Responsible Individual; Consultant

Strategic Governance, Safeguarding & Regulatory Oversight Lead

Location: Across all UK regions

Salary: Competitive rates (dependent on experience and qualifications)

Job Type: Contract basis (Project-based)

Hours of work: Typically Monday to Friday

Start Date: Subject to satisfactory Enhanced DBS (including Children's Barred List check)

Appointed by: Registered Provider / Board of Directors

• Care Standards Act 2000
• Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015
• Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations
• Ofsted Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF)

Delphi Care Solutions supports Ofsted-regulated services from initial concept through to safe, sustainable operational practice. We work alongside providers at every stage of their journey — from registration and governance set-up to ongoing regulatory oversight and inspection readiness.

Many providers appoint an experienced Responsible Individual (RI) to strengthen their governance arrangements and ensure robust safeguarding oversight. Delphi offers consultancy-led RI support that brings extensive sector knowledge, regulatory expertise, and strategic challenge, helping providers operate with confidence while keeping children's safety at the centre of every decision.

Our ethos is simple: we partner with providers who genuinely care and are committed to making a meaningful difference in children's lives. We do not offer superficial compliance. Instead, we deliver structured, inspection-led support that embeds strong systems, transparent governance, and defensible safeguarding practice.

Through proactive oversight, professional challenge, and continuous quality assurance, we help ensure that services are not only compliant, but consistently inspection-ready and delivering the highest possible standard of care.

Under the Care Standards Act 2000, the Responsible Individual sits within the provider's legal accountability framework.

The RI reports directly to the Registered Provider or Board of Directors and acts as the provider's regulatory and safeguarding representative to Ofsted.

This role extends beyond compliance monitoring. The RI provides:

• Independent governance oversight
• Strategic safeguarding leadership
• Inspection-readiness assurance aligned to SCCIF
• Provider-level accountability
• Constructive professional challenge

The RI ensures the service is not simply compliant, but defensible, sustainable, and child-centred.

The Responsible Individual is accountable for ensuring that the children's home:

• Operates lawfully under all relevant legislation
• Meets and sustains the Quality Standards
• Maintains safe, proportionate safeguarding systems
• Remains inspection-ready under the Social Care Common Inspection Framework
• Delivers measurable outcomes for children

The RI represents the provider in regulatory engagement and must be able to evidence oversight, scrutiny, and challenge.

• Governance & Regulatory Assurance
• Maintain provider-level oversight systems
• Monitor trends in incidents, restraints, missing episodes, complaints and safeguarding
• Oversee Regulation 44 independence and scrutiny quality
• Review and approve Regulation 45 Quality of Care reports
• Ensure Regulation 40 notifications are appropriate and timely
• Maintain a live compliance and risk register
• Stress-test systems prior to inspection

The RI ensures governance systems are proactive rather than reactive.

Oversight is based on documentation, disclosures, and information made available by the service at the time of review. The provider retains ultimate legal responsibility for operational delivery and regulatory compliance.

• The RI holds ultimate safeguarding accountability on behalf of the provider
• Scrutinises serious incidents and allegations
• Ensures appropriate external referrals (LADO, police, placing authority)
• Monitors learning and practice improvement
• Ensures safeguarding decisions are evidence-based and defensible

Where safeguarding concerns arise and provider action is deemed inadequate, the RI reserves the right to elevate concerns to Ofsted or relevant safeguarding authorities in line with statutory responsibilities.

Delphi Care Solutions maintains a zero tolerance approach to poor safeguarding practice. Children's safety must never be compromised by operational, financial, or reputational considerations.

• Provide structured supervision to the Registered Manager
• Offer professional challenge and performance…