Registered Manager Fostering

Randstad Staffing; North East; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading staffing agency is seeking an inspirational Registered Manager to lead their Fostering Service. This role involves ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, providing leadership, and maintaining high-quality care for Looked After Children. Candidates should have a BA in social work or a degree in health and social care, alongside strong skills in critical thinking, communication, and empathy. A competitive salary is offered, based on experience.

Qualifications

• Experience in fostering and adoption.
• Ability to manage challenging situations.
• Competence in dealing with all stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with Fostering Services Regulations and National Minimum Standards.
• Oversee quality assurance procedures and manage external inspections.
• Manage recruitment and retention of foster carers.

Skills

Critical thinking

Oral communication

Emotional intelligence

Report writing

Organisational

Patience

Empathy

Time management

Work well under pressure

Non-judgemental

Education

BA in social work

Degree in health and social care

Job description

We are seeking an inspirational and strategically focused Registered Manager to lead our established Fostering Service. This is a high-impact leadership role demanding clinical oversight, regulatory expertise, and a dedication to improving outcomes for Looked After Children.

The Opportunity: Senior Leadership Contract

This is a Permanent or Long-Term Interim Locum Contract based in City, e.g., Durham, Newcastle, or North East Region with Agency Name / Local Authority Fostering Service. The successful candidate will report to the Head of Service/CEO and will receive a Highly Competitive Salary / Premium Locum Rate (DOE).

📝 Core Responsibilities: Quality, Compliance, and Leadership

The Registered Manager holds statutory accountability for the service, ensuring all operations meet legal requirements and provide the highest quality of care.

1. Regulatory Compliance: Hold the formal registration with Ofsted and ensure the service operates in full compliance with the Fostering Services Regulations 2011 and the National Minimum Standards (NMS).
2. Practice Leadership: Provide authoritative and reflective professional supervision, guidance, and support to Supervising Social Workers and the management team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and therapeutic practice.
3. Quality Assurance: Oversee and drive robust quality assurance procedures, including internal audits, case file scrutiny, and managing all external regulatory inspections to achieve and maintain an 'Outstanding' or 'Good' rating.
4. Recruitment and Retention: Strategically plan and manage the recruitment, assessment, and approval of new foster carers to meet the diverse needs of referring Local Authorities.
5. Fostering Panel Management: Act as the Agency Decision Maker (ADM) for complex panel recommendations (e.g., approvals, terminations, exemptions) or provide expert leadership to the ADM.
6. Safeguarding: Ensure safeguarding processes are robust, immediate, and effective, managing allegations against foster carers in line with Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) procedures.

Randstad Care acts as an employment business when supplying temporary staff and as an employment agency when introducing candidates for permanent employment with a client. Randstad Care is an equal opportunities employer and decisions are made on merits alone.

Experience

• Fostering & Adoption

Skills

• Be able to manage challenging situations
• Person centred
• Can work as an individual or part of a team
• Caring
• Competent at dealing with all stakeholders
• Critical thinking
• Emotional intelligence
• Empathy
• Handling medication
• Non-judgemental
• Oral communication
• Organisational
• Passionate
• Patience
• Report writing (incident logs and daily plans etc)
• Resilient
• Show initiative
• Time management
• Tolerance
• Understanding
• Work well under pressure
• Written communication

Qualifications

• High school
• College
• University

Education

• BA in social work
• Degree in health and social care