Head of Residential Services & Responsible Individual

The Head of Residential Services and Responsible Individual will provide senior operational leadership, supervision and oversight across the organisation’s children’s homes.

The role will be responsible for ensuring that each home is well-led, safe, compliant, Ofsted-ready and operating in line with its Statement of Purpose, children’s needs, regulatory requirements and the organisation’s values and expectations.

The role will support our homes across Dorset & Somerset.

The postholder will hold Responsible Individual responsibility for agreed homes and will act as a key link between the organisation, Registered Managers, Ofsted, placing authorities and senior leadership. They will ensure that Registered Managers are properly supervised, supported, challenged and held accountable for the quality of care, safeguarding, compliance, leadership and day-to-day operation of their homes.

This is a senior operational leadership role requiring strong professional credibility, regulatory knowledge, sound judgement and the ability to drive improvement through direct oversight of managers and services.

The postholder will hold Responsible Individual responsibility for agreed registered children’s homes, ensuring that the provider meets its regulatory duties and that each home is managed in accordance with relevant legislation, guidance and Ofsted expectations.

This includes maintaining effective oversight of the leadership, management and operation of each home, ensuring Ofsted is appropriately notified of significant events or changes where required, and providing visible accountability during inspections, regulatory visits and external scrutiny.

The postholder will directly manage, supervise and support Registered Managers, ensuring they are clear about expectations and accountable for the performance, leadership and quality of their homes.

This will include regular formal supervision, setting clear objectives, reviewing progress, challenging drift or poor practice, supporting managers with complex operational issues, and ensuring Registered Managers are confident, prepared and able to evidence the quality of care within their homes.

The role will provide direct oversight of the homes, ensuring that practice, routines, staffing, safeguarding, leadership and management systems are effective and consistent.

The postholder will maintain oversight through home visits, supervision, meetings, audits, review of key information and regular communication with managers. They will monitor stability, staffing, incidents, complaints, safeguarding concerns, care planning, children’s progress and management effectiveness.

The postholder will ensure that each home is consistently Ofsted-ready and able to demonstrate safe care, effective leadership, strong safeguarding practice and positive outcomes for children.

They will support Registered Managers to understand inspection expectations, maintain strong evidence of practice, respond to Regulation 44 and Regulation 45 findings, and complete inspection or improvement action plans in a timely and meaningful way.

The postholder will provide senior operational oversight of safeguarding and risk across the homes.

This includes reviewing serious incidents, allegations, complaints, restraints, missing episodes and significant events, ensuring safeguarding concerns are escalated appropriately, and supporting managers to make sound decisions that protect children and promote their welfare.

The postholder will ensure that each home has clear priorities, action plans and accountability arrangements.

They will review performance information, identify themes, monitor improvement plans, challenge delays, and report key risks, progress and service performance to senior leadership. The role will be central to strengthening consistency, accountability and high standards across the homes.

The postholder will represent the organisation…