Residential Child Care Officer – Short Breaks

About the role

Ade Adepitan Short Break Centre is a respite setting in the London Borough of Brent supporting children and young people with a wide range of complex needs, including autism and profound disabilities. No two days, children, or care needs are the same.

You'll play a key role in helping children build independence skills and preparing them for adulthood. The role offers hands-on experience across specialist medical routines such as gastrostomy care, as well as behaviour support — full training is provided across all specialist areas. This variety provides a level of professional development rarely found in traditional residential settings, making it an exceptional foundation for a long-term career in children's services, safeguarding, disability care, or education.

You'll work closely with parents, schools, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), and other professionals to provide consistent, holistic care that meets each child's individual needs. The team is small, supportive, and family-friendly, with regular team meetings and reflective discussions to share ideas and learn from each other.

This role includes:

• Leading engaging activities and regular community outings, supported by the centre's on-site minibus
• Carrying out key-working sessions that ensure each child's wishes, feelings, and preferences shape their support
• Taking on shift-leading responsibilities, including handover to the night team
• Completing key-working tasks during school hours — paperwork, planning, meetings, school visits, home visits, and updating risk assessments
• Learning and applying specialist skills including gastrostomy feeding, suctioning, and behaviour support (full training provided)

You'll work a long-week/short-week rota designed to support consistency for children and balance for staff. Shifts run as follows: morning shifts are 07:00–12:00 or 07:00–14:30; afternoon shifts are 14:00–21:30 or 16:30–21:30. Short weeks involve three days; long weeks involve five days, including weekends. Shift leaders finish at 22:00 to hand over to the night team. The role also includes sleep-in duties.

To apply, click Apply Now and submit your application including a supporting statement that clearly shows how you meet the essential requirements on the job description. A CV may be submitted in support of your application, but a supporting statement is also required. For reasonable adjustments to any part of the recruitment process, contact recruitment@brent.gov.uk.

About You

We're looking for someone who brings warmth, patience, and emotional intelligence to their work with children and young people with disabilities. This is a role that calls for genuine commitment to person-centred care and the flexibility to work across a varied rota.

The ideal candidate will:

• Hold (or be working towards) a Level 4 Diploma in Residential Childcare or equivalent qualification
• Understand the unique needs of children with disabilities, including autism and complex or profound needs
• Be able to plan and lead engaging activities, and take responsibility for shift-leading
• Write clearly and maintain accurate records, including risk assessments and key-working documentation
• Work in partnership with parents, schools, health professionals, and social workers
• Be willing to learn specialist skills, including gastrostomy feeding, suctioning, and behaviour support, with full training provided
• Demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding, dignity, and person-centred care
• Be able to work flexibly on a rota that includes evenings, weekends, and sleep-ins

Brent Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this. Applications from all sections of the community are encouraged, and all applicants are positively encouraged to self-identify their characteristics in the diversity survey section of the application.

As a Disability Confident employer, Brent welcomes applications from people with all disabilities, including non-visible disabilities and mental health conditions, and will interview any disabled applicant who meets the essential criteria.

All posts working with children, young people, and vulnerable adults are subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and other employment clearances. Information provided in your application will be shared with Cifas to prevent fraud and other seriously improper conduct.

Brent's Offer to You

Training in the Positive Approach is provided to all staff, with a strong focus on supporting autistic children and young people who may display behaviours of concern. Extensive face-to-face and online training is available, and staff are encouraged to continually develop their practice. The centre's broad caseload — spanning autism, profound disabilities, and specialist medical routines — means you'll build a depth of professional experience that is genuinely distinctive.

Brent Council knows people achieve their best when they feel valued. Benefits include:

• Up to 33 days' annual leave (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays
• Excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with generous employer contributions
• Supportive family-friendly policies for parents, guardians, and carers
• Health and wellbeing support, including eye test support and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Financial support including education sessions, childcare deposit loans, and season ticket loans
• Affordable parking nearby, a Cycle to Work scheme, and access to My Brent Rewards with discounts on shopping, travel, leisure, and entertainment
• And more — visit the Brent Council website to explore the full offer