Deputy Children's Home Manager

Templewood Recruitment Limited; Greater London; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Templewood Recruitment Limited seeks a Deputy Manager for a new therapeutic children's home in Bradford. You will support the Registered Manager, lead shifts and develop the staff team, ensuring high standards of safeguarding and child-centred, trauma-informed care for up to three children aged 5–18.

You will help establish the service's culture, lead on care planning, risk assessments, and collaboration with families, social workers, and health professionals to drive positive outcomes.

Qualifications

• Level 3/4 qualification in Residential Childcare.
• Experience leading shifts and senior duties.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and child protection understanding.
• Trauma-informed and relationship-based approaches.

Responsibilities

• Support the Registered Manager in daily operations of the home.
• Lead shifts confidently and maintain high care standards.
• Coach and develop staff through supervision and guidance.
• Provide individualised support and build trusting relationships with children.
• Promote emotional wellbeing, education, independence and resilience.
• Ensure care plans, risk assessments and behaviour support are followed.
• Safeguard children and escalate incidents appropriately.
• Maintain records and contribute to audits and quality assurance.
• Assist with safeguarding compliance and Ofsted readiness.
• Collaborate with families, social workers and education/health professionals.

Skills

Leadership

Safeguarding

Trauma-informed

Communication

Education

Level 3 Residential Childcare

Level 4 Residential Childcare (desirable)

Job description

Deputy Manager – Children's Residential Home

Location: Bradford

Salary: up to £36,500 per annum

Working pattern: Two days on, four days off, plus on-call responsibilities

Make a difference. Lead with purpose. Help build something meaningful.

We are recruiting on behalf of a new therapeutic children's home in Bradford for an experienced, passionate and dedicated Deputy Manager to join its leadership team. This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated residential childcare professional to help establish a new service from the ground up, shape its culture and standards, and build a committed team focused on providing exceptional care for children and young people.

The home aims to support up to three children aged 5–18 with emotional and behavioural difficulties, providing a safe, stable and nurturing environment where every child feels valued, understood and supported to reach their full potential. Working closely with the Registered Manager and Responsible Individual, the successful candidate will play a key role in developing the service, supporting the staff team and ensuring children receive consistent, therapeutic and child-centred care. If you are ready to take the next step in your career and want to make a genuine difference to children's lives, we would love to hear from you.

About the role

As Deputy Manager, you will support the Registered Manager with the effective day-to-day running of the home. You will be a visible, hands-on leader who leads by example, supports colleagues and promotes the highest standards of safeguarding and care. You will help establish a positive therapeutic environment, develop staff practice and ensure children receive individualised support that recognises their experiences, strengths, needs and aspirations.

Key responsibilities

• Support the Registered Manager in leading, motivating and developing the staff team.
• Lead shifts confidently, providing clear direction and maintaining consistent standards of care.
• Support staff through coaching, supervision, guidance and professional development.
• Take an active role in the daily care of children, building positive and trusting relationships.
• Promote children's emotional wellbeing, education, independence, resilience and personal development.
• Ensure care plans, risk assessments and behaviour support strategies are implemented consistently.
• Apply trauma-informed, relationship-based approaches, including PACE principles.
• Safeguard children, respond appropriately to concerns and ensure incidents are recorded and escalated.
• Maintain accurate records and contribute to audits, quality assurance and service improvement.
• Support compliance with the Children's Homes Regulations 2015, the Quality Standards and relevant safeguarding requirements.
• Work collaboratively with families, social workers, education providers, health professionals and other agencies.
• Assist with rotas, handovers, staffing arrangements, recruitment, induction and staff development.
• Support preparation for Ofsted inspections and Regulation 44 visits.
• Participate in on-call arrangements, including providing guidance, arranging emergency staffing cover and attending the home when required.

Essential requirements

• A relevant Level 3 or Level 4 qualification in Residential Childcare that meets the requirements for the role.
• Previous experience working in a children's residential care setting.
• Experience leading shifts, supporting colleagues or undertaking senior responsibilities.
• A sound understanding of safeguarding, child protection and the needs of vulnerable children.
• An understanding of trauma, attachment, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and adverse childhood experiences.
• Strong leadership, communication, organisation and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to remain calm under pressure and make safe, effective decisions in challenging situations.
• A compassionate, child-centred approach and a genuine commitment to improving children's lives.
• Flexibility to work the required shift pattern and participate in on-call arrangements.
• A commitment to professional boundaries, accurate recording and high standards of practice.
• The ability to meet all relevant safer recruitment and suitability requirements.

Desirable experience

Applications would be particularly welcome from candidates with experience as a Deputy Manager, Assistant Manager, Senior Residential Support Worker or in a comparable leadership role.

• Supporting children with trauma-related needs, emotional and behavioural difficulties or learning disabilities.
• Staff supervision, coaching, mentoring and performance management.
• Care planning, risk assessments, safeguarding procedures and incident reviews.
• Quality assurance, audits and service improvement.
• Therapeutic approaches, PACE, Positive Behaviour Support and safe de-escalation.
• Working with families, social workers and multidisciplinary professionals.
• Developing new services, implementing procedures and establishing