Job Description

Deputy House Manager

Rooted in Care. Giving Change a Chance.

At Arbour Healthcare Group, we provide specialist residential care for children and young people who need safe, consistent, nurturing and emotionally attuned adults around them.

We support young people with complex needs, trauma histories, emotional and behavioural needs, learning disabilities and life experiences that may have shaped how they see themselves, other people and the world around them.

Our role is not simply to manage behaviour. It is to understand the story behind it, build trust, create emotional safety and help young people believe that positive change is possible.

We are now looking for an experienced and committed Deputy House Manager to support the leadership of one of our specialist solo children s homes.

This is a hands-on leadership position. You will support the Registered House Manager, lead shifts, guide the staff team and remain a visible and active presence within the home.

This is not a role for someone who wants to lead from behind a desk. Our Deputy House Managers are on the floor, involved in the detail and fully engaged in the daily life of the home.

About the Role

As Deputy House Manager, you will play a key role in ensuring the home operates safely, effectively and to consistently high standards.

You will support the Registered House Manager with the day-to-day operation of the service, staff leadership, rota coordination, supervision, care planning, safeguarding, quality assurance and the overall culture of the home.

You will help ensure that each young person s voice, safety, progress and lived experience remain central to the care they receive.

You will help create a home that is structured, nurturing, therapeutic and consistent while supporting staff to deliver care in line with our RESET Care Model.

RESET means Reassure, Empower, Support, Educate and Transition. It is not simply a model. It is how we expect care and leadership to be demonstrated every day.

What You Will Be Doing

• Supporting the Registered House Manager with the daily leadership and operation of the home.
• Leading shifts and ensuring staff understand their responsibilities, priorities and professional accountabilities.
• Supporting rota planning, shift delegation and the maintenance of safe and appropriate staffing levels.
• Ensuring the young person s voice, progress, needs and lived experience are reflected within records, plans and professional reviews.
• Coaching, mentoring and supervising Residential Children s Support Workers to strengthen confidence, consistency and professional practice.
• Promoting a safe, structured, nurturing and emotionally attuned home environment.
• Supporting safeguarding practice, incident reporting, risk management and appropriate professional escalation.
• Contributing to care plans, risk assessments, placement plans, behaviour support strategies and review documentation.
• Liaising professionally with social workers, schools, CAMHS, IROs, families, commissioners and other partner agencies.
• Maintaining accurate electronic records, daily logs, reports, handovers and management oversight documentation.
• Participating in the on-call rota while role-modelling calm, respectful, visible and accountable leadership.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who is emotionally intelligent, resilient and able to balance warmth, compassion and professional accountability.

You must be confident supporting young people with complex needs while also guiding staff to deliver safe, consistent and therapeutic care.

You will need:

• A Level 2 or Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare, or another relevant care qualification.
• At least two years experience working within care, ideally within children s residential services.
• Experience working as a Senior Support Worker, Team Leader or in another shift-leading position.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and a clear understanding of professional boundaries.
• Knowledge of the Children s Homes Regulations and the expectations of Ofsted and/or Care Inspectorate Wales.
• The ability to manage challenging, emotionally heightened or high-risk situations calmly and effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including confidence producing clear and professional records.
• Confidence using IT systems and electronic care-recording platforms within a paperless service.
• A full UK driving licence, access to a vehicle and a willingness to work towards a Level 5 qualification where required.

What Will Make You Successful

You will be successful in this role if you can lead from the front, remain calm under pressure and hold people to high standards without losing compassion.

You will need to notice when practice is drifting, provide direction when staff need guidance and ensure the young person remains at the centre of every decision.

You must be organised, reliable and confident managing records, rotas, safeguarding responsibilities, communication and professional accountability.

This role requires someone who can support both the young person and the staff team. You must be visible, consistent and brave enough to challenge poor practice when necessary.

What Makes Arbour Healthcare Group Different?

Our mission is clear:

Rooted in Care. Giving Change a Chance.

We believe every young person deserves to feel seen, heard, safe and supported.

Our RESET Care Model places trust, healing, emotional safety and human connection at the heart of care. We do not simply focus on behaviour. We consider the unmet need, the communication and the life story behind it.

We also believe our employees deserve strong leadership, clear expectations, meaningful development and the right support to perform their roles well.

As Deputy House Manager, you will be central to building and sustaining that culture.

Why Join Arbour Healthcare Group?

• A permanent, full-time leadership position within a specialist children s residential home.
• Performance-based incentives and an enhanced annual leave allowance.
• A therapeutic care model supported by bespoke training and professional development.
• Leadership development and genuine opportunities for career progression.
• Support to complete relevant Level 3 or Level 5 qualifications where required.
• A company pension scheme, together with meals and essential refreshments while on shift.
• A supportive senior leadership structure, a strong sense of shared purpose and the opportunity to help shape a home, develop a team and improve young people s lives.

Our Expectations

This is a leadership role, and the expectations are appropriately high.

You will be expected to be present, proactive and accountable. You must lead on the floor rather than from the sidelines.

You will support the Registered House Manager, guide the team, understand the young person s needs and help ensure the home remains safe, structured, well-led and inspection-ready.

You must be able to use digital systems confidently, as Arbour Healthcare Group operates paperless services.

You will also be expected to participate in the on-call rota and contribute to the wider leadership requirements of the service.

Most importantly, you must believe that change is possible, even when progress is difficult, gradual or misunderstood.

Ready to Give Change a Chance?

If you are an experienced children s residential practitioner who is ready to step into a meaningful Deputy House Manager role, we would like to hear from you.

Apply now and help us provide the leadership, stability and care that allows young people to feel safe, build trust and move forward.