The Deputy Manager (DM) is responsible for specific aspects of the home as directed. The Deputy Manager will also be expected to assume temporary responsibility for the home, under the supervision of the Service Manager/Directors, when the Registered Manager is absent due to leave (e.g. illness, annual leave). The Deputy Manager assumes responsibility and accountability for his or her own professional actions; exercises discretion in determining how objectives agreed with the Registered Manager (or other designated line manager) are to be achieved; works within the overall framework of Company policies, procedures, and principles; adheres to professional codes of practice and terms and conditions of employment; and seeks additional and appropriate supervision and guidance as necessary in order to fulfil the requirements of the post. At all times the safety and welfare of the children and young people are paramount and must take priority over all other activities.
Responsibility:
- Ensures the home has adequate and appropriate levels of staffing at all times, both day and night.
- Takes immediate and appropriate action in response to anticipated staffing problems to rectify shortfalls and deficits
- Provides effective leadership to the staff team.
- Has sufficient day-to-day physical presence in the home.
- Ensures that all members of staff receive annual appraisals and have appropriate Personal Development Plans (PDP's) with respect to induction, training, and personal development needs, as per Company policy.
- Attends Company management meetings as required and helps to relay management team decisions and communication back to the staff team.
- Attends house staff team meetings.
- 1Observes and monitors staff behaviour to ensure that it meets the standards set-out in the Company Staff Code of Conduct Policy.
- Participates in staff recruitment and selection procedures, including interviewing.
- Forms an appropriate relationship with each child or young person at the home; develops an understanding of his or her developmental, emotional, social, educational, and behavioural needs in order to inform therapeutic care planning.
- Monitors the behaviour and conduct of the children and young people at the home.
- Helps to ensure the physical and mental health needs of the children and young people are adequately met.
- Liaises as required with external professionals and placement agencies regarding the care and welfare of the children and young people.
- Participates in screening referral papers; conducting pre-placement assessment visits; arranging placements and admissions; and liaising with external placement agencies.
- Attends relevant statutory, planning, and professionals meetings.
- Attends relevant internal Company therapeutic care planning meetings.
- Ensure that each child and young person has an appropriate risk-assessment plan; a missing from placement action plan; and that impact assessments.
- Helps to ensure that each child or young person has an appropriate contact plan.
- Helps to ensure the physical environment within the home is clean, hygienic, and tidy and meets expected Company standards.
- Helps to ensure the home is safe and secure from intruders at day and night, that members of staff take appropriate care of their house keys, and are vigilant to the security of the house.
- Ensure that immediate and appropriate action is taken, in accordance with the Company Repairs and Maintenance Policy, to notify and remedy any damage or malfunction at the home that has an immediate and significant impact on the care and welfare of residents.
- Undertakes On-Call duties as part of the Company On-Call rota, as per Company On-Call Policy.
Knowledge and Skils:
Effective leadership and management skills.
Good command of the spoken English language and good verbal communication skills
Good English literacy (reading and writing) communication skills Good people-management skills
Good numeracy skills
Good money-management and budgetary skills
Physical ability to learn and use techniques for managing challenging behaviour, including physical holding/restraint techniques
Thorough knowledge and understanding of child developmental issues, including attachment
Thorough and sound understanding of the legal, statutory, professional and political network and context surrounding the provision of residential care in children's homes, particularly the most recent Children's Homes Regulations
A thorough understanding of educational provision for children and young people
A good working knowledge of core policies and procedures relating to children's homes settings
A thorough understanding of Safeguarding policies and procedures Domestic skills (e.g. basic cooking)
Adequate IT skills
Qualification:
Level 3 or 4 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce (or equivalent)
Ability to undertake and achieve Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children's and Young People's Services
Requirements:
- A minimum of 2-years' professional experience of caring for children and young people in residential children home settings
- Experience at management/senior/team-leader level, including the provision of staff supervision
- Willingness to travel between sites within the Company as required
- Ability to undertake sleeping-in duties