Children's Home Registered Manager

Lighthouse Pedagogy Trust; Sutton; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

36 days holiday

4% pension

Life insurance

Enhanced family leave

Employee assistance programme

Discounted shopping

Cycle-to-work scheme

Job summary

Lighthouse Pedagogy Trust seeks a Registered Manager to lead a new 5-bed home in the Sutton area, delivering relationship-centred care for children with emotional and behavioural needs. You will shape the home from the ground up, recruit and mentor a dedicated team, and implement a holistic Social Pedagogy approach within a supportive leadership structure.

Ideal candidates bring extensive residential care experience, strong safeguarding knowledge, and a commitment to ambitious staff development.

Qualifications

• Experienced in children's residential settings as Registered Manager or Deputy Manager aiming to progress.
• Clear vision for delivering relationship-centred care and values-led culture.
• Strong decision-making and risk management in residential care.
• Advocate for diverse social, emotional and behavioural needs with empowering relationships.
• Knowledge of Ofsted regulations and safeguarding in residential care.
• Committed to professional development and staff wellbeing.

Responsibilities

• Open and lead a brand-new 5-bed home, applying existing systems while innovating.
• Create a nurturing, safe environment for children with emotional/behavioural needs.
• Recruit, inspire, develop and lead a passionate team with high standards.
• Champion a holistic Social Pedagogy approach and relationship-based care.
• Drive service development by trialling new ways of working with partners.
• Receive guidance from QA Manager and leadership team to support delivery.
• Influence best practice across residential childcare and the sector.

Skills

Resilient leadership

Relationship-centred care

Strong decision-making

Risk management

People development

Safeguarding mindset

Education

Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare

Level 5 Leadership & Management qualification

Job description

Company Description

Lighthouse Pedagogy Trust is a charity creating children’s homes where children can thrive. We believe every child deserves the chance to achieve great things and lead fulfilling lives. Our first home opened in Sutton in February 2022, supporting up to six children aged 11–18 with emotional and behavioural needs. We are currently renovating a second property in Banstead (SM7), a 5-bed children’s home due to open in early 2027.

Our first children's home is an award-winning building that has set a new standard for UK children’s homes. You can learn more about the home and even take a virtual tour on our website.

Key Details

• Location: Banstead, SM7 (South London - London Borough of Sutton, close to Surrey)
• Start date: Ideally November 2026, to support the registration and set-up of the home ahead of its planned opening in early spring 2027. However, we're happy to discuss alternative start dates based on individual candidates' availability
• Salary: £55-65k
• Experience required: Registered Manager or Deputy Manager looking to step up to RM role
• Contract: Permanent, 40 hours, Monday-Friday 9-5 (with flexibility as needed)

What this role offers

• Opportunity to set up a new home, recruit your team and shape it from the very beginning.
• Backing from an experienced and supportive leadership team and RI
• £55-65k salary, plus competitive benefits, including:
  • Starting holiday allowance of 36 days (inclusive of bank holidays), increasing to 38 days at 2 years and 41 days at 5 years
  • 4% employer pension contributions and life insurance
  • Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay
  • Employee assistance programme, discounted shopping, cycle-to-work scheme and lots more benefits

Why work for LPT?

• We have an annual staff retention rate of 94%. This is significantly above the sector average, reflecting our commitment to employee wellbeing, development and job satisfaction.
• LPT is a charity, so any surplus revenue generated is reinvested into improving experiences and outcomes for children in care
• Our first children’s home has been running for 4 years, and consistently achieving Good Ofsted grading
• We are a values-driven organisation grounded in Social Pedagogy, prioritising relationships, empowerment, and wellbeing
• LPT has partnered with Kingston University to develop a Level 6 Diploma in Residential care, and offers fully funded places on the course for our team – Read more about it in this article
• We have won several awards for the therapeutically informed and high-quality design of our home, including the Innovation in Care Award at the National Children’s Homes Awards and the Stephen Lawrence Prize

Job Description

As the Registered Manager of our new 5-bed home, you’ll have the unique opportunity to shape it from the very beginning. This home will provide a safe, nurturing environment for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, helping them thrive.

• Open and lead a brand-new home from the start – Be the driving force behind our new 5-bed home, benefitting from LPT’s established systems and processes while having the freedom to innovate and give your home its own identity.
• Create a nurturing and safe home for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, helping them thrive.
• Lead with purpose – Recruit, inspire, develop and lead a passionate team, setting high standards and ensuring every child receives exceptional care.
• Champion a holistic approach – Our approach is grounded in evidence and underpinned by Social Pedagogy, a holistic, strengths-based model that prioritises relationships, empowerment, learning, and wellbeing. While you don’t need to be an expert in Social Pedagogy, you must be open to learning and leading with this ethos.
• Drive service development – Trial new ways of working, collaborate with partner agencies, and influence best practice across the residential childcare sector.
• Enjoy strong support – Access guidance from an experienced Quality Assurance Manager, a nearby leadership team, and a deeply committed Responsible Individual.
• Be part of something bigger – Your leadership will be pivotal in shaping best practice, not just within our home, but across the wider sector, helping influence improvements in children’s social care.

Qualifications

• Experienced working in a children's residential setting as a Registered Manager, or as a Deputy Manager looking to progress into a Registered Manager role.
• A resilient, hands-on leader with a clear vision for delivering exceptional, relationship-centred care and creating an inclusive, ambitious culture.
• Strong decision-making and risk management skills, with the ability to navigate residential care confidently and drive high-quality performance.
• A passionate advocate for children, experienced in supporting diverse social, emotional, and behavioural needs, and committed to building empowering relationships.
• Knowledgeable in Ofsted regulations, safeguarding, and children’s residential care standards.
• Hold a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or equivalent) and either have, or be working towards/committed to achieving the Level 5 Leadership and Management qualification (or equivalent)

Safer Recruitment

At Lighthouse Pedagogy Trust, we safeguard all children and young people in our care. As part of our recruitment process, we conduct rigorous checks and vetting of all applicants, in line with legal and regulatory requirements and best practices. Everyone who works in our homes will be responsible for safeguarding young people and putting their safety and wellbeing first.

This role is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (police records) check, including overseas police checks where necessary. Please note that this post is exempt from the limitations of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, and as such, all previous cautions and convictions will need to be disclosed as part of any application.

For further information about the process, please go to: https://www.gov.uk/dbs-check-applicant-criminal-record