Our Values

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do. 

Our Values are:

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

About the team we are recruiting to

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

We currently have 5 well-established Children's Residential Homes within the city and a forward-thinking vision to open additional homes enabling Coventry’s young people to stay closer to their family, friends, and community. Children in our care come from a variety of backgrounds and in order to deliver the best possible care it is vital that we have a workforce that represents and understands their unique experiences and perspectives.

What is the job role?

We currently have 5 well-established Children's Residential Homes within the city and a forward-thinking vision to open additional homes enabling Coventry’s young people to stay closer to their family, friends and community. Due to this expansion programme, we are currently in the process of opening new facilities which include a long term home for children with disabilities and we are also recruiting to our established short breaks home.

At present we care for up to number of looked after children aged 10 to 18 years, who have a diverse range of needs and may have been impacted by childhood trauma.

By joining our highly motivated and dedicated team working in our home for children with disabilities we offer opportunities to make a real difference to the lives of our amazing looked after children. We deliver excellent standards of care using relationship based practice provides a safe and nurturing space for them to call home.

What our children say

We consulted our looked after children and young people from Coventry about how they would like to be cared for. These are some of the things they said:

-to be listened to

-to be treated with respect, dignity and individuality

-to feel safe

-to be helped to achieve our full potential

-to be supported to be independent

-to be cared for by people who won’t give up on us

-to build and maintain positive relationships and where possible, not to move too far away from where we used to live and to stay in the same school.

-to make happy memories

to build and maintain positive relationships and where possible, not to move too far away from where we used to live and to stay in the same school

-to make happy memories

There are 3 key areas of skill essential to this role:

Day to day carer – Supporting the children to continue their daily routines which will include personal care.  This is within a safe, secure, nurturing environment that they can call home and that they can thrive in.

Relationship builder – forming relationships with the children based on the core values of mutual respect, good parenting, privacy, dignity, independence, choice, rights, fulfilment, child centred, planning and partnership. Being able to recognise and implement different forms of communication that meet children’s needs in order to build positive relationships.

Educator - providing children with the information they need in a format that they understand to enable them to make informed choices about their own care and to give them the ability to have their wishes and feelings heard and acted upon. To encourage and develop independence skills that will support children with disabilities with their transition into adulthood.

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Who are we looking for?

The children we look after within our homes have a diverse range of needs.  You may not have worked in residential care before, but you will need to have experience of working with children and young people and be passionate about improving outcomes for them.

Ideally you will be a driver, have a good level of computer literacy to be able to evidence the work we do, and be committed to continued professional development. In return we will offer you a high level of support with bespoke training and if you haven’t already achieved the Diploma for Residential Childcare, we will support you to do this.

You should have:

Understanding and experience of supporting children who have additional needs.

knowledge of relationships and their impact on children coming into and leaving care

an understanding of the individual needs of children and be able to work holistically to deliver within the 3 key areas of skill.

If you think you have the right skills to help us to achieve great things for our children by placing them at the centre of everything you do and feel that you are caring, non-judgmental, enthusiastic, committed and child focused with the ability to work in partnership with others, are reflective, flexible, accountable, and resilient, we would like to hear from you.

As part of the application process, you will need to provide us with your full work history since leaving school and identify any gaps in order to meet the requirements of Schedule 2 of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015.

Working Patterns & Posts

Currently we have Full-time [37 hours] and Part time [28 hours]

For any queries or for further information please contact email on: residentialchildrensservices@coventry.gov.uk

For full details on the application process please read the attached document labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'

Interview date week commencing  7th October 2024

If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'. 

If there is any evidence of a candidate using AI to complete their application, then the application will be rejected unless the candidate can provide a justification which the Council considers to be reasonable.

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.

At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package - to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies

Coventry City Council