Children's Home Manager, Rushall

Role Purpose

Harmony House is seeking an experienced, values-driven Registered Manager to lead our children’s residential home in the Walsall area, supporting young people with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD).

This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for delivering safe, trauma-informed and therapeutically aligned care within a two-bed home. You will provide both strategic and operational leadership, ensuring the highest standards of safeguarding, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance.

As Registered Manager, you will be accountable for the day-to-day leadership, direction and management of the service, ensuring performance not only meets but exceeds Harmony House’s quality standards. Your leadership will create a culture where young people flourish, achieve positive outcomes, and feel genuinely valued and where staff feel supported, developed and empowered to deliver exceptional care.

Person Specification

Minimum Age Requirement: 25+ years

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Culture

• Provide visible, compassionate leadership, modelling trauma-informed and child-centred practice.
• Foster a positive, reflective culture of high expectations, professional curiosity and accountability.
• Lead by example in safeguarding, diversity, equality and inclusion.
• Promote resilience, wellbeing and professional growth across the team.

Regulatory Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Maintain full compliance with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and associated Quality Standards.
• Ensure timely and accurate statutory notifications, Regulation 44 and 45 processes, and continuous Ofsted readiness.
• Implement robust quality assurance systems including audits, action plans, performance dashboards and lessons learned reviews.
• Maintain up-to-date policies, risk assessments, and contingency planning.

Safeguarding & Risk Management

• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, embedding a strong safeguarding culture and safer recruitment practices.
• Manage complex safeguarding risks (e.g., child exploitation, missing from care, self-harm) through dynamic risk assessment and multi-agency collaboration.
• Ensure rigorous incident reporting, debriefs, trend analysis, and reduction of restrictive practices.

Outcomes for Children & Young People

• Oversee high-quality, individualised care planning aligned to EHCPs, Placement Plans and therapeutic frameworks.
• Promote meaningful participation through children’s meetings, advocacy access, restorative approaches and transparent complaints processes.
• Drive progress in education, health, identity development and preparation for independence.
• Celebrate achievements and milestones.
• Promote positive family and network relationships in line with care plans.

Staffing, Supervision & Development

• Ensure safe staffing structures, effective rota management, on-call systems and contingency cover.
• Lead recruitment, induction, supervision and performance management processes.
• Deliver high-quality training pathways including RPi, safeguarding and trauma-informed practice.
• Support staff to achieve mandatory qualifications (Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare) and progression to Level 5 Leadership & Management where appropriate.
• Manage performance, capability and conduct in a fair and transparent manner.

Operational & Financial Management

• Manage home budgets, occupancy levels and financial controls, ensuring value for money and reinvestment into quality.
• Maintain high standards of health & safety compliance and a nurturing, homely environment.
• Build strong partnerships with commissioners, social workers, IROs and partner agencies.
• Lead service development initiatives including therapeutic model implementation, digital care systems and data-led improvement strategies.

Essential

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership & Management for Residential Childcare (or equivalent / working towards).

• In-depth knowledge of:
• Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 & Quality Standards
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)
• Working Together to Safeguard Children
• GDPR
• Health & Safety legislation
• Proven track record of successful safeguarding leadership, Ofsted inspections and quality improvement.
• Experience managing teams and budgets.
• Strong understanding and application of trauma-informed and therapeutic care approaches.
• Minimum 2–3 years’ proven management experience within a Residential Children’s Care setting.
• Demonstrable leadership within EBD or complex needs environments.

Desirable

• Previous experience as an Ofsted Registered Manager within children’s homes (EBD preferred).
• Experience implementing therapeutic models (e.g., PACE, TCI, NVR, Dyadic Developmental Practice).
• Experience supporting complex placements, crisis or edge-of-care services.
• Strong data literacy and ability to use KPIs and dashboards to drive performance.
• Full UK driving licence and flexibility to travel.

Skills & Attributes

• Child-first, outcome-focused and ethically grounded.
• Calm, decisive and resilient under pressure.
• Strong communicator able to influence, challenge and build constructive partnerships.
• Organised, analytical and improvement oriented.
• High emotional intelligence with the ability to coach and develop others.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Positive Ofsted outcomes and sustained regulatory compliance.
• Improved placement stability and reduction in missing episodes and restrictive practices.
• Progress in educational attendance, attainment and health outcomes.
• Staff retention, reduced sickness absence and qualification completion rates.
• Timely completion of Regulation 44/45 actions and positive commissioner feedback.
• Budget adherence and occupancy targets achieved.

Safeguarding Commitment

Harmony House is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

All appointments are subject to enhanced DBS checks, rigorous reference verification, qualification checks and robust safer recruitment procedures.

We expect all staff to share this unwavering commitment and uphold safeguarding policies at all times.

Salary & Benefits

Salary: £45,000 – £55,000 per annum (dependent on experience)
Includes on-call enhancements and performance-related bonus.

Benefits Package

• Competitive salary with enhanced on-call payments and performance bonus scheme
• Funded professional qualifications
• Access to clinical and therapeutic supervision
• Wellbeing support including Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Reflective practice forums
• Clear career development pathways within a growing, quality-led organisation
• Pension enrolment
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Mileage reimbursement

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £45,000.00-£55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company events
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted or free food
• Flexitime
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Transport links

Work Location: In person