Senior Residential Child Care Counselor

A typical shift layers routine care, complex behavior support, milieu management, and shift documentation. You'll often work alongside clinicians, teachers, and case managers, but the bulk of contact still happens on shift with you. Crises — escalations, runaways, fights, emotional dysregulation — remain routine.

The boundary work and emotional labor intensify at the senior level — newer staff lean on you during hard moments, and your judgment shapes how the team handles escalations. Coordination with clinicians, schools, families, and case managers runs heavy. Shift fatigue and vicarious trauma are real, ongoing considerations.

People who do well here typically have steady regulation, durable patience, comfort with structure, and a coaching mindset. The temperament to keep showing up after hard shifts often matters more than any specific credential or theoretical training.