We look after the WhiteTrees Group needs
for everything that is human resource
and staff related.
We support our prospective team members from their initial contact through to becoming part of our staff compliment and then on to realise their ambitions within the care sector. We add clarity as to how much of a realistic opportunity there is within the care sector and WhiteTress Group specifically and explain how we can accommodate many different career paths due to the broad nature of our business activities.
Head of Recruitment
Lisa Honour
Lisa is passionate about the healthcare sector having spent since 2004 working in the recruitment industry. She has been specifically looking to fulfil healthcare and nursing roles from entry through to director level. She has worked for several London based top recruiters and her last position was as Director of permanent recruitment at a recruitment agency with over 100 branches in the UK.
Lisa’s day to day tasks include the total overseeing of recruiting for all the WhiteTrees Group staff requirement, from interview through to on-boarding and then managing the businesses ongoing HR requirements. She may well be the lady you speak with if you call to discuss a role we have advertised and equally she is as comfortable as part of the senior management team in the boardroom.
We have a support team to help Lisa with the daily workload and they all live and breathe WhiteTrees!
Lisa Honour
WhiteTrees Group Head of Recruitment
Our role in the WhiteTrees Group
WhiteTrees recruitment is here first and foremost to support the smooth and regular recruitment, training and management of team members to support the everyday running of the WhiteTrees Group of companies.
Services we provide
A full range of human recourses support services including.
- Recruitment of team members
- Interviewing
- Team members induction
- Training
- Mentoring
- Performance management
- Discipline of team members
- Working with senior management to decide on best structure and role requirement
- Bench making of remuneration packages
- Management and creation of incentive schemes
Recruitment Process
If you see a vacancy in any one of our many adverts or on this web site we would love to hear from you and happy to discuss
how WhiteTrees could be the next big career move for you.
Typical application process we will guide you through.
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Your initial job contact:
Via online job board, our website or agency. Candidates are asked to submit a C.V for review.
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Initial phone call with one of our team:
If successful from stage one candidates will be contacted by a team member for an informal chat to discuss the role. The job is explained (hours, shift pattern, pay etc.) and some general questions are asked.
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Phone Interview:
If necessary, a phone interview will be arranged, slightly more formal and some more in depth, knowledge/understanding based questions asked.
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Formal Interview:
Face to face interview at head office with a team member. A homes manager may also be involved. Consisting of up to 3 parts; more knowledge/understanding based questions, some written scenarios and possibly some more in-depth psychology-based questions.
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Meeting a Home’s Manager:
Likely on the same day as the formal interview if the manager has not been involved. An opportunity to meet the manager, judge the commute etc.
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Provisional Job Offer:
Successful candidates will receive a call from a team member informing them that they will be receiving a provisional job offer and explaining the next stage of compliance. They will receive an email from a compliance administrator containing the provisional offer and several other forms required to begin the process.
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Compliance:
Successful candidates will receive a call from a team member informing them that they will be receiving a provisional job offer and explaining the next stage of compliance. They will receive an email from a compliance administrator containing the provisional offer and several other forms required to begin the process.
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Induction:
New starters will be enrolled on our six-day induction program which includes; an introduction to the WhiteTrees Group, our values & ethos, three days of therapeutic training, safeguarding and some online training. Inductions are held at the beginning of each month and new starters may be booked onto one before compliance is completed. If new starters are compliant before an induction is available, they may start in the home beforehand but will be booked onto the next closest Induction.
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Shadow Shifts:
All new staff complete up to three ‘shadow shifts’, usually an early (08:00-16:00), a late (14:00-22:00) and a Long (08:00-23:00). Staff on shadow shifts will be shown around the home and introduced to the young people, read through essential paperwork and generally get to know how a shift runs. They will also be given opportunities to engage with the young people and will be buddied up with a full-time staff member, not be left to solo work any young people.
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Online:
Once the shadow shifts are completed new staff will be given a full time line with the team that they will work alongside. All new staff have a probation period of six months with a three-month probation meeting in the median. Their induction and training will continue through the induction workbook and staff supervisions that are conducted fortnightly initially, then regularly, ideally after the initial after the 3 month work period. This will all be explained at interview and usually is a smooth process. A Team Members Typical Day at WhiteTrees – SureCare Residential Our homes require 24-7 staffing and as such we run a three-shift rolling rota. This is something we will discuss at interview and explain more fully.
Typical Day at
WhiteTrees–SureCare Residential
Morning
Our shifts start at 8.00 a.m. with a handover which is one of the most important information sharing sessions within the day. Following handover the staff coming on duty for that day will then plan their shift from start to finish, they will typically take into considering young people’s planners detailing activities and appointments, the staffing compliment and any considerations such as risk assessment and behaviour assessments to enable the shift/day to run smoothly.
One of their first tasks will be to support the young people to wake and rise. For many bed can be a sanctuary, especially if they are worried, upset or not happy with life, so the process of getting out of bed can be difficult. Our Young People require a positive attitude and approach from those involved.
Once young people are gently woken and encouraged to shower and prepare for the day ahead, staff will then sit with them and have breakfast. Then they set about transporting young people to school (if a weekday) or planning activities with them for the weekends and school holidays. Staff may be required to support young people within the school.
During non-school day’s staff will be supporting young people with leisure activities, free time, life skills and hobbies/developing social interests and integrating as part of the wider community. They will also support home contact visits if young people have an agreed contact plan to see family, friends or significant people in their lives.
Afternoon
Lunch times may be staggered depending on whether our young people are in or out of the home, staff will often prepare food as required. After lunch there may well be a time when the manager can arrange for the team to get together for support meetings, supervision and performance management with those on shift.
The afternoon can be both the most difficult and the most productive and enjoyable times. Our young people need structure and stability in planning their free time. When young people finish school the time between and the journey home is a legitimate time to let off steam and discuss their day. If this time is not privileged, it often results in young people coming back into the home, bringing with them any unresolved conflicts of the day or at best very excitable and needing to let off steam.
Teatime is usually around 5 to 6.00p.m. and this consists of a cooked meal prepared by staff with input from young people and from a planned menu. Mealtimes are when we encourage all young people and staff to sit and eat together at the communal table and discuss their day, plan the evening, interact socially and then to support each other to clear the table once finished.
Evening
From 6.00p.m. to bedtime (times may vary due to age), this is what we call “free time”, when the children and young people can socialise with their peers and staff. It is also a time when key workers can listen to and work with with individuals on care plans or simply talking through concerns or the events of the day. There may also be off site leisure activities planned. Once a week there will be a young person’s house meeting held to discuss and consult a shared view about their care and placement.
The informal times can present a time of boredom, so structure is paramount. To carry out our duty of care correctly we should ensure the every young person is safe in our care, that they are taking care of their hygiene, have privacy, their dignity is maintained and that they are allowed to have time on their own or with a friend without adult interruption. (as agreed within the care plan)
Night
Young people have assigned bedtimes, and these may vary with age. It is important to be thoughtful, that their bed can be a sanctuary in the morning but can be anxiety provoking to the same individual at night-time. For some children who are missing family or have had dysfunctional bedtimes caused by trauma, this can be a stressful and unsettling time, so we ask that staff remain mindful of this.
Settling time is a key therapeutic tool at SureCare. Young people will have the time with allocated staff to unwind, watch TV in their room, talk, read a story or chill and prepare for bed. A young person may have additional resources to support their sleep and settling such as music, or a night light.
Recording & Reporting
Recording and documenting care information and the work carried out during the day is completed once the young people are in bed and a staff member (if there are no waking night staff) is allocated to a landing to monitor. There may be a debrief and discussion as to how well the day went and reflect on achievements, outcomes and areas for future development.
Pay, remuneration and other benefits
This will be discussed at interview with our pay structure being shown and the pathway of possible progression
in the group illustrated. development. development.
Employee Assistance Programme
This will be discussed at interview with our pay structure being shown and the pathway of possible progression in the group illustrated. development. development.
