In 2023 we launched the first ever sector-led national campaign to raise awareness of the rewarding roles and “life-changing” career opportunities available in residential childcare, at a time where children’s homes desperately need more staff to provide care, safety and therapeutic support for society’s most vulnerable children and young people.
There has been no national recruitment campaign promoting careers in residential childcare for more than 30 years. This first-ever sector-led campaign provides rare insight into what it’s like to work in children’s homes and residential childcare settings, the emotionally rewarding nature of the work and inspiring stories of staff from a wide range of backgrounds who found their dream job in the sector.
The campaign highlights that well-paid entry level roles, varied working hours and “life-changing” career progression opportunities are available in residential childcare - with training and personal development provided as you work and no formal qualifications required, all it takes is the right personal qualities including patience, resilience, and a caring nature.
The ‘If you care you can’ campaign and careers information website involves providers across the public, private and charity sectors and has been facilitated by The Children’s Homes Association as part of a collaborative initiative to address the workforce crisis in residential childcare. The campaign will work to support all providers of residential childcare in England and Wales as part of a longer-term strategy to raise awareness and improve outcomes for children and young people by strengthening the workforce needed to provide their care.
West Sussex County Council were one of the first local authority children’s homes providers to get involved with the campaign. Lucy Butler, Director of Children, Young People and Learning at West Sussex County Council said:
“There is a real need to inspire more people to discover careers in residential childcare. We hope this innovative campaign will shine a light on the rewarding work that residential childcare professionals do, and on the amazing career opportunities that exist in this sector for people from a wide range of backgrounds:”
Merseyside charity Nugent’s Head of People, Hetal Mainwaring, made the following comments after posting jobs on the campaign’s job board:
“It is wonderful that we have a centralised and national platform to promote residential childcare careers. Sharing the rewarding and inspirational work that is undertaken by professionals working in residential childcare will support recruitment and retention. This will support to highlight that we offer long-term employment prospects, with opportunity for promotion and progression as well as job security.”
Director of The Mulberry Bush School, Lee Right, said:
“The ongoing work by CHA (The Children’s Homes Association) to ensure that the excellent and essential work of the residential childcare sector is recognised nationally is incredibly important to every children’s home. The recent campaign and website designed to help these homes recruit staff during these exceptionally challenging times is welcomed by everyone at the Mulberry Bush.”
Mark Kerr, CEO of The Children’s Homes Association said:
“Every stakeholder in residential childcare is acutely aware of the need to encourage more amazing, caring people into roles and careers in children’s homes and other residential childcare settings. Without a national effort to raise awareness, there will continue to be vulnerable children and young people across the country without access to residential care and therapeutic support when they need it most.
“That’s why our sector pulled together to create this authentic and inspiring campaign. We hope #ifyoucareyoucan will get the support necessary to reach every individual with the personal qualities it takes and inspire them to discover rewarding career opportunities in residential childcare, or transfer their professional skills to this sector.
“Any individual, community or organisation can make a difference by supporting and promoting this urgent search for life-changing people.”