Our primary task was to recruit Therapeutic Care workers for residential children’s homes catering to children who have undergone severe trauma. Our client, the residential homes provider, maintains stringent standards for candidate selection owing to the specific safety needs of the children under their care.

Two of the client’s residential homes were facing a critical shortage of Therapeutic Care Workers, compromising the quality of care and safety protocols. It was imperative to address this shortage promptly to maintain a high standard of care and ensure the safety of the children.

• The roles involved demanding work with children who may exhibit challenging behaviours, including a lack of boundaries, due to their complex backgrounds. Understanding the specific needs of these children and the client’s strict criteria for candidates was vital for a successful recruitment process.
• To meet these requirements, we developed a tailored vetting process focused on identifying candidates with unique qualities such as emotional resilience and a strong aptitude for working with young people. As part of meeting this challenge, I consulted closely with the organisation to develop a deep understanding of its therapeutic principles, holding multiple meetings with key senior leaders both virtually and in person.
• We conducted extensive research on previous unsuccessful candidates and those who had left the role, comparing their profiles with those of successful candidates. This analysis helped us identify common trends and refine our candidate selection process accordingly.
• As a result of the insights we gained, we then recommended and implemented several improvements to the client’s recruitment process. These enhancements included incorporating:
  1. exit interviews for both managers and workers
  2. introducing additional interview stages to further assess candidate suitability
  3. instating quarterly performance meetings to ensure ongoing alignment with the charity’s goals.
• Through these proactive measures and our collaboration with the client, we were able to create a mutually beneficial system that aligns with the organisation’s objectives and supports success for both candidates and the charity.