Deputy
MANAGER
Deputy Manager
Wallasey, Wirral
£45,000 to £50,000
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
This is a Deputy Manager role in Wallasey, Wirral, within a therapeutic 2-bed children's home supporting young people with complex emotional and behavioural difficulties. Salary sits between £45,000 and £50,000 depending on experience. The working pattern is Monday to Friday, nine to five, with no rotating shifts.
The home's Registered Manager will be going on maternity leave, and the Deputy Manager appointed will take on full operational responsibility for running the home throughout that period, holding the Ofsted registration on an interim basis and leading the staff team day to day. To be clear about what that means in practice: this is not a support role with occasional responsibility, it is the operational lead position for the service, with the active backing of a hands-on Responsible Individual and a full support structure around you from the start.
The provider is growing and developing further homes, and the pathway from this role into a substantive Registered Manager position is real and actively supported. For the right person, that makes this a meaningful career step at an interesting moment in a developing organisation, and the Monday to Friday pattern at this salary level makes the overall package a strong one for a Level 5 qualified Deputy.
The Role
As Deputy Manager you will hold full operational responsibility for the home whilst the Registered Manager is on maternity leave, including holding the interim Ofsted registration and leading the staff team throughout that period. Working closely with the Responsible Individual & Director, you will take accountability for safeguarding, compliance, staff development, and the day-to-day running of a therapeutic home serving young people with complex EBD and trauma-related needs.
Key responsibilities include:
Holding the interim Ofsted registration and ensuring the home consistently meets and exceeds the Children's Homes Quality Standards and Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015
Taking full operational leadership responsibility for the home during the Registered Manager's maternity leave, with the active support of the Responsible Individual and Director
Providing direct supervision, appraisal, and professional development support to residential staff across the team
Contributing to the development, implementation, and review of care plans, placement plans, and therapeutic support strategies tailored to each young person in placement
Acting as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, supporting safeguarding processes, referrals, and multi-agency communication
Embedding and modelling the home's therapeutic, trauma-informed model of care through reflective practice and consistent leadership
Contributing to quality assurance processes, Ofsted preparation, and management reporting
Managing operational compliance, rota management, and HR administration within the home
Building and maintaining effective working relationships with local authorities, health and education professionals, families, and external partners
What You Will Need
Essential:
Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare
Minimum 3 years' experience working with children and young people in a residential setting, including demonstrable experience in a senior or supervisory role
Strong working knowledge of Ofsted's Quality Standards for children's homes, the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015, and relevant safeguarding legislation
Experience managing safeguarding and child protection processes within a residential childcare environment
A therapeutic, relational approach to working with young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties
Confident communication skills and the ability to work effectively with multi-agency partners, local authorities, families, and external professionals
Full UK driving licence
Desirable:
Previous experience holding Ofsted registration or supporting a home through an Ofsted inspection
Background in therapeutic or trauma-informed residential childcare, potentially including EBD-specific placements
Experience contributing to the development of a new or emerging residential service
The Organisation & the Opportunity
The organisation behind this home has built its approach around a clear, coherent belief: that children with complex and often painful histories can recover and thrive when the environment around them is safe, consistent, and well-held. That principle is not a mission statement gathering dust; it shapes how the home is staffed, how training is delivered, and how senior leaders engage with the people doing the work.
The Responsible Individual and Director has an extensive residential childcare background and is present and engaged in the life of the service in a way that makes a real practical difference to the team. Staff receive paid, face-to-face therapeutic training that is specific and relevant to the population they work with. Reflective supervision is a structural part of the week, and the wellbeing of staff is visible in the culture of the home rather than something mentioned only in paperwork.
For someone with the right experience and qualifications, the context here is a significant one. Taking on operational leadership of a therapeutic children's home, holding interim registration, doing so within an organisation that offers proper senior support and a genuine Registered Manager pathway as it grows, and working a Monday to Friday pattern on a salary of £45,000 to £50,000, is a combination that reflects both the responsibility involved and the seriousness with which this organisation approaches the people it brings in.
The Interview Process
There is an initial conversation focused on values and experience, followed by a formal interview with the Director and senior leadership team. There is a scenario-based and safeguarding-focused element, and the onboarding is supportive and well-paced from day one.
If this sounds like the right move, or maybe you want to have a proper conversation before you decide, please get in touch.