This is something new. For the first time, children's homes vacancies from 50 local authorities across London and the Southeast of England are in one place.
We built this site because finding your way into residential childcare, or finding your next step within it, has been harder than it should be. Vacancies were scattered across dozens of separate council websites. There was no single place to explore what a career in children's homes actually looks like, what qualifications you need, how quickly you can progress, or what the work involves day to day.
Now there is.
Have a browse. You might already know what you're looking for, or you might just be curious. Either way, there's plenty here to explore. Look through current vacancies across the region and narrow things down to what suits you. Find out which employers fund qualifications and which homes match the kind of work you're drawn to. Read about the different types of children's homes and what it's actually like to work in each one. Follow the career pathway from your first day through to senior leadership and see how quickly people progress. Dig into the detail on training, pensions, annual leave, and the parts of the local authority package that don't always make the job advert. If you're not sure whether this work is right for you, there's honest content here to help you figure that out. And if you're not ready to apply today, that's fine. Come back when you are. The site isn't going anywhere.
One thing we want to be upfront about: this work is not easy. It's shift work, it's emotionally demanding, and it asks a lot of you. We haven't glossed over that. But the people who do it will tell you that the pension, the funded training, the job security, and above all the work itself make it worth it.
Whether you're considering your first role or you're an experienced registered manager looking at what local authorities can offer, start looking around. This site was built for you.