Deputy Manager

• Home Type: Solo Placement Children's Residential Home

• Location: Burton on Trent, Derbyshire (DE15)

• Salary: £32,656 basic (£39,856 with sleep-in payments included)

• Shift pattern: 1 on, 2 off, 8am starts

This is a solo placement, meaning one young person, one home, one focused package of care, and it's rated Good by Ofsted across every judgement area.

There's a reason this provider keeps landing Good judgements year after year with zero enforcement action along the way. Ofsted inspectors have repeatedly noted homes run by this group choosing to keep placements deliberately small, sometimes supporting just one child in a home registered for three, specifically so that young person gets the space and individual attention they need to settle and thrive. Inspectors have described children who've built strong bonds with their teams, who feel safe enough to talk openly about their feelings, and who've made progress on their own terms. That's the kind of care culture you'd be stepping into as Deputy Manager here, and it's the sort of environment where the work you do with a young person genuinely shows.

As Deputy Manager, you'll be right hand to the Registered Manager and the person who steps up and leads when they're not around, which in a solo placement setting means your decisions and your relationship with that young person carry real weight. You'll be responsible for:

• Overseeing the day to day delivery of care in line with the young person's placement plan and the home's Statement of Purpose

• Acting as safeguarding lead for the home, making sure policies are followed and every young person's voice is genuinely heard

• Supporting, supervising and developing the staff team, including inductions, appraisals and ongoing training

• Managing Regulation 44 visits, Ofsted engagement and external professional relationships including healthcare and education partners

• Deputising fully for the Registered Manager, including operational and staffing decisions in their absence

• Contributing to quality assurance and compliance with the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015

To be considered, you'll need:

• A minimum of three years' residential experience within children's homes

• A Level 3 qualification in Residential Childcare (minimum)

• Strong working knowledge of the current Ofsted Inspection Framework and what good practice looks like day to day

• Experience managing staff teams, including training, supervision and the trickier conversations that come with people management

• A confident, emotionally resilient approach to working with young people who have emotional and behavioural needs, and the ability to stay grounded when things get complicated

• Full UK Driving Licence

On pay, £32,656 as a base salary, but factor in the sleep-in payments on top and you're looking at £39,856pa. This is deep, relationship-led work with one young person, backed by a provider whose homes keep getting recognised for doing exactly that well.

If any of this sounds like the kind of role you've maybe been hoping would show up, or if you want to ask a few questions before committing to anything, get in touch and we can have a proper conversation about it.