Placements Manager (Maternity Cover)
Location: Norton, Stockton-on-Tees
Salary: £32,000 per annum (pro rata)
Hours: 30 hours per week, term time only
Contract: Fixed Term - Maternity Cover for 12 months
Make a Difference Every Day
At Daisy Chain, we're passionate about creating opportunities for autistic and neurodivergent people to thrive.
We're looking for a Placements Manager to join our team and help us deliver life-changing services across the North East.
Whether you're supporting people directly, working behind the scenes or helping shape the future of the charity, every role at Daisy Chain contributes to making a real difference.
Company Ethos & Culture
At Daisy Chain, we are passionate about improving the lives of autistic and neurodivergent children, young people and adults, and their families. Every member of our team plays an important role in delivering safe, high-quality, person-centred services that enable individuals to achieve positive outcomes.
Our Placements Service provides bespoke personal development and therapeutic packages for autistic and neurodivergent children and young people. Placements are tailored around the needs of each individual and may be delivered on a one-to-one basis or within a small group.
Based at our 5.5-acre site at Calf Fallow Farm in Norton, our facilities provide a unique environment in which young people can develop confidence, communication, independence and life skills. Our provision includes animal care, gardening, outdoor learning, sensory activities, healthy living, exercise and preparation for adulthood.
We work closely with schools, colleges, families, local authorities and other professionals to ensure that our placements complement a young person's existing educational pathway.
Job Summary
The Placements Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management and coordination of Daisy Chain's Placements Service, ensuring that placements are delivered safely, effectively and consistently to a high standard.
This is a varied role combining service management, staff leadership, safeguarding, quality assurance and partnership working.
The successful candidate will oversee the placement journey from initial enquiry and referral through to the ongoing delivery and review of a young person's placement. They will work with schools, colleges, families and other professionals to understand individual needs and ensure that appropriate support is in place.
The role will also provide day-to-day leadership and support to the Placements Team, ensuring staff are appropriately deployed, supported and equipped to deliver high-quality, autism-informed practice.
The Placements Manager will work closely with the Head of Care Services and Senior Care Team Leaders to ensure the service operates effectively, maintains high standards and continues to develop.
This role would suit someone with experience of working with autistic or neurodivergent children and young people who is confident managing people, coordinating services and building positive relationships with families and professionals.
Could this role be right for you?
This role may particularly appeal to an experienced SENCO, SEND professional, teacher, pastoral leader or education professional looking to use their experience in a different setting or reduce their working hours.
Key Tasks
- Manage the day-to-day operation of the Placements Service, ensuring placements are safe, well organised, person-centred and delivered to a high standard.
- Coordinate referrals, assessments, placement allocations, waiting lists, timetables and capacity, ensuring students are appropriately matched to the support available.
- Work with schools, colleges, families, local authorities and other professionals to understand individual needs and ensure placements are effectively planned and reviewed.
- Ensure appropriate care plans, risk assessments, records and other documentation are maintained and kept up to date.
- Monitor attendance, engagement, outcomes, placement activity and service capacity, providing reports and updates to the Head of Care Services.
- Provide day-to-day leadership, supervision and support to the Placements Team, including staff deployment, rotas, annual leave, attendance, performance and development.
- Work with the Senior Care Team Leader to support staff induction, training and the consistent delivery of autism-informed practice.
- Ensure placements provide appropriate opportunities for personal development and therapeutic support, including areas such as communication, social skills, sensory needs, independence, outdoor learning, animal care, healthy living and preparation for adulthood.
- Maintain a strong safeguarding culture, ensuring concerns, incidents, complaints and other issues are appropriately recorded, managed and escalated.
- Ensure the service complies with safeguarding, GDPR, Health & Safety and Daisy Chain policies and procedures, supporting audits and quality assurance.
- Monitor the quality and consistency of placement delivery, identify areas for improvement and contribute to the ongoing development of the service.
- Build and maintain positive relationships with parents, carers, schools, colleges, local authorities, commissioners and partner agencies, including attending reviews and multi-agency meetings where required.
- Support effective communication between Daisy Chain and educational settings, including sharing relevant strategies and information to help support young people across their educational pathway.
- Respond to operational, staffing, safeguarding or quality issues appropriately and escalate concerns to the Head of Care Services when required.
- Keep up to date with relevant developments and good practice relating to autism, neurodiversity and SEND and contribute to the continued development of Daisy Chain's Placements Service.
Person Specification
Experience
- Experience working with autistic and/or neurodivergent children and young people – E
- Experience working within education, health, social care, SEND, alternative provision or a related setting – E
- Experience working collaboratively with schools, colleges, families and/or other professionals to support children and young people – E
- Experience coordinating services, placements, referrals or individual support packages – E
- Experience of safeguarding children and young people and responding appropriately to safeguarding concerns – E
- Experience managing, supervising or supporting staff within a team – E
- Experience of quality assurance, service monitoring and/or continuous improvement – D
- Experience working with local authorities, commissioners or other external agencies – D
Qualifications
- Relevant Level 3 qualification or above in education, health, social care, childcare, SEND or a related field – E
- Leadership or management qualification – D
- Qualification or professional development relating to autism, neurodiversity, SEND or inclusive practice – D
Knowledge/Skills
- Good understanding of autism, neurodiversity and person-centred practice – E
- Understanding of the needs of autistic and neurodivergent children and young people, including sensory, communication, social, emotional and behavioural needs – E
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to coordinate placements, staff, referrals and competing priorities – E
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with young people, families, schools and professionals – E
- Ability to lead, motivate and support staff and contribute to a positive team culture – E
- Ability to make sound decisions, take ownership and appropriately escalate operational, safeguarding or quality concerns – E
- Ability to maintain accurate records and ensure compliance with relevant policies, procedures and safeguarding requirements – E
- Ability to monitor quality, outcomes and service activity and identify opportunities for improvement – E
- Ability to work collaboratively with a range of internal and external stakeholders – E
- Ability to work independently, manage competing demands and meet deadlines – E
- Commitment to continuous professional development and keeping knowledge of autism, neurodiversity and SEND practice current – E
- Knowledge of safeguarding, GDPR and Health & Safety requirements within a service supporting children and young people – D
- Experience using electronic systems for recording, monitoring and reporting – D
Other
- Commitment to Daisy Chain's values, mission and vision and to improving outcomes for autistic and neurodivergent people and their families – E
- Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults – E
- Willingness to undertake Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) training and fulfil DSO responsibilities as part of the role – E
- Commitment to maintaining a safe, inclusive and person-centred environment for all children and young people accessing the service – E
- Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service – E
- Ability to work as part of a wider multidisciplinary team and contribute positively to the organisation – E
- Full UK driving licence and access to own vehicle – D
Why Join Daisy Chain?
When you join Daisy Chain, you'll become part of a supportive, values-led organisation where people genuinely care about one another.
Some of our benefits include:
- 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays, pro rata)
- Additional day for Birthday leave
- Flexible working (where possible)
- Flexi-time (eligible roles)
- Enhanced occupational sick pay
- £35 annual eye test contribution
- 10% staff discount in Daisy Chain charity shops, and free delivery on furniture
- Access to Charity Worker Discounts – exclusive discounts at a wide range of online and in-store retailers.
- Company pension scheme
- Learning and development opportunities
- A welcoming and inclusive workplace
We're Proud to be Neurodiversity Affirming
We know that everyone performs at their best in different ways.
We're committed to making our recruitment process welcoming, accessible and inclusive. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage, we'd be happy to discuss how we can support you.
As a Disability Confident employer, applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview.
Interested?
Closing date: 7th September 2026
To apply, please submit:
✔ An up-to-date CV
✔ A cover letter explaining why you're interested in the role and how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the position.
Applications submitted without both a CV and cover letter will not be considered.
We review applications as they're received and may invite suitable candidates to interview before the vacancy closes.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Before You Apply
Please take a few minutes to read the documents available when you click 'apply now'
Daisy Chain is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All appointments are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including references, right to work checks and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued and able to thrive. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and encourage individuals with lived experience of neurodiversity to apply.
Pay: £32,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Bereavement leave
- Company events
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Flexitime
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Paid volunteer time
- Sick pay
- Store discount
Work Location: In person
