House Manager - Residential Childcare

Polaris Inc.; England; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading children’s service provider in Dorchester seeks a passionate House Manager to oversee a 2-bedded Children’s Home for 12 months. You'll lead a dedicated staff team, ensure compliance, and promote a nurturing environment for young people. Ideal candidates will have experience in residential care, strong leadership skills, and a proactive, child-centered approach. Benefits include training opportunities and a company pension.

Benefits

Company pension

Employee discount scheme

Access to wellbeing programmes

Therapeutic Parenting (DDP Level 1) training

Level 5 Management of Children's Services qualification

Monthly clinical and professional supervision

Therapeutic support and training opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in residential care, youth work, or working with young people with Emotional Behavioural Disorders (EBD).
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a staff team to ensure young people receive emotional and physical support.
• Ensure the home meets all compliance and safeguarding standards.
• Promote a safe, nurturing, and development-focused environment.

Skills

Leadership and team management skills

Strong communication skills

Organisational skills

Understanding of safeguarding

Proactive and child-centred approach

Experience in residential care or youth work

Education

Willingness to undertake an enhanced DBS check

Job description

Overview

We\'re seeking a passionate and motivated House Manager to lead one of our 2-bedded Children\'s Homes in Dorchester for 12 months, covering maternity leave. As House Manager, you will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the home, staff supervision, and ensuring high-quality care and support for our young people. You will:

• Lead and manage a staff team to ensure young people receive emotional and physical support in line with their needs.
• Ensure the home meets all compliance and safeguarding standards.
• Promote a safe, nurturing, and development-focused environment.
• Liaise with Local Authorities and external professionals.
• Deliver effective supervision, team development and operational oversight.
• Contribute to recruitment, training, and performance management.
• Be part of an on-call rota for out-of-hours support.
• You\'ll be supported by a strong network including our Clinical, Education, QA, HR, and Training Leads, and an experienced Area Manager.
• Experience in residential care, youth work, or working with young people with Emotional Behavioural Disorders (EBD).
• Leadership and team management skills.
• Strong communication and organisational skills.
• Understanding of safeguarding, health & safety, and compliance in care settings.
• A proactive, flexible, and child-centred approach.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.
• Willingness to undertake an enhanced DBS check (paid for by Budwood).

About Budwood and Polaris

Budwood, part of Polaris Community, is a local service dedicated to providing high-quality Children\'s Homes and 16+ Supported Accommodation. Our young people may have experienced adverse childhood experiences, and our aim is to offer them a stable, nurturing home environment where they can feel safe, grow in confidence, and gain the skills they need for adulthood and independence., Polaris: Achieving Extraordinary Things

Welcome to Polaris, one of the UK\'s largest children\'s service providers. With over 37 years of experience, we are passionate about improving the lives of children, young people, and their families. From fostering and adoption to residential care, education, and bespoke services, we offer a comprehensive range of support that transforms lives and strengthens communities. At Polaris, our mission is simple yet powerful: to enable every child and young person in our care to reach their full potential. As a team, we are driven by ambition—not just for the children and families we support, but also for our staff. We believe in the power of people working together to achieve extraordinary outcomes.

Why Work with Polaris

We are proud to have over 1,000 talented and ambitious individuals on our team, all working to support the 3,500 vulnerable young people in our care. We know that achieving big change requires a strong, passionate team who share a common vision. Our Vision Polaris is driven by a bold ambition: to transform the lives of children and young people and lead the way in revolutionising children\'s services. We aim to be the number one provider in the UK, delivering care and support that empowers children to follow their dreams.

Benefits

• Company pension
• Employee discount scheme
• Access to wellbeing programmes
• Therapeutic Parenting (DDP Level 1) training
• Level 5 Management of Children\'s Services qualification
• Monthly clinical and professional supervision
• Therapeutic support and training opportunities