JANE DALGLEISH is an experienced Senior Residential Practitioner, having worked in residential childcare for Glasgow City Council for more than twenty-five years. She has recently left the sector to draw on her experience as a writer and trainer. Jane's experience ranges from team leader to house manager in a range of settings that include children's houses, field social work, secure accommodation care and residential schools. She has experience supporting young people through complex trauma, behavioural challenges, and transitions. Having joined the profession as "just a mum" without formal qualifications, she now holds a Master's degree in Advanced Residential Child Care, with a focus on play.
Description
Residential childcare is not just a job - something you clock in and out of and leave behind at the door. It's a vocation - a deeply human, emotional and demanding role that asks those who choose it to show up, every single day, and give of themselves for the sake of vulnerable young people who may never have known stability, trust or unconditional care. Making that commitment is hard for anyone, but it is harder still without a guide. An Essential Guide for Every Residential Childcare Worker aims to be that guide. Written by an expert with more than twenty-five years' experience in a range of frontline roles, it is a practical, jargon-free handbook that interweaves policy and core concepts with practical examples of daily practice. Paying tribute to the resilience and dedication of residential childcare workers, and emphasizing their profound role in shaping young lives, it explores the skills, principles and practices that create safe, nurturing environments for children who have experienced trauma.
Prologue Introduction 1. Relationships 2. The Power of One 3. How to Cultivate Positive Culture 4. Belonging 5. The Journey 6. Cultivating Safety 7. Trama Informed Care & Therapeutic Practise 8. What We See, What They Feel 9. Safe enough to Learn and Transition 10. Dreams End Note Final Letter