Trainee Practitioner - Children’s Residential Worker

Contract:
Full-time, Permanent
Hours: 40 hours per week (shift work including weekends and bank holidays and occasional sleep-ins)
Salary: £25,584 (rising to £27,248 after completing mandatory training and probation)
Location:
Children’s Homes in London (Balham or Ealing)

If you’re looking for a fulfilling and rewarding career in Children’s Social Care where no two days are the same, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

All you need is a genuine passion for making a difference — we’ll provide full training and ongoing support to help you thrive, even if you don’t have prior care experience.

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future.

St Christopher's is a leading charity for children and young people.We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK & Isle of Man. We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do. We provide positive life experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home.

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong. We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender-diverse identities.

As a Trainee Practitioner
- Children Residential Worker
, you’ll support children and young people aged 12–17 who are building resilience after experiencing adversity. You’ll help them develop key life skills, build trust, and create a safe, supportive environment where they can thrive. You’ll also have the chance to take part in fun activities and positive experiences with them.

All we ask for is a genuine passion for making a difference.
No previous care experience is needed — we provide full training and support, including professional qualifications through St Christopher’s Academy Entry Pathway.

Starting a career in Children’s Social Care comes with a lot to learn, which is why we provide a 4-week fully paid induction and training programme to make sure you feel supported and confident in your new role.

At St Christopher’s, we offer more than a care job— we offer a real career pathway. You’ll have the chance to build your skills, grow your knowledge, and make a lasting difference to young people’s lives.

When you join us, you’ll receive a
tailored development plan
designed around your goals. Whether you want to a different service, progress into a leadership role, or just explore further your current role, we’ll support you every step of the way. If you want to learn more about
St Christopher’s Academy
, please click
here

Our development programme,
St Christopher’s Academy
, is built to help you reach your full potential — and the results speak for themselves:
84% of our Team Leaders, Deputies, and Managers are promoted internally.

Our children and young people need support around the clock so our homes run 24/7 and we operate on fixed rotas with a variety of shift patterns.

As a Trainee Practitioner, you’ll work day shifts between 8am and 10pm
, with 8, 10 or 12-hour shifts available
. You’ll usually work an average of 40 hours per week
, including weekends and bank holidays.

For example, if you work four 10-hour shifts, you’ll then have three days off. Overtime is available and paid at time and a half
, including bank holidays.

At our Ealing home, you’ll be required to complete an average of 2 sleep-ins per week, paid at £50 each.

We have Children’s Homes based in
Balham and Ealing. During your interview process, you’ll have the opportunity to let us know your
preferred location
, and we’ll do our best to match you with a home that suits your preference and availability.

• Ability to build genuine, trusting…