Head of Home - Children's Residential Homes

Overview

We are seeking a highly qualified and experienced individual who is deeply committed to promoting equality and achieving positive outcomes for all children and young people.

In addition to the salary advertised, you will receive a one off Golden Hello payment of £2,125 after one years service.

As a key member of the Care Services Management Team, you will collaborate closely with the Head of Service and other Team Managers to deliver high-quality services that comply with legal and regulatory requirements, exceeding National Minimum Standards. You will lead and manage a dedicated team, ensuring residential care aligns with the home’s Statement of Purpose, Children's Homes Regulations, Ofsted requirements, and our commitment to equality and positive outcomes for all children and young people.

A minimum of two years of residential management experience is essential for this role, as you will play a crucial part in ensuring high-quality services and driving continuous improvement.

If you are ready to take on this challenging and rewarding role, we encourage you to apply and join us.

"You will be joining a supportive, nurturing and inclusive team of individuals whose purpose and role is to support, guide and achieve good outcomes for children and their families" - Sam - Head of Home

Take a look at our Children's Residential Worker Candidate Pack to learn more.

Join us on 25th November for our Children's Residential Recruitment open day, sign up here - Residential Recruitment Open Day

About the role

As Head of Home, you will hold a critical position with a broad range of responsibilities aimed at ensuring that residential care is fully aligned with the home’s Statement of Purpose, Children's Homes Regulations, Ofsted requirements, and our unwavering commitment to equality and positive outcomes for all children and young people. Key responsibilities include:

• Supervising managerial and senior residential social work staff, fostering a culture of professional practice and excellence in performance.
• Collaborating closely with the Head of Service to develop and promote the service, driving continuous improvements in performance and care quality.
• Providing management cover for Team Managers when needed, ensuring seamless service delivery.
• Representing the service at external events and contributing to internal working groups, panels, or projects as required.
• Managing financial resources responsibly, ensuring sound business planning and effective financial oversight to support long-term sustainability.

This pivotal role requires not only strong leadership but also a deep passion for making a positive difference in the lives of children and young people.

Follow the link below to hear from one of our current Heads of Home.

From New Starter to Leading a Home: Dan’s Journey in Children’s Residential Care

About you

We are seeking a candidate who is not only qualified to Level 5 in Children’s Residential Management but also deeply passionate about promoting equality and achieving positive outcomes for all children and young people.

With a minimum of four years' post-qualification experience leading and managing dedicated teams, you will have the expertise to ensure our residential care fully aligns with the home’s Statement of Purpose, Children's Homes Regulations, Ofsted requirements, and our commitment to equality. Your leadership will drive positive outcomes for all children and young people in our care.

A strong commitment to equal opportunities is essential, along with an approachable and positive "can do" attitude. As an experienced manager, you will have a thorough understanding of on-call responsibilities and your legal obligation to ensure the safeguarding and welfare of every child is prioritised at all times.

This role requires the ability to travel across the county and work unsocial hours when necessary. Access to and use of a vehicle is essential.

Your Values: We expect you to embody our organizational values of being Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative, and Trustworthy, consistently reflecting these in your day-to-day work.

Please refer to the job summary for further information.

Other information

For more information or for an informal discussion please contact

Stephen Colley, Operational Manager - [email protected]

Closing Date: Midnight on the 30th of November 2025.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Our values

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• A fair and inclusive culture
• The chance to really make a difference to those around you
• Health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• A unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• Ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• Opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/