JOB DESCRIPTION
Deputy Manager – Children's Home
Job Details
Job Title: Deputy Manager
Reports To: Registered Manager
Location: Harrow, HA2
Hours: Full-Time
Salary: £35000 - £45000 per annum based on experience
Contract: Permanent
Qualification: Level 5 in Leadership and Management
DBS: Enhanced DBS required
1. Job Purpose
The Deputy Manager will support the Registered Manager in the day-to-day running of the children's home.
The role is responsible for helping to ensure that children and young people receive safe, consistent and high-quality care. The Deputy Manager will support staff, monitor the quality of care, ensure records are maintained and help the home meet Ofsted and regulatory requirements.
The Deputy Manager will take responsibility for the home in the absence of the Registered Manager.
2. Main Responsibilities
Management and Leadership
- Support the Registered Manager with the day-to-day running of the home.
- Deputise for the Registered Manager when required.
- Lead and support the staff team.
- Allocate duties and support staff during shifts.
- Help prepare staff rotas and ensure appropriate staffing levels.
- Support staff with problems or concerns.
- Attend and contribute to staff meetings.
- Promote a positive and professional team environment.
Care of Children and Young People
- Ensure children receive safe, caring and consistent support.
- Ensure children's wishes, feelings and views are listened to.
- Support children to develop independence and life skills.
- Encourage education, activities and positive relationships.
- Support children's health and wellbeing.
- Ensure care is provided in line with individual care plans.
- Promote equality, respect and dignity at all times.
Safeguarding
- Promote the safety and welfare of children.
- Recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns.
- Ensure concerns are reported to the Registered Manager and relevant professionals.
- Follow safeguarding and child protection procedures.
- Support staff to understand their safeguarding responsibilities.
- Ensure safeguarding incidents are properly recorded and followed up.
- Support appropriate action in relation to missing children, exploitation, bullying and other risks.
Care Plans and Risk Assessments
- Ensure staff understand children's care plans and risk assessments.
- Monitor whether plans are being followed.
- Support regular reviews and updates.
- Report changes in children's needs or risks to the Registered Manager.
- Ensure staff are aware of any important changes to children's circumstances.
Staff Support and Supervision
- Support the Registered Manager with staff supervision.
- Help identify staff training needs.
- Monitor mandatory training.
- Support new staff during induction.
- Encourage good practice and professional development.
- Raise concerns about staff performance where necessary.
Records and Administration
- Ensure children's records are completed accurately and on time.
- Monitor daily records, handovers and incident reports.
- Ensure medication records are completed correctly.
- Maintain confidentiality of children's and staff information.
- Ensure records are stored securely.
- Support audits and quality checks.
Incidents and Emergencies
- Respond appropriately to incidents and emergencies.
- Ensure safeguarding action is taken where necessary.
- Support staff following incidents.
- Ensure incidents are recorded and reported correctly.
- Escalate serious incidents to the Registered Manager and relevant professionals.
- Participate in reviewing incidents and identifying lessons learned.
Health and Safety
- Help maintain a safe, clean and suitable home environment.
- Ensure health and safety concerns are reported.
- Support fire safety checks and drills.
- Ensure accidents and hazards are reported and recorded.
- Promote safe working practices amongst staff.
Ofsted and Compliance
- Support the Registered Manager in meeting Ofsted requirements.
- Ensure staff follow policies and procedures.
- Support audits and quality assurance checks.
- Help prepare the home for Ofsted inspections.
- Ensure actions identified through audits or inspections are completed.
- Support continuous improvement within the home.
Children’s Rights and Complaints
- Ensure children know how to raise concerns or make a complaint.
- Support children to access advocacy when required.
- Ensure children's views are listened to.
- Ensure complaints and concerns are dealt with appropriately.
- Promote children's rights and participation in decisions about their care.
Partnership Working
Work professionally with:
- Social workers
- Independent Reviewing Officers
- Schools and education providers
- Healthcare professionals
- Police
- Parents and family members
- Ofsted
- Other professionals involved in the child's care.
3. Person Specification
Essential
- Experience working with children or young people.
- Experience in a residential children's setting.
- Good understanding of safeguarding.
- Good communication and organisational skills.
- Ability to work as part of a team.
- Ability to lead and support staff.
- Ability to remain calm under pressure.
- Good written and recording skills.
- Enhanced DBS clearance.
- Relevant Level 5 qualification or working towards one.
Desirable
- Previous experience as a Senior Support Worker or Deputy Manager.
- Experience working in an Ofsted-registered children's home.
- Experience supporting children with complex needs.
- Experience with care plans and risk assessments.
- Management qualification or working towards one.
4. Personal Qualities
The successful candidate should be:
- Caring and child-centred.
- Reliable and responsible.
- Professional and approachable.
- Patient and understanding.
- Confident in managing staff.
- Able to deal with challenging situations.
- Organised and able to prioritise.
- Committed to safeguarding.
- Committed to improving outcomes for children.
5. Working Requirements
The role may involve:
- Day and evening shifts.
- Weekend and bank holiday working.
- On-call responsibilities.
- Occasional sleep-in duties where required.
- Working flexibly according to the needs of the children and the home.
6. General Responsibilities
The Deputy Manager must always:
- Put the welfare and safety of children first.
- Maintain professional boundaries.
- Follow all relevant policies and procedures.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Treat children, families and colleagues with dignity and respect.
- Work in accordance with relevant legislation and Ofsted requirements.
- Support the Registered Manager in maintaining a safe and effective children's home.
This job description is not exhaustive and may be amended to meet the changing needs of the service.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £35,000.00-£45,000.00 per year
Experience:
- working with children: 3 years (required)
- residential childrens home: 3 years (required)
Work Location: In person
