Area Manager and Responsible Individual

Residential Children’s Homes

£52,500 – £59,500 per annum, dependent on qualifications & experience

Full Time 37.5 hours per week, Permanent Position.

Additional Company Benefits

• Private Medical care
• Private Optical, Dental and Audiological cover
• Free access to EAP, employee Health Assured Programme
• Long service awards for 5, 10 and 15 years service
• Loyalty scheme which rewards you with extra annual leave following 2 years of service, up to 5 extra days
• Company events such as Awards ceremonies to celebrate employees and children
• Team building days

Due to up-and-coming expansion, a rewarding opportunity has arisen, and we are currently looking for an Area Manager/Responsible Individual for our Therapeutic Children’s Homes who are keen for an exciting and rewarding role. We are looking for candidates who have proven managerial skills in a Residential Care Setting and are able to strategically develop the residential service at Channels and Choices, ensuring that the financial and operating objectives are met in line with the companies therapeutic ethos.

This role would be ideal for an existing Area Manager, Operations Manager or a Registered Manager who has experience at supporting and overseeing multiple children’s homes.

Channels & Choices is a centre of excellence in therapeutic child-care.  Our community, based in East Kent, is currently made up of 9 therapeutic residential children’s homes, a SEMH school, Forest school, a therapeutic fostering service and a multidisciplinary therapy department that supports all our services.  Ofsted judge all our service as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’. As a member of our community you would play a key part in transforming children’s lives and helping them reach their full potential.

Person Specification

Essential

Due to Ofsted Regulations, all employees in our Residential Service must be over 21 years of age.

• Previous experience in a Registered Manager role in a Residential Child Care Setting.
• Experience of working in a Senior or Strategic Role within a children’s residential care setting
• Knowledge and understanding of the Children’s Homes Regulations
• NVQ or Diploma Level 5 in Leadership & Management in Residential Children’s Services or equivalent
• Proven ability to lead staff teams and line management experience, including supervisions
• Resilient, enthusiastic and motivated person
• Calm, approachable manner, adaptable and non-judgemental
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Able to work under own initiative and as part of a team
• Excellent organisational skills
• Knowledge of Child Protection & Safeguarding

Desirable

• NVQ or Diploma Level 7 in strategic leadership and management.
• Social Work Qualification of Equivalent
• Any relevant or transferrable skills, such as additional training
• Understanding and knowledge of Therapeutic Approach to Childcare
• Ability to drive and holds a current driving licence

Duties & Responsibilities

• Represent Channels & Choices in a professional manner and promote the company’s therapeutic ethos.
• To be registered with Ofsted as Responsible Individual for up to 5 homes.
• To ensure that the Registered Managers are updating relevant documents on a regular basis, to include but limited to, The Statement of Purpose and that staff are working in line with this.
• To be a designated safeguarding lead and support Registered Managers and On Call managers with safeguarding concerns; including notifying Ofsted and relevant professionals of serious incidents, liaising with LADO or other external safeguarding leads, conducting internal safeguarding investigations and implementing safeguarding plans.
• To be available to on call managers to lead on safeguarding advice as and when required.
• In the event of a Registered Manager’s absence, to have oversight of the day to day running of the home, and support when required.
• Attend Ofsted inspections and Local Authority visits for allocated houses and support the Manager as necessary throughout the process.
• Assist Registered Managers to undertake recommendations and improvements as advised by Ofsted in a timely manner.
• Work alongside other professionals (Social Workers, Fostering, Police, Education, and Health) as and when required.
• Review Regulation 44 and Regulation 45 reports prior to them being sent to Ofsted.  Suggesting amendments or improvements as needed.
• Complete regular internal audits of all residential homes creating an action plan for Managers to follow.
• Create and oversee the Annual Development Plan for the Residential Department.
• Oversee and manage the departmental budget to include but not limited to; payroll, individual house budgets, purchase order requests.
• Have an overview of House rotas and make amendments or changes if the need arises to ensure that children and homes are adequately safeguarded and health & safety aspects are met.
• Ensuring that company policies and procedures are reviewed and updated annually or in response to current trends and practice standards.
• Complete monthly supervisions with Registered Managers and support their development.

• Oversee the appraisal process for both Registered Managers and staff teams; assisting in creating Personal Development Plans and Personal Improvement Plans ensuring that all targets are SMART.
• Mentor new Managers and be responsible for completing a thorough induction plan; to include regular supervisions and reviews, completion of mandatory training and completion of SC2/Ofsted application.

• Have oversight of residential vacancies and work closely with Registered Managers and The Referrals Co-ordinator in order to place children appropriately, assisting in the matching process and conducting visits to potential referrals as and when required.

• Ensure that the Registered Manager has a copy of all Local Authority Care Plans, that are relevant to the child’s needs, that the house is working within this and escalate with the local authority when required.
• Attend staff meetings and TTT (therapeutic thinking times) for houses when required to gauge and support team dynamics alongside a member of the therapy team.  Complete regular review meetings of this alongside the therapy team.
• Organise and lead monthly Manager’s Meetings, Deputy Manager’s group, staff ambassadors’ group and children’s forum.
• Work alongside and in partnership with members of Channels & Choices Therapeutic Community through the Team Around the Child meeting.
• Attend Stepping Stones Panel meetings for relevant houses and work alongside the referrals co-ordinator and Registered Manager to ensure oversight of children’s Stepping Stones journey.
• Working in partnership with HR and Senior management; have an overview of recruitment needs, allocating new staff to homes, supporting with interviews of senior staff members, be involved in the development of recruitment campaigns and support the induction fortnight for all new staff.
• Alongside HR, manage performance and staffing matters to include assisting in welfare and disciplinary meetings.
• Such other duties as may be deemed appropriate from time to time.

Channels and Choices are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the young people in our care. Staff are all required to adhere to the organisation’s Safeguarding Policies and Procedures. This post will be subject to a clear Enhanced DBS Disclosure, an employment background check, satisfactory references & verification of a right to work in the UK. As part of our commitment to Safer Recruitment, CVs cannot be considered without a completed application form.

Channels & Choices are committed to ensuring that we are always recruiting, retaining, and promoting a diverse mix of colleagues who are representative of the diversity in our local community. We actively celebrate our staff’s different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith, and gender. Everyone is welcome to apply for a job with Channels & Choices and our staff are supported in their development at all stages in their journey with us.

Channels and Choices reserve the right to carry out background social media checks on all new applicants.