A NEW children’s home set to open near Oswestry in the coming weeks is appealing for care workers to fill vacancies.

Shropshire Council is on the lookout for people interested in working in the home, which is one of two being opened by the council this year.

The council hopes it will increase the provision of accommodation for local ‘looked-after’ children in the council’s care.

Sonya Miller, Shropshire Councils’ interim assistant director for children’s social care and safeguarding, hopes the home will help the council to continue providing high-quality care.

She said: “We’re proud of our employees and the services that we provide for children in Shropshire – particularly at this challenging time – and hope to continue to provide high quality care for more of Shropshire’s children and young people.

“We’re seeking people who are passionate about improving lives of some of the most vulnerable children and young people in looked after care and can show understanding, compassion and empathy while providing a high-quality of care.”

The aim is to improve choice for Shropshire children and young people and help reduce the need for, and costs of, external residential placements.

The first new home – near Shrewsbury – opened in February 2020.

Vacancies are available now for residential care shift leaders and residential care workers in the new home – as well as in the council’s three other children’s homes.

Councillor Ed Potter, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children’s services, says the homes will bring a number of benefits for the children being looked after.

He said: “These new homes will enable us to better meet the needs of our looked-after children by providing additional accommodation within the county.

“This will lead to a wide range of benefits for the children, our staff and the council.

“Children will be closer to home, staff won’t need to travel long distances to visit them, and the council can provide much better care for these children, especially those with complex needs, improving their life chances so that they can develop into responsible Shropshire residents.”

For more information and to apply visit www.careers.shropshire.gov.uk and search for vacancy reference 1305 – residential care shift leader, and 1345 – residential care workers.

To find out more about the care home and the vacancies, email careersinresidentialchildcare@shropshire.gov.uk