Children’s Services Manager
Working Pattern
Monday - Friday 9:00 - 5:00 (Occasional Saturday for over-site)
What We Offer
- 40-hour contract
- 28 days annual leave plus paid bank holidays
- Ongoing training and professional development
- Opportunity to shape and develop a growing service
- Supportive and values-driven working environment
About Us
At Lotus Care Services we provide compassionate, child-centred support to children and Adults with learning disabilities, autism, and behavioural needs working closely with local authorities to achieve positive outcomes.
About the Service
Our children’s services provide after-school, weekend, and school holiday support for children and young people aged 4–18.
Sessions run:
- Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday evenings
- Saturdays
- Weekdays during school holidays
Support is delivered both within our centres and out in the local community, offering a mix of structured activities, social opportunities, and meaningful experiences.
We have a Children’s Hub in Swadlincote, with evening and weekend sessions running across both Swadlincote and Burton locations.
Our service supports children and young people with learning disabilities, autism, and additional behavioural needs, with a strong focus on engagement, development, and positive experiences.
While this service is not Ofsted or CQC registered, it operates in close partnership with the local authority and is subject to robust quality assurance and safeguarding expectations.
This is an excellent opportunity for a strong leader who is passionate about achieving positive outcomes for young people, maintaining high standards, and creating a supportive, reflective, and well-led team environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage the day-to-day delivery of children’s services
- Ensure high standards of safeguarding, care, and support are consistently maintained
- Work in partnership with the local authority to meet quality assurance and service expectations
- Maintain regular communication with commissioners, brokerage teams, and social workers, ensuring effective multi-agency collaboration
- Attend quarterly review meetings with commissioners, providing clear updates on each young person’s progress, outcomes, and support needs.
- Provide effective leadership, guidance, and ongoing support to Team Leaders, ensuring they feel confident, supported, and well-equipped in their roles
- Oversee management structures through regular supervision, mentoring, and development of team leaders
- Promote and embed a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) approach, ensuring staff respond to behaviours with understanding, consistency, and professionalism
- Foster a culture of respect, resilience, and reflective practice, supporting staff to manage behaviours in a calm and child-centred way
- Take responsibility for staffing, rota management, and resource planning, always ensuring appropriate cover
- Plan ahead for increased demand during school holidays, ensuring additional staffing and support is in place
- Develop and implement care and support plans tailored to individual needs in partnership with team leaders.
- Monitor performance, outcomes, and continuous service improvement
- Maintain accurate records and ensure compliance with internal policies and contractual requirements
- Build strong relationships with families, professionals, and external agencies
Requirements
- Experience managing or supervising within children’s services
- Strong understanding of safeguarding and working with vulnerable children and young people
- Knowledge and experience of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) or trauma-informed approaches
- Ability to lead teams in managing behaviours in a calm, professional, and child-centred manner
- Experience working with local authorities, commissioners, brokerage teams, and social workers
- Proven leadership skills with the ability to support and develop Team Leaders
- Experience managing rotas, staffing levels, and service delivery demands
- Good organisational and communication skills
- Relevant qualification (Level 5 in Health & Social Care or equivalent desirable)
- Full UK driving licence
Pay: £35,000.00-£38,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
