Residential Child Care Officer

Knowsley Council is an award-winning Local Authority, named Local Authority of the Year in the MJ Awards 2024.  Come join us and be part of our future success!

Are you passionate about children, young people and their families?  Do you have the skills and experience to deliver high quality support to young people, aged 11 – 18 and their families in the community and within the residential home.   Do you have a reassuring presence to be calm in a crisis?  Are you able to support children and their families to make the necessary changes to stay together? 

Children and young people are at the heart of all of our work, we listen, respond and value our families and communities.

As a Residential Childcare Officer within our Edge of Care Service you will work as part of a multidisciplinary team where this varied and rewarding role will involve rising to the challenge to support children and young people open to children’s services across Knowsley

You will provide intensive support and help build on families strengths, whilst working closely with then to introduce valuable coping strategies. You will be on the frontline of an approach that improves behaviours, relationships, confidence, aspirations, employability, living conditions as well as mental and physical health.

You will be required to be a team player who has a flexible approach, as well as having excellent time management and record keeping skills, and be willing to work on a shift basis which can include evenings, weekends and bank holidays when required,

Other Requirements

Provide flexible outreach support to young people living in family homes, foster placements. Provide proactive and persistent support to placements, including maintaining key relationships with families.

Flexible attitude to hours of work, including sleep-ins and covering service needs across the range of placement options.

Provide tools and strategies to young people and carers in regard to behaviour management, emotional resilience and coping strategies

Possession of a current and valid driving licence. Ability to meet the travel needs of the post. Please be aware that this may involve significant travel implications and will involve transporting children and families.

We have excellent Ofsted ratings, regular training opportunities, a generous local government pension scheme, annual leave plus bank holidays / concessionary days, Enhanced weekend pay and Pay progression

We promote applications from all sections of the community, regardless of background, belief, or identity, recognising the value that diversity brings to our organisation. We particularly welcome applications from individuals from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and candidates with disabilities as we acknowledge their underrepresentation in our workforce.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applicants.

At Knowsley we value our applicants and want them to feel well-informed and welcomed. If you have any questions about this specific job role or what it is like to work at Knowsley, please contact:

Tracy Burke, Residential Manager: 0151 443 4292 or

Michelle Cummins, Deputy Manager: 0151 443 4292

If you are interested in this vacancy, please upload your CV along with a supporting statement as one document in PDF or Word format. Your CV and supporting statement should be tailored to reflect the competencies within the person specification.

Please note if a CV and supporting statement does not reflect the person specification it is unlikely to be shortlisted.

Closing Date: Sunday, April 6, 2025 at 23:59pm.