Open a new children’s home, and lead it
SFI is opening a children’s home in Wembley for children and young people with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs. The premises are ready. What the home needs now is the manager who will make it a place where children feel safe, are understood and are able to make progress.
You would be the Ofsted registered manager. You would apply to register alongside the provider, sit the Ofsted interview, recruit your own team, put the practice in place before the first child arrives, and set the standard the home is judged by.
Most registered manager posts hand you someone else’s home and someone else’s history. This one does not.
While the registration is going through, we may ask you to give practical help across our adult services. That support ends on registration. From then, the home is the job.
About Striving For Independence
SFI was founded in 1994 by Mrs Dorothy Pinnock, a residential social worker with the London Borough of Brent who had seen long stay hospital care from the inside and believed there was a better alternative. She opened her first home for adults with learning disabilities in College Road, Wembley. Thirty years on, the organisation is still owner led.
Today SFI runs residential and respite homes in North West London, a supported living unit, home care across Brent and Harrow, and an activity and outreach service for young adults with learning disabilities. The children’s home is our first children’s service, so we are looking for someone who brings that expertise to sit alongside ours. You would deal directly with the Operations Director and the founder, and decisions are made in days rather than months.
What the job involves
- Applying to Ofsted for registration as manager, and preparing for the registration interview.
- Recruiting, vetting and inducting the founding team under safer recruitment rules.
- Putting the statement of purpose, policies, records and rotas in place before the first child arrives.
- Building the relationships with placing authorities that bring the right referrals, and turning down the ones the home cannot meet safely.
- Leading safeguarding, care planning and risk management for every child, and following things through.
- Building a therapeutic culture, using positive behaviour support and trauma informed practice.
- Meeting the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Quality Standards in daily practice, including the Regulation 44 visits and the Regulation 45 review.
- Preparing the home for its first inspection.
What you need
Essential
- Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England). If you are enrolled and due to complete within twelve months, please still apply.
- At least two years working in a position relevant to the residential care of children, within the last five years.
- At least one year supervising and managing staff in a care role.
- Experience as a registered manager or deputy manager in an Ofsted registered children’s home.
- Sound working knowledge of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Quality Standards.
- Strong safeguarding practice, including allegations against staff and work with the local authority designated officer.
- Full UK driving licence.
Helpful, but not essential
- Experience of children with learning disabilities, autism and complex health needs.
- Experience of opening a home, or of taking one through registration.
- Positive behaviour support and trauma informed practice.
- A record of achieving or holding a Good or Outstanding judgement.
A deputy ready for a first registered manager post
If you are a deputy manager in an Ofsted registered children’s home with the Level 5 and the experience above, and you are looking for your first registration, this is a serious opportunity and we would like to hear from you.
What we offer
- £50,000 a year, plus a one-off payment of £5,000 once the first child is living in the home.
- Full time, 40 hours a week, with a share of the on-call rota.
- 28 days annual leave, including bank holidays.
- Funded qualifications and ongoing training.
- Direct access to the Operations Director and the founder, and a real say in how the service grows.
- Progression as the provision develops, and a referral bonus scheme.
- A home to shape from the first day, rather than one to inherit.
How we will choose
- A screening call with People 1st, who are handling the recruitment for us.
- An interview with the Operations Director and the founder.
- A Psytech personality profile for the final shortlist. It shapes the last conversation and is not used to screen anyone out.
- A final interview at the service, where you will meet the team.
References are taken up straight after the final interview. An offer is conditional on two satisfactory references covering your full employment history, and on an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check including the children’s barred list.
Care is personal. Safeguarding is professional. We expect both.
In practice that means someone who is warm with children and straight with adults. Someone who records what actually happened rather than what should have happened, who raises a concern the first time it appears rather than the third, and who is willing to say when something in the home is not right, including to us. We would rather hear it early.
How to apply
Apply through this advert with your CV and a note of no more than one page covering three things: where you are with your Level 5, your experience in children’s residential care, and what you would do in the first month to get the home registered and open. Please quote reference SFI-RM-02. Applications are reviewed as they arrive, and the advert will be withdrawn once the post is filled.
Safeguarding
SFI is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. All posts are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and to safer recruitment practice, including a full employment history and questions about any gaps in it. We welcome applications from every background.
Your application is handled by People 1st on behalf of Striving For Independence Care Limited, and is used only to fill this post. If you are not appointed, your application is held for six months from the decision and then deleted. Any question about your information to [email protected].
Pay: £50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Experience:
- working in children's residential care: 2 years (required)
- supervising or managing staff: 1 year (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- Full UK driving licence (preferred)
- Level 5 Diploma Management Residential Childcare (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (preferred)
Work Location: In person
