RESPONSIBLE FOR:

Assisting the Director of Residential- to be responsible for the Operational Management of residential care and to assist with strategic planning

Reporting to the Director of Residential on all matters arising within the Operational Management of residential care.

Deputising for the Director of Residential in Operational Management of residential care when they are not on duty.

Prime Function:

To assist the  Director of Residential to safeguard and promote the health and wellbeing of the students, ensuring that they are cared for and supported by a team of professional care staff, following the guidelines as laid down by the Children Act 1989 and other legislation, the current National Minimum Care Standards for Residential Special Schools, Keeping Children Safe in Education, Professional Care Practice and NCW’s Policies and Procedures.

Leadership - Deputy Head of Care.

Operational Management & Staff:

• To support the Director of Care in ensuring compliance with NCW policies and procedures and meeting all OFSTED regulations, including, Keeping Children Safe in Education and National Minimum Standards.
• Managing the Residential Site Leaders to support their teams effectively.
• To deputise for the Director of Care in their absence.
• The role requires being on call weekends and evenings, when on shift, and having managerial responsibilities with an oversight of the campus.
• To safeguard and promote the welfare and development of the young people
• To ensure there is a robust admissions, transitions and discharges process that reflects planned care and intervention to include supporting the visits of parents, LEAs and professionals throughout the year including Family days, Celebration Events, New Student Days and the Assessment Process.
• To organise and chair a wide range of meetings, including care team meetings, multi-disciplinary meetings and consultation meetings.
• To develop and nurture a multi-agency approach to ensure positive outcomes for young people.
• To ensure all care plans, risk assessments are implemented and adhered to at all times.
• To ensure there is oversight and compliance for all handovers and daily paperwork.
• To ensure that all staff are familiar with and follow all child protection and safeguarding policies and procedures.
• To ensure professional development in safeguarding and complete all mandatory safeguarding training.
• To deliver CPD with the on-going training and professional development of all staff, including facilitating the required Level 3 qualifications for all Care Staff, ensuring the management of the Level 3 (and other qualifications) are progressed in a timely manner to successful completion
• To ensure that there is a robust auditing and compliance system in place, ensuring we adhere to all regulatory and legislative guidance.
• To assist in all aspects of staffing, including recruitment, cover, rotas, supervision, training, monitoring and CPD
• Working in partnership with the HR department regarding employee relations assisting  with investigations, be involved in disciplinary and grievance procedures and hearings.
• To support the Director of Residential in ensuring care plans are regularly reviewed by care staff.
• Provide support and guide staff through difficult and challenging situations relating to their experiences at work or impacting on their work.
• To support the Residential Site Leaders in ensuring the organisation of staff duty rotas and the provision of cover for absent care staff.

In support of Operational Management

• To ensure that all staff act in a professional manner
• To ensure all policies and procedures, as well as risk assessments, are adhered to at all times.
• To ensure that all staff comply with the duty rotas and are included on a ‘rolling rota’ to gain maximum experience in the working methods of other staff, including handovers, daily documentation.
• To ensure that all staff are checking and reading emails at the start of shift and at any point in the working day as required.
• To ensure that all staff have written up any incident and ensure that information is passed on accordingly to the relevant NCW contact, such as the Director of Residential, DSL, Principal, within the agreed timescale.
• To ensure that all staff are familiar with and follow Child Protection Procedures, Keeping Children Safe in Education, NCW policies and government legislation.
• To ensure that all staff maintain confidentiality at all times.
• To ensure that all staff under their supervision undertake and complete training in accordance with their induction training and objectives that have been set.
• To complete on call duties in line with rotas.
• To be flexible in hours of work in order to meet tasks required.
• Conduct supervisions with Residential Site Leaders.
• To ensure rotas are current up to date and all houses are aware of them, including being aware of rota changes.
• To be aware of Health & Safety regulations particularly related to the upkeep of the houses and report issues, repairs to the Premises Team.
• To undertake any other duties that may be reasonably required.
• To safeguard and promote the welfare of young people and be aware of relevant policies and procedures.
• Adhere to the NCW equality, inclusion and Diversity policies.

Students:

• To assist in ensuring positive student wellbeing within the residential care setting. To support care staff to provide advice, behaviour management, guidance and problem-solving strategies for students.
• To ensure that the young people’s needs are recognised and met. This includes ensuring that they are free from discrimination within the houses and to challenge discrimination from outside of the houses.
• To support the Director of Residential to ensure that the young person’s stay complies with the ethos of NCW and the care plan.
• To organise and run student voice meetings in care relating to the residential care setting
• To ensure that the houses meet the individual needs of the young people as well as the needs of the group. Understanding group living theory to support the young people. To have an understanding of therapeutic interventions to ensure emotional needs are met.
• To develop and maintain good working relationships with parents, social workers, schools and other professionals involved with the welfare of young people, working within a multi-agency collaboration in line with the National Minimum Standards.
• To assist with the management and co-ordination of matching and allocating keyworkers and accommodation, monitoring this process and ensuring records are kept up to date. To collaborate with college staff to agree the allocation of key workers and students.
• To ensure that young people are informed of their rights and responsibilities enabling them to have their wishes heard.
• To ensure that a positive study ethic and work routine, including the development of independent living skills and the progression of other essential skills is promoted for all students, supported and encouraged by all care staff. To ensure appropriate individual timetables are organised and in operation in the residential setting to support student development.
• To support staff to effectively apply the NCW behaviour policy within the residential care setting

Strategic responsibilities:

• To work with the Director of Residential to provide a vibrant, positive residential experience for all young people.
• To assist the Director of Care in drawing up and implementing college policies and methods of good practice, and to promote and maintain good care practice throughout the College.
• To ensure effective lines of communication are maintained with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Care staff.
• To effectively perform the duties of safeguarding the students and staff at NCW as a member of the Safeguarding team, including completing the duties of a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL), including any training associated with being a DDSL

Safeguarding Children

NCW is fully committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of students at the College.  You are responsible for adhering to the college’s policies on Child Protection and for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people you come into contact with.  As a member of both the Safeguarding Operational and Safeguarding Strategic Groups you will be required to provide leadership and guidance to other staff in relation to Safeguarding.

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at NCW. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status. We are committed to ensuring a fair and inclusive recruitment process.

Annual Review.

This job description will be reviewed annually and may be subject to amendment or modification at any time after consultation with the post holder.  It is not a comprehensive statement of procedures and tasks but sets out the main expectations of NCW in relation to the post holder’s professional responsibilities and duties.

 This document is to be read in the context of the NCW Statement of Purpose, NCW Equal Opportunities Statement, and agreed policies of the NCW and the Conditions of Service as outlined in the individual employee’s contract.

PLEASE NOTE:

This appointment is a regulated activity and is subject to two satisfactory and verified references, an Enhanced DBS Clearance and Registration, a medical clearance and a six-month probationary period.

 Please no CV's, full applications only.

• Please view the NCWSafeguardingStatement logo document
• Please view the JD PS Dep Head of Care May 2026 document