people and families practitioner - Practitioner in Children's Residential Care
Working with children, young people and families, including carers, to achieve positive and sustainable change in their lives.
Summary
CORE: As a practitioner you will be working with children, young people and families, including carers, to achieve positive and sustainable change in their lives. You will demonstrate a passion to care for and about children, young people and families. You will be skilled in recognising and assessing the complex needs that children, young people and families often present. You will agree with the child, young person or family any specific interventions or referrals. Your approach will be one of respectful curiosity that challenges and supports children, young people and families to achieve their potential and stay safe. You will work alongside other professionals and organisations to share the responsibility for improving outcomes. Each piece of work with a child or family will be different and you will exercise judgement on a range of evidence-based approaches to inform your practice. You will regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your methods and actions. Regular supervision with an experienced practitioner will encourage reflection on your practice. At the end of the apprenticeship the high quality of your practice will be making a real difference to those that you work with. OPTION 1: Practitioner in Children's Residential Care You could be working in a number of settings e.g. a children’s home, a residential special school or a secure children’s home. The children might be living on their own or in a larger group. You will take the lead in developing and delivering the child's placement plan and will work with the child to support their health, education, social and day to day needs, playing a significant role in helping them to thrive and fulfil their potential . OPTION 2: Children, Young People and Families Practitioner within the Community You will understand the importance of and be skilled in early intervention and safeguarding work. You will manage risk across the spectrum needs for children, young people and families. You may work in settings as diverse as family homes, youth centres, early years, youth justice, children's centres, educational settings and the community. You will play a significant role in working across agencies to improve outcomes. You may work with particular age groups, across the full age range or specifically with families. By supporting the confidence and skills of children, young people and families you will help them to overcome barriers and maximise their independence.
Typical job titles include
- Children, young people and families practitioner
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
Communication that enables the voice of the child, young person or family members to be heard
K2:
Multiple factors that contribute to uncertainty in the lives of children, young people and families
K3:
Equality, rights, diversity and cultural differences, and the values of the organisation in which you are working
K4:
The range of potential safeguarding risk factors (e.g. domestic violence, membership of gangs, missing children, online activity, radicalisation and Prevent agenda), the different forms of harm to children and vulnerable adults (e.g. neglect, child sexual exploitation, physical abuse, emotional abuse) and the local and national thresholds for safeguarding
K5:
The safeguarding requirements contained within mandatory local safeguarding training or nationally accredited equivalent
K6:
Child, adolescent and adult development
K7:
The spectrum of needs and how they may be met
K8:
The principles of effective assessment and the importance of analysis and professional judgement
K9:
Models for monitoring changes in a child, young person or family member’s wellbeing
K10:
A range of evidence based interventions and their strengths and weaknesses
K11:
The duties, responsibilities, boundaries and ethical nature of the role
K12:
Theories and guidelines underpinning sound practice
K13:
Systems and policy frameworks for work with children, young people and families. e.g. education, health, care, employment, criminal justice, special educational needs and disabilities, first aid, safeguarding
K14:
The role of professional judgement and analysis in complex situations
K15:
The importance of considering ethics and values, challenging self and the systems in use
K16:
Techniques for establishing shared goals and outcomes when building relationships with others
K17:
The legislation and compliance requirements for residential care
K18:
The aspirations for a child in residential care
K19:
Group living and group dynamics
K20:
Legislation and the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs and Disability
K21:
The ethos of the home and how to create and promote it
K22:
Team dynamics and collaborative approach in residential environment
Technical Educational Products
- ST0088: Children, young people and families practitioner - Practitioner in Children's Residential Care (Level 4) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0088B
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £23,398 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6135 Care workers and home carers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6135/03 Residential care workers
- 6136/03 Senior residential care workers
S1:
Communicates in way that enables the voice of the child, young person or family members to be heard
S2:
Encourages individuals to engage positively with their community and relevant agencies and actively participate in the way their care and support is delivered
S3:
Actively promotes respect, equality, diversity and inclusion
S4:
Works together with children, young people and families to keep them safe and manage risk and promoting the development of skills the family need to successfully manage risk themselves
S5:
Works with and supports other professionals to respond to safeguarding concerns
S6:
Identifies the influences on the individual and the family and supports them to make informed choices
S7:
Leads on the development and recording of holistic plans, delivery of interventions and evaluates their effectiveness
S8:
Identifies and addresses barriers to accessing resources
S9:
Identifies and manages evidence-based approaches and evaluates their effectiveness
S10:
Contributes to the development of a resilient, consistent and persistent approach to practice
S11:
Models clarity of purpose, clear expectations and a professional approach to decision making
S12:
Appropriately challenges and/or offers alternative perspectives with the children, young person or family
S13:
Contributes to own professional development
S14:
Applies knowledge of legal, economic and social justice systems and implements policy frameworks in support of positive outcomes for children, young people and families
S15:
Demonstrates critical evaluation of practice and insight into own emotions, behaviour and feelings, and uses these insights to challenge own practice
S16:
Takes an active part in continuous professional development
S17:
Sharing and agreeing goals and outcomes when building relationships with partner organisations, other workers, children, young people and families, to ensure appropriate and timely support
S18:
Assumes the role of professional parent
S19:
Contributes to creating and reviewing placement plans based on individual need
S20:
Is able to support traumatised children and young people to live together and make progress
S21:
Develops and promotes the ethos of the home
S22:
Models collaborative team working and the ability to support and appropriately challenge each other
Technical Educational Products
- ST0088: Children, young people and families practitioner - Practitioner in Children's Residential Care (Level 4) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0088B
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £23,398 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6135 Care workers and home carers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6135/03 Residential care workers
- 6136/03 Senior residential care workers
B1:
Care: Respecting and valuing individuals to keep them safe, being affirming and working with them to help them make a positive difference to their lives
B2:
Compassion: Consideration and concern for children, young people and their families, combined with an understanding of the perspective of those you work with
B3:
Courage: Honesty and a positive belief in helping children, young people and families. Being confident when faced with confrontation, holding a safe space to manage and contain really difficult behaviours and working with children, young people and families to challenge and enable them to fulfil their potential
B4:
Communication: Your work is based on building effective relationships, being perceptive and empathic and building good rapport
B5:
Competence: The relationships you build to effect change for children, young people and families will be informed by social care ethics and values and will be developed through reflective practice.
B6:
Commitment: Creating sustainable change in others by working alongside children, young people and families and being authentic, consistent, patient, persistent and resilient
Technical Educational Products
- ST0088: Children, young people and families practitioner - Practitioner in Children's Residential Care (Level 4) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0088B
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £23,398 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6135 Care workers and home carers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6135/03 Residential care workers
- 6136/03 Senior residential care workers
