Deputy Children's Home Manager

Deputy Manager – Children's Residential Home

Location:

Bradford Salary: up to £36,500 per annum Working pattern:
Two days on, four days off, plus on-call responsibilities Make a difference. Lead with purpose. Help build something meaningful. We are recruiting on behalf of a new therapeutic children's home in Bradford for an experienced, passionate and dedicated Deputy Manager to join its leadership team. This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated residential childcare professional to help establish a new service from the ground up, shape its culture and standards, and build a committed team focused on providing exceptional care for children and young people.

The home aims to support up to three children aged 5–18 with emotional and behavioural difficulties, providing a safe, stable and nurturing environment where every child feels valued, understood and supported to reach their full potential. Working closely with the Registered Manager and Responsible Individual, the successful candidate will play a key role in developing the service, supporting the staff team and ensuring children receive consistent, therapeutic and child-centred care.

If you are ready to take the next step in your career and want to make a genuine difference to children's lives, we would love to hear from you. About the role As Deputy Manager, you will support the Registered Manager with the effective day-to-day running of the home. You will be a visible, hands-on leader who leads by example, supports colleagues and promotes the highest standards of safeguarding and care.

You will help establish a positive therapeutic environment, develop staff practice and ensure children receive individualised support that recognises their experiences, strengths, needs and aspirations. Key responsibilities Support the Registered Manager in leading, motivating and developing the staff team. Lead shifts confidently, providing clear direction and maintaining consistent standards of care. Support staff through coaching, supervision, guidance and professional development.

Take an active role in the daily care of children, building positive and trusting relationships. Promote children's emotional wellbeing, education, independence, resilience and personal development. Ensure care plans, risk assessments and behaviour support strategies are implemented consistently. Apply trauma-informed, relationship-based approaches, including PACE principles. Safeguard children, respond appropriately to concerns and ensure incidents are recorded and escalated. Maintain accurate records and contribute to audits, quality assurance and service improvement.

Support compliance with the Children's Homes Regulations 2015, the Quality Standards and relevant safeguarding requirements. Work collaboratively with families, social workers, education providers, health professionals and other agencies. Assist with rotas, handovers, staffing arrangements, recruitment, induction and staff development. Support preparation for Ofsted inspections and Regulation 44 visits. Participate in on-call arrangements, including providing guidance, arranging emergency staffing cover and attending the home when required.

Essential requirements To be considered for this position, you must have: A relevant Level 3 or Level 4 qualification in Residential Childcare that meets the requirements for the role. Previous experience working in a children's residential care setting. Experience leading shifts, supporting colleagues or undertaking senior responsibilities. A sound understanding of safeguarding, child protection and the needs of vulnerable children.

An understanding of trauma, attachment, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and adverse childhood experiences. Strong leadership, communication, organisation and problem-solving skills. The ability to remain calm under pressure and make safe, effective decisions in challenging situations. A compassionate, child-centred approach and a genuine commitment to improving children's lives. Flexibility to work the required shift pattern and participate in on-call arrangements. A commitment to professional boundaries, accurate recording and high standards of practice.

The ability to meet all relevant safer recruitment and suitability requirements. Desirable experience Applications would be particularly welcome from candidates with experience as a Deputy Manager, Assistant Manager, Senior Residential Support Worker or in a comparable leadership role. Additional…