Are you a compassionate and driven leader with a passion for making a real difference in the lives of children and young people?
New Horizon Childcare is opening a brand-new children’s home in Ham Street, Ashford, and we’re seeking an experienced Deputy Manager to join our leadership team. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape a new service from the ground up and support young people aged 5–18 with emotional and behavioural difficulties, learning disabilities such as ADHD and Autism/ASD, and a history of mental health challenges.
As Deputy Manager, you’ll play a key role in the day-to-day running of the home, supporting the Registered Manager in leading the team, managing resources and budgets, ensuring the home’s environment is safe and welcoming, and above all, prioritising the well-being and outcomes of our children.
You will also deputise for the Registered Manager in their absence and help ensure we meet and exceed standards set by Ofsted and the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015

• To promote the normal adolescent development of the children and young people and ensure staff can use appropriate strategies to address areas of concern.
• To protect children and young people from risks to their health, welfare, and normal development, inside or outside the home, and ensure that staff are aware of and use local safeguarding procedures and inter-agency arrangements to achieve this.
• To ensure that the home environment is safe, caring, and sensitive to the needs of the children being looked after, and that young people are listened to and involved in decisions about the running of the home.
• To participate in the development, implementation, and monitoring of individual children’s care plans.
• To ensure that key stages in the stay of children, such as admission and discharge, are properly managed and reflect decisions recorded in care plans.
• To ensure that specific needs are met such as dietary requirements, religious observance, and culturally significant activities.
• To ensure that children facing crises and stresses are offered appropriate additional support, and to ensure that staff are supported in dealing with the most complex cases.
• To develop and maintain good working relationships with parents and other family members where appropriate, social workers, school staff and other professionals with a concern for the children’s needs, such as general practitioners or psychologists.
• To ensure that children and young people carry as much responsibility for their own lives as they can reasonably and demonstrably be expected to carry, keeping them informed of their circumstances and rights, involving them in planning their lives, supporting them, and helping them towards taking greater control and responsibility.
• To ensure compliance with the Children Act 1989, as amended, Children’s Home Regulations and relevant National Minimum Standards.
• To actively contribute to the development of the team, supporting the Home Manager in giving constructive feedback on performance and providing leadership and guidance to ensure that the team work together collaboratively, and a consistent approach to childcare is achieved.
• To assist in the efficient and effective deployment and control of staff on a dayto-day basis, always ensuring adequate cover.
• To be involved in staff recruitment and in the monitoring and management of performance and attendance, in line with HR procedures, including participation in formal disciplinary and grievance processes.
• To ensure that staff are supervised and appraised in line with the National Minimum Standards and undertake these tasks for allocated staff.
• To be actively involved in induction processes and in the coaching and training of staff in the home.
• To maintain good communication systems, including handovers, logbooks, and staff meetings
• To assist the manager in operating the home within the budgets set and in compliance with New Horizon Childcare financial procedures and guidelines.
• To assist the manager in monitoring on-going expenditure to ensure no overspends and to alert the manager to any discrepancies immediately.
• To support auditors in their work and provide them with the necessary information.
• To assist in creating a homely setting with which children can identify.
• To assist in maintaining a safe environment in the home, complying with health and safety and other legal requirements.
• To assist in maintaining the fabric of the building, its grounds and equipment in good condition, encouraging staff and children to care for their surroundings and make best use of the available resources.
• To communicate effectively with other practitioners and professionals, representing New Horizon Childcare in a positive and professional manner, and to ensure that other staff do likewise.
• To ensure that when information is shared it is done so appropriately and in secure formats, being conscious of professional boundaries and confidentiality requirements.
• To personally model and maintain high standards of childcare practice and to be flexible, adapting to meet children’s needs.
• To maintain own professional knowledge and skills through appropriate training, reading and other such activities.
• To take responsibility, with the manager, for maintaining high standards of childcare practice in compliance with the National Minimum Standards and other regulatory frameworks.
• To report to the manager or other appropriate person any malpractice or evidence which may suggest it.
• To attend supervision as arranged with your line manager and participate in New Horizon Childcare’s performance appraisal scheme.
• To be aware of and always adhere to New Horizon Childcare’s Health and Safety policy.
• To adhere to and promote New Horizon Childcare’s Equality and Diversity policy and to actively challenge discriminatory practice.
• To take part in a shift system for some of your working time, which will include evening and weekend working.
  Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
  Pay: From £32,500.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company events
• Company pension
• On-site parking
• Sick pay
• Work from home

Work Location: In perso