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House Parent

House parents are concerned with all the tasks relating to the personal care, boarding accommodation, meals, study, recreation and weekend activities of children and adolescents in a residential establishment.

They usually live in or near the boarding establishment.

TASKS

House parents may perform the following tasks:

ensure good behaviour of the children
supervise and arrange activities that promote intellectual, physical, social and spiritual development
ensure living and hygiene standards are maintained
ensure students are attending classes
lend a sympathetic ear to children with problems or provide counselling services
perform minor domestic duties
accompany students on weekend outings

PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS

concern for the wellbeing of young people
understanding of students' needs and cultural differences
sense of responsibility
good leadership skills
good organisational skills
able to work closely with others in a community setting
able to cope with the physical demands of the job

Interest Area

SPECIALISATIONS

Boarding School Supervisor - usually provides a similar service to that of a house parent, operating from a school boarding house that provides accommodation facilities for students.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

You can work as a house parent without formal qualifications, but employers usually require Year 10. You will probably get some informal training on the job.

Additional Information

To work with children in NSW, you must obtain a Working with Children Check from the Office of the Children's Guardian. To work with children in the ACT, you need to obtain a Working with Vulnerable People Check from the Office of Regulatory Services.

Applicants may also be required to undergo a National Police Check and provide character references.

You may be required to complete a professional development course relevant to the care of children and adolescents.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Vacancies for house parents and boarding school supervisors occur from time to time in government and non-government schools, colleges and hostels. These may be either single-sex or coeducational.

Some positions are full time and paid; others are part time and unpaid with accommodation and meals included.