Responsible Individual - Children's Home

Gravesend, South East DA12, United Kingdom

Full-time Permanent Associate

Posted 11 Aug 2026

We are looking for an experienced, passionate and highly motivated

Responsible Individual (RI) to provide strong leadership, governance and oversight across our children’s residential services.

This is a senior leadership role with responsibility for ensuring our homes provide safe, effective and high-quality care to children and young people, including those with Learning Disabilities and Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD).

The successful candidate will work closely with Registered Managers and the senior leadership team, providing appropriate support and challenge while ensuring that each home operates in accordance with its Statement of Purpose, relevant legislation, Ofsted requirements and organisational policies.

We are looking for someone who understands that excellent residential childcare requires more than regulatory compliance. You will be ambitious for children and young people, committed to continuous improvement and able to create a culture where safeguarding, accountability and positive outcomes are at the centre of decision-making.

• Act as the Responsible Individualfor the organisation’s designated children’s homes and meet the requirements associated with the role.
• Provide effective oversight, support and challenge to Registered Managers.
• Ensure services operate in accordance with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015, associated Quality Standards and relevant statutory guidance.
• Maintain strong oversight of safeguarding, quality of care, staffing, incidents, complaints, notifications and outcomes for children and young people.
• Monitor the performance of each home and ensure areas requiring improvement are identified and addressed promptly.
• Ensure Registered Managers have the leadership, resources, supervision and support required to deliver high-quality services.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and high expectations across the organisation.
• Maintain effective professional relationships with Ofsted, placing authorities, social workers, families, professionals and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure appropriate governance and quality-assurance systems are established and operating effectively.
• Escalate significant safeguarding, regulatory, operational or organisational risks to senior leadership and the provider.

• Provide strategic and operational oversight of designated children’s homes, ensuring that children and young people receive safe, effective, person-centred and outcomes-focused care.
• Ensure each home is managed effectively and operates consistently with its Statement of Purpose, organisational expectations and regulatory requirements.
• Provide leadership, professional challenge and support to Registered Managers while maintaining clear lines of accountability.
• Regularly review service performance using audits, management information, incidents, safeguarding information, complaints, feedback and outcomes for children.
• Ensure that identified shortfalls result in clear improvement actions which are appropriately owned, monitored and completed.
• Maintain oversight of safeguarding practice and ensure concerns are appropriately identified, reported, investigated, escalated and learned from.
• Ensure appropriate systems are in place for monitoring significant events and regulatory notifications and that required notifications are made within appropriate timescales.
• Maintain oversight of recruitment, staffing levels, workforce development, supervision, training and management performance.
• Ensure children and young people are listened to and that their wishes, feelings, experiences and outcomes influence…