Children’s Residential Care Leader
Odyssey Social Care Ltd. provides residential care services that empower young people to reach their full potential. We focus on safety, growth, and emotional wellbeing, guided by our mission to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and young people.
Role Overview:
As a Children’s Residential Care Leader you’ll play a pivotal role in designing and delivering care packages tailored to individual needs. You'll act as a shift leader, supporting colleagues, mentoring staff, and working closely with management to uphold standards and ensure the house runs smoothly. This is a senior frontline position with leadership responsibilities and strong emphasis on child-centred care. You will report to the Unit Social Care Manager / Deputy Manager.
Why Join Us as a Children’s Residential -Social Care Leader :
Competitive Salary
Flexible Rostering focused on work-life balance
Core Professional Training in essential subjects
Team-Building Activities & Social Events
Education Assistance Grants
Health Insurance Grant & Life Insurance
Incremental Pay Scale
Employee Assistance Program for Employees and Family from Day 1
Key Responsibilities:
Lead and support your team during shifts
Design and implement Placement and Crisis Management Plans
Provide educational support to children in and out of school
Engage in direct residential care to meet identified needs
Record and document all client interactions and activities
Maintain regular communication with parents, social workers, and external agencies
Attend and contribute to team meetings, strategic planning, and policy implementation
Monitor health and safety, and ensure compliance across the unit
Support relief staff, trainees, and student placements
Participate in housekeeping duties and general maintenance
Assume Managerial duties in their absence
Manage finances, petty cash reconciliation, and reporting
Uphold confidentiality, professional standards, and company values
Encourage open communication and whistleblowing in line with policy
Undertake any other relevant duties required to support the home's operations
Educational Requirements:
Do you have a minimum Level 7 qualification in Social Care or a relevant field listed below?
Relevant alternative qualifications include:
QQI Level 8 in Psychology; QQI Level 7 or Professional Practice Qualification in Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy, Counselling/Psychotherapy, or Addiction Counselling; QQI Level 7 in Youth and Community (or similar), Social Science/Social Studies, Family Support, Disability Studies, Applied Behavioural Analysis, or Early Years Care (where the centre caters for children under 12); Professional Qualification in Teaching (excluding TEFL) or Nursing Studies; BA in Applied Policing or equivalent; Higher Certificate in Custodial Care (Irish Prison Service) or equivalent; or CORU registration as a Social Care Worker in the absence of a relevant qualification
Required Criteria:
Minimum 2 years’ experience working directly with children/young people in a social care setting
Experience leading teams and working in therapeutic care models (e.g. Therapeutic Crisis Intervention)
Familiarity with National Standards in Children’s Residential Centres
Full, clean driving license valid in Ireland
Right to work and live in Ireland
About the role
When you work with Odyssey Social Care, you’re part of a dedicated team that’s as supportive to each other as we are to the young people in our care. Because we know that our success depends on yours, you’ll get continuous on the job training through our network of certified trainers. Quite simply, our supportive, adaptive and flexible approach is designed to give you the best opportunities to progress through the company and further your social care career.
What you will need
Required criteria
- Do you have a minimum 2 years’ experience working directly with children/young people in a social care setting.
Odyssey Social Care
Odyssey Social Care is a children’s residential care provider. We support young people by providing secure and safe homes and by building trusting and meaningful relationships with our teams. We work therapeutically with our young people to support them through past hurts and traumas. We go on the journey with our young people, empowering them to be the best version of themselves.
Overview Mission: Odyssey Social Care provides safe homes where children and young people can heal from trauma, rebuild trust, and discover their own strengths. We give them the support and opportunities they need to build resilience and step into a brighter future. Working for Odyssey Social Care involves being part of a team (led by CEO Stacey McGrath, above) dedicated to supporting children and young people. As professional caregivers, we are caring, compassionate and resilient. We work with children who have experienced trauma, and believe in healing through trusting care relationships. The Odyssey Way We put the needs of the child at the forefront of everything we do. Our care framework is designed to be flexible, responsive and provide holistic care to our young people. Our care model, The Odyssey Way, is trauma-informed, evidence-based, and outcome-led. It supports the needs of each individual child, helping them to work through trauma by focusing on overall wellbeing. Our unique, specialised intervention, the Odyssey Saoirse Project, uses eco-therapy, adventure-based life skills and positive mentoring to help young people heal, grow and thrive.
Our Values Safety – safe homes, safe care, safe relationships Quality – trauma-informed, evidence-based, outcome-led Trust – built through honest communication and consistency Empowerment – giving young people and staff the tools to succeed Inclusion – equity and belonging for all Impact – measurable difference for young people, staff, communities & planet Accessibility & Sustainability Odyssey Social Care is committed to encouraging a culture of diversity and inclusion across our organisation. As a Certified B Corp, we also believe in providing care sustainably, measuring our impact across our people, our communities, and the planet.
Our benefits
On joining Odyssey, you’ll be supported every step of the way. Competitive salary & incremental pay progression Flexible rostering that supports work-life balance Accredited training & continuous development Education assistance grants Health & life insurance supports Social events & wellbeing supports Real career progression – 80%+ of our leaders Have grown from within We believe in caring for our staff with the same commitment we bring to the young people in our homes. For more details, visit About Us
Flexible schedule
Employee development programs
A diversity program
Cycle to work
Referral bonus
Company retreats
Life insurance
Employee Assistance Scheme
Social Opportunities
Culture of recognition
On the job learning
Long service awards
Children’s Residential Care Leader
Odyssey Social Care is a children’s residential care provider. We support young people by providing secure and safe homes and by building trusting and meaningful relationships with our teams. We work therapeutically with our young people to support them through past hurts and traumas. We go on the journey with our young people, empowering them to be the best version of themselves.