Head of Care

Head of Care
Company: North Lakes Children’s Services
Location: Carlisle
Contract Type: Full Time, Permanent
Salary: Competitive
Specific Hours: 40 hours per week
Responsible To: Operations Directors and Responsible Individuals

Who Are We?

North Lakes Children’s Services is a well-established provider of therapeutic residential care and education for boys aged 6–18, dedicated to improving the resilience, self-esteem and life outcomes of the young people we support.

We are currently seeking an experienced Head of Care to join North Lakes Children’s Services in overseeing all our services.

Benefits

• 30 days annual leave entitlement
• Company pension scheme
• Employee Discount Scheme, including a range of retail discounts
• Access to wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme
• Enhanced pay for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
• Overtime opportunities
• Clear career progression pathways
• Comprehensive annual training, including Child Development, Attachment Theory, PACE Model, Therapeutic Parenting and Whole-Brain Child Model

Role Details

• The Head of Care will provide overall professional leadership and management of all North Lakes Children’s Services children’s homes. The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that children and young people continue to be safeguarded, make good developmental progress and for ensuring that our relationships with parents, professional partners, commissioners and other agencies are positive and strong. This must all work in the best interests of children and young people.
• Provide an environment in which children and young people in our care are encouraged and supported to reach their full potential.
• Through comprehensive care planning processes and the support of our nurturing and ambitious care teams, our children and young people make excellent progress in all areas of their development.
• The role will also entail supporting the commercial growth and sustainability of the services. You will work with key stakeholders and central functions internally to ensure that the services are well resourced and equipped to provide a high standard of care.
• The post holder should promote a culture of high aspiration and challenge, but with a constructive and supportive approach to supervision and leadership of the team.
• The Head of Care should engage strategically and operationally with other departments across the Polaris Community. Considering how to continuously develop North Lakes services.
• You will be accountable for the smooth and efficient management and administration of the home and undertake wider operational tasks as and when required.
• Must be able to produce, update and monitor plans, reports etc. and deliver to deadlines and demonstrate an organised, efficient and flexible approach to managerial duties.
• Must be able to lead, motivate, manage and develop all members of the staff team within an open and enthusiastic culture, which includes the delivery of training.
• Must ensure that North Lakes Children’s Services is represented professionally to outside agencies and within the local community and contribute towards the development of the company.

About You

• You must have a recognised social work qualification, i.e. QCF Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management (Children and Young People) and QCF Level 3 Diploma in Children and Young People’s Workforce or equivalent
• A minimum of 2 years’ previous experience within the last 5 years in a position relevant to the residential care of children and, for at least 1 year, requiring the supervision and management of staff working in a care role
• You must be committed to making a real difference to the lives of the young people in our care and to working to a high standard of professional practice with a non-judgmental and get up and go positive attitude, taking into account the young people’s views, wishes and feelings
• Be able to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of Children’s Home legislation and inspection requirements for Ofsted and a thorough knowledge of child protection/safeguarding procedures and protocols
• A person-centred approach to both care and leadership and management practice
• Experience of strategic and operational leadership of children’s residential care services in the UK
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Stakeholder influence and leadership experience in children’s residential care
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Experience and knowledge of legislation and practice relating to children’s residential care
• Understanding of the external social care and education sector legislative and policy environment
• Must be licensed to drive a manual car and have use of own car with business insurance, proof of which will need to be supplied as part of onboarding

North Lakes Children’s Services is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff to share this commitment.

All candidates will be subject to thorough reference checks, including an enhanced DBS, as safeguarding young people is at the heart of everything we do.