Responsible Individual – Children’s Residential Children’s Home
Role Type: Part-time / Consultancy
Day Rate: £450–£650 per day, depending on experience
Contract Length: 24-month fixed-term arrangement
Location: In person, with some flexibility where appropriate
Role Overview
A children’s residential care provider is looking to appoint an experienced Responsible Individual to provide strong regulatory oversight, leadership support, and quality assurance within a children’s home service.
This role would suit a confident and experienced professional with a strong background in children’s residential care, Ofsted compliance, safeguarding, leadership, and service improvement.
The appointed person will work closely with the Registered Manager and senior team to ensure the home continues to operate safely, effectively, and in line with all relevant regulatory requirements.
Main Purpose of the Role
The Responsible Individual will provide professional oversight of the children’s home and ensure that the service is being managed in a way that promotes the safety, welfare, development, and positive outcomes of children and young people.
The role will involve reviewing standards across the home, identifying areas for improvement, supporting the Registered Manager, and ensuring the provider has effective systems in place for governance, safeguarding, compliance, and quality assurance.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
The successful candidate will be expected to:
- Provide clear leadership, oversight, and professional challenge to the Registered Manager and management team.
- Ensure the home is operating in accordance with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015, the Quality Standards, and relevant statutory guidance.
- Monitor the quality and effectiveness of care provided to children and young people.
- Review safeguarding practice and ensure concerns are identified, managed, escalated, and recorded appropriately.
- Support the home to remain prepared for Ofsted inspection and regulatory scrutiny.
- Review care practice, staffing arrangements, risk management, compliance records, and quality assurance systems.
- Provide advice and guidance around service development, improvement planning, and regulatory expectations.
- Ensure any areas requiring improvement are addressed through clear action planning and follow-up.
- Support the Registered Manager with leadership, decision-making, and professional accountability.
- Liaise with Ofsted, local authorities, placing authorities, commissioners, and other professionals where required.
- Promote a culture of high standards, transparency, safeguarding, and child-centred practice.
Essential Experience and Skills
Applicants should have:
- Strong experience within children’s residential care.
- Previous experience as a Responsible Individual, Registered Manager, senior leader, or equivalent within a regulated children’s service.
- A detailed working knowledge of Ofsted expectations and children’s home regulations.
- Good understanding of safeguarding, safer recruitment, risk management, supervision, and quality assurance.
- Experience supporting services through Ofsted inspections or regulatory reviews.
- Strong leadership and communication skills.
- Ability to provide constructive challenge while supporting service improvement.
- Confidence working with professionals, commissioners, local authorities, and regulators.
- Strong written, verbal, and reporting skills.
- A full UK driving licence and ability to attend the service in person when required.
Person Specification
We are looking for someone who is:
- Professional, reliable, and highly accountable.
- Confident in regulatory decision-making.
- Able to work independently and provide clear direction.
- Child-focused and committed to achieving positive outcomes.
- Honest, transparent, and able to identify risks early.
- Supportive but able to challenge poor practice where necessary.
- Experienced in helping services maintain or improve standards.
What Is Offered
- Part-time consultancy-style role.
- Competitive day rate of £450–£650, depending on experience.
- 24-month fixed-term arrangement.
- Flexible working pattern, subject to the needs of the service.
- Opportunity to support and influence the quality and development of a children’s residential service.
- Company pension.
- On-site parking.
Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment
The provider is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
The successful applicant will be required to complete safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, reference checks, right to work verification, qualification checks, and any other checks considered necessary for the role.
Work Location
In person, with flexibility where appropriate.
Pay: £450.00-£650.00 per day
Experience:
- Working with children: 3 years (required)
- responsible individual: 5 years (required)
Work Location: In person
