• Sign In
  • |
  • Register

About The Role

Senior Practitioner

Employer – KIDS

Contract – 24 hours per week (job share will be considered)

Location – KIDS Orchard Centre, Lye By-pass, Lye, Stourbridge DY9 8HA

Working Pattern - Can be flexible to suit the candidate, to include some home working if desired. Core working hours to include Wednesday evening (6pm-9.30pm) and Thursday evening (5.30pm-9pm) to lead on our Youth Clubs during term time and Saturdays (12pm-4pm) to lead on our Social Saturday. School Holidays can be worked flexibly.

Salary – £14,853 per year (£22,279 FTE)

Qualifications - Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent

Experience: 2+ years of supporting young people with additional needs and their families.  Experience in a leadership or supervisory role is desirable.

First interviews will be taking place once submitted applications have been evaluated, at the Orchard Centre

Young person interviews to take place during a visit to our youth club after the first interviews have been concluded.

The good stuff/benefits:

  • 5 weeks annual leave rising to 6 weeks after 4 years completed service
  • Bank Holiday entitlement
  • Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay
  • Life assurance
  • Employer Pension contribution
  • Flexible hours to provide an ideal balance between work life and private life
  • Discounts galore with over 200 retailers and brands via Perkbox
  • Recommend a friend referral scheme with financial reward
  • Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
  • Sick Pay
  • Family Friendly Leave Pay
  • KIDS Virtual learning: Provides a huge range of up to date and professional courses for all staff members
  • Bereavement Leave

Do you have what it takes to join an amazing organisation that makes a difference to the lives of children, young people and their families?

This is a great opportunity for an enthusiastic and dynamic individual to join our team of Senior Practitioners to deliver a range of services to children and young people with SEND across the Dudley Borough.

This is a fun and rewarding role with a mix of home working, working from our office and community setting delivery.

You will become a key member of the KIDS Black Country team for an established and well-respected charity who has a great reputation within the sector..

What you'll be doing as a Senior Practitioner:

  • To plan and deliver a fun and varied programme of activities for our youth groups, supporting young people aged 16-25 with additional needs and/or disabilities.
  • You will lead on delivery of our Social Saturday group, a session where parents attend with their child/young person. Facilitating activities for the young people and carers to engage in, providing a varied healthy lunch each session, engaging parent/carers in conversations, offering help and support where possible.
  • To work alongside the Service Manager and Coordinator to plan and deliver a range of holiday activities across the Dudley borough.
  • To ensure all activities reflect the diverse needs and interests of the young people, their views are respected and their independence is promoted.
  • To complete and maintain children’s records to include care plans, risk assessments and behaviour support plans
  • To evaluate and monitor the services
  • Supervision of a small team of sessional staff who support the delivery of our services
  • Promote and advertise our services to the wider community..
  • Build and maintain relationships with the young people, parent/carers, staff, commissioners and other professionals in a multi-agency approach.
  • Ensure the safeguarding of all young people, staff and volunteers at all times.

About You

Personal Qualities:

  • Excellent communication skills
  • Ability to form meaningful connections with our young people
  • Understanding confidentiality requirements
  • Ability to inspire and motivate

Experience:

  • Significant experience working with children and young people with SEND and their families
  • Experience of working with parents and carers, including providing support and guidance.
  • Proven experience of supervising staff, including the promotion of best practice and professional development.
  • Experience of planning and delivering group activities for young people
  • Experience of conducting home visits, writing individual care plans and risk assessments
  • Competence in the use of IT including word processing, and use of e-mails.

Our Mission & Strategy

We’re here for children and young people with special education needs and disabilities, young carers and families. We’re on a mission to create a world where all kinds of children and young people have all kinds of opportunities. We create life-changing opportunities by providing a wide range of support. Together, we’ll empower disabled children to stand up for their rights.

Childhood should be a joyful time. But some children and young people living with special educational needs and disabilities are defined by what they cannot do.  That’s wrong.

Every child should have an equal opportunity to play, learn, grow and thrive.

Because when the world says we can’t, kids say we can.

Our strategic plan will enable us to reach 120,000 disabled young people and their families, every year, by 2027. 

We welcome applications from individuals with disabilities or those who have personal experience with disability. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. We are dedicated to making our recruitment process accessible to all, and we are committed to making reasonable adjustments to accommodate the needs of disabled candidates and colleagues. For example, we ensure that our job advertisements are easily accessible, and upon request, we provide application forms in alternative formats, such as large print.

At KIDS, we actively encourage individuals with disabilities to apply for positions by guaranteeing an interview to any disabled person who meets the job requirements outlined in the person specification. We understand that everyone may need different levels of support, so if required, assistance is available to help applicants complete their application forms. Our dedicated in-house Careers team is here to discuss the support options we can offer to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

We deeply value the safety and wellbeing of all individuals who interact with our services. Our staff members receive comprehensive training to recognise and address safeguarding concerns. We work closely with families and other organisations to take every reasonable measure to minimise the risk of harm to children, young people, and adults.

To uphold our commitment to inclusivity, we adhere to rigorous safer recruitment and selection procedures. We foster a culture of inclusivity and transparency, where any concerns regarding our personnel can be raised and addressed promptly and appropriately. By identifying and addressing concerning, problematic, or inappropriate behaviour early on, our aim is to create a safe and supportive environment for all.

Please be aware that our Safer Recruitment procedures include conducting a DBS check and a Colleague Suitability Declaration where applicable. We understand the importance of ensuring the safety of vulnerable individuals, and being listed on either of these Barred Lists prohibits individuals from legally working, applying for work, or volunteering in Regulated Activity involving children and/or adults.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion are fundamental principles that guide everything we do at KIDS. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected and valued. We strive to ensure that all members of the KIDS team have equal access to employment opportunities, promotions, and professional development. Our commitment to inclusivity is embedded in our business planning, organisational structures, values and the personal development plans of all staff members. We believe that by embracing diversity and promoting inclusion, we can create a stronger and more vibrant community for everyone.

To apply for this position please refer to our vacancies page at www.kids.org.uk and apply direct