Responsible Individual

Contract: Part-time position working 3 flexible days per week, 09:00 to 17:00, with potential to increase to 4 days
Location: Walsall, West Midlands (WS2)
Salary: £37,500 per annum plus 8% performance-related annual bonus

This provider, operating in the Walsall area and working with young people aged 8 to 18 who've experienced significant adversity, they've grounded everything they do in a Non-Violent Resistance therapeutic framework, supported by attachment theory, with an honest and genuinely held belief that behaviour makes sense when you understand the story behind it. It runs through how the homes operate, how the teams are developed, and how every young person's care plan is written. This is a provider that has put real thought into what therapeutic parenting looks like in practice, and they're looking for an RI who can hold that vision whilst keeping the operational and regulatory side equally tight.

The role is part-time, working three flexible days per week, for someone at RI level who perhaps wants to protect a bit of work-life balance without stepping entirely away from the sector, or someone who holds another commitment alongside their professional practice, this is maybe the most flexible senior position in residential childcare in the West Midlands right now.

What you'll be responsible for

• Holding the position of Responsible Individual as approved by Ofsted across the homes within your area, ensuring legislative and regulatory compliance at all times

• Supporting and empowering the Dual Registered Manager to deliver outstanding operational standards, providing guidance, mentoring, and constructive challenge where needed

• Carrying out announced and unannounced visits to the homes, conducting audits and providing quality assurance across all aspects of service delivery

• Overseeing safeguarding responsibilities for all young people placed in the homes, ensuring their welfare is central to every decision made

• Holding full oversight of each home's budget and financial controls, including staffing costs, operational running costs, premises maintenance, agency use, and vehicle management

• Assessing proposed referrals and liaising with external professional bodies, local authorities, and multi-agency partners as required

• Ensuring each young person has an individual care plan that is both therapeutically informed and practically deliverable, reflecting the organisation's inclusive, collaborative approach

• Participating in on-call arrangements alongside the homes managers

• Contributing to recruitment and selection processes, disciplinary and grievance procedures where required, and promoting a culture of reflective practice and professional development across the teams

• Advocating for children's rights as set out in the Children's Homes Regulations and the National Quality Standards, making sure young people have a genuine voice in their care

What you'll bring to the role

• A Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare, or a Level 5 Diploma in Children, Young People and Families Management

• Substantial experience operating at RI or senior management level within children's residential social care, with a clear understanding of the regulatory landscape and what Ofsted expects in practice

• Demonstrable experience evaluating quality of care, assessing team development needs, and leading change constructively

• Solid understanding of budgetary management and the financial responsibilities that come with overseeing multiple homes

• Strong written communication skills for report writing, care plan oversight, and regulatory correspondence

• A full UK driving licence (manual and/or automatic)

• The kind of natural authority that comes from experience rather than hierarchy, and the ability to motivate a team by setting an example rather than issuing directives

The salary and what it reflects

The pro-rata salary of £37,500 for three days per week, reflects the genuine weight of accountability this role carries. You are the person Ofsted looks to when things are scrutinised, the person the Registered Manager leans on when the work gets complex, and the person who ensures the young people placed in these homes are safe, well-cared for, and given real opportunities to move forward in their lives. The 8% annual bonus, adds meaningful recognition for performance and commitment. This is a salary that takes the role seriously, and so do we.

The organisation expects the same seriousness in return, which is to say they want someone who is genuinely invested in what good residential childcare looks like, not just someone who can navigate the compliance requirements whilst keeping one eye on the exit. If you've spent time in this sector and you care about the young people in it, that'll be obvious from the conversation before anyone looks at your CV.

If this sounds like the right fit, or even if you're not entirely sure but want to have a proper conversation about it before deciding, please get in touch. There's no hard sell here, just an honest discussion about whether this works for both sides.