Ofsted Registered Manager - Children's Home

Viner House, operated by Innovative Start Ltd, is designed for up to three children aged 8-17 with learning disabilities. Associated mental health, emotional, behavioural, sensory and physical needs are assessed individually. Care is relationship-based, trauma-informed and focused on safety, belonging, communication and increasing independence, within the home's Statement of Purpose and registration conditions.

Lead a safe, nurturing home in which children feel heard, develop trusting relationships and make progress that matters to them. Take responsibility for day-to-day management, the quality of care, safeguarding, staff leadership and compliance with the home's registration conditions.

Report to the Responsible Individual and retain overall line-management responsibility for the home's staff. Delegate clearly to the deputy without transferring statutory accountability. Maintain appropriate Ofsted registration, act within the provider's financial and employment authority, and challenge any decision that could compromise children's welfare.

1. Child-centred care, admissions and progress

• Know each child personally and make their wishes, communication, identity, relationships and aspirations central to decisions. Provide accessible information, communication passports and advocacy; make complaints easy to raise and respond without retaliation.
• Lead referral assessment and placement matching with the placing authority. Consider the new child's needs, compatibility with children already living in the home, staffing, skills, education and health support. Decline or defer an admission that cannot be safely supported.
• Ensure every child has current placement, care, risk and transition plans, with clear consent and delegated-authority arrangements. Review plans after significant changes and track individual goals. Support family time, education, friendships, activities and preparation for adulthood.

2. Safeguarding leadership and escalation

• Lead day-to-day safeguarding practice with the Responsible Individual/designated safeguarding lead. Act on abuse, neglect, exploitation, bullying, self-harm, missing episodes and unsafe adult or peer behaviour. Do not dismiss pain, distress or a disclosure because a child has a learning disability or does not use speech.
• Protect children immediately, secure medical or police assistance when needed and make timely referrals to children's social care. Ensure staff preserve evidence and record the child's words or communication accurately. Do not let an internal enquiry delay external protection.
• Refer allegations about adults through the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) pathway and coordinate protective employment action with the provider. Make or secure required DBS and professional-regulator referrals when thresholds are met; cooperate with external investigations.
• Ensure concerns about the manager go directly to the Responsible Individual and appropriate external agencies. Where the Responsible Individual/provider is implicated or there is a conflict, use independent external escalation. Staff may contact safeguarding agencies, police or Ofsted without management permission.

3. Positive relationships, dignity and lawful restrictions

• Lead positive behaviour support and trauma-informed practice. Help staff recognise pain, communication barriers, sensory distress and unmet needs, use predictable routines and de-escalation, and support recovery after incidents without blame or humiliation.
• Prevent prohibited punishments. Restraint must be a lawful, necessary and proportionate last resort to prevent injury or serious property damage, not solely to secure compliance or stop a child leaving this non-secure home. Review practice, training and any injury immediately.
• Keep restrictions under review and obtain specialist advice about consent, capacity and any possible deprivation of liberty. Use monitoring devices only within Regulation 24, including written placing-authority consent, accessible explanation and the least intrusive approach necessary.

4. Health, education and daily wellbeing

• Ensure children receive timely physical, dental and mental-health support, including specialist advice where needed. Work with schools, health professionals and social workers to implement education and health plans and challenge delays or unmet needs.
• Oversee safe medicines management, including prescribing…