Responsible individual - children's residential services

Service: New children’s residential home

Contract: Flexible consultancy arrangement, subject to provider requirements and Ofsted suitability checks

Essential Experience: Children’s residential care, Ofsted registration, safeguarding, leadership and quality assurance

About the Role

CoveCare Children’s Services is seeking an experienced and suitably skilled Responsible Individual to support the registration, opening and ongoing oversight of a new children’s residential home in Birmingham, West Midlands.

This is a key strategic and regulatory role for an experienced children’s social care professional who can represent the provider to Ofsted, support the registration process, provide effective oversight of the Registered Manager, and help ensure the home operates safely, lawfully and in line with the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015, the Quality Standards and Ofsted expectations.

The successful candidate will provide senior-level guidance during the pre-registration stage and continue to support the service following registration through regular oversight, quality assurance, safeguarding scrutiny and leadership support.

Fee Structure

Pre-registration / Ofsted registration phase: £400 – £500 per day, depending on experience, availability and agreed scope of work.

This phase may include support with the Ofsted registration process, review of registration documents, preparation for RI interview, Statement of Purpose review, safer recruitment oversight, service development, governance systems and readiness checks.

Post-registration / operational oversight phase: £400 - £500 per day, subject to agreed frequency and scope.

This phase may include ongoing Responsible Individual oversight, supervision of the Registered Manager, quality assurance visits, safeguarding review, Regulation 44 and Regulation 45 oversight, placement scrutiny, leadership support and preparation for Ofsted inspection.

About CoveCare Children’s Services

CoveCare Children’s Services provides residential care for children and young people aged 7–18 across Birmingham and the West Midlands.

We support young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties, learning disabilities, autism and associated complex needs. Our aim is to create safe, stable and therapeutic environments where children and young people can heal, grow and achieve positive outcomes.

Role Purpose

The Responsible Individual will act as the senior person appointed by the provider to supervise the management of the children’s home. The Department for Education’s statutory guide explains that where the registered provider is an organisation, it must appoint a Responsible Individual, and the RI’s role is to supervise the management of the home.

The RI will ensure that the Registered Manager receives effective oversight, challenge and support. The role will also involve ensuring that the provider has appropriate systems in place to monitor safeguarding, quality of care, staff practice, regulatory compliance and outcomes for children.

The Responsible Individual should be able to demonstrate the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home and support leadership so that the service can meet the Quality Standards.

Key Responsibilities

The Responsible Individual will be expected to:

• Support the provider with the registration and opening of a new children’s residential home
• Act as the nominated Responsible Individual for the service, subject to Ofsted suitability checks
• Complete the required Ofsted association process, including SC2 submission where applicable
• Prepare for and attend any Ofsted interview or suitability assessment
• Review and strengthen the Statement of Purpose, Children’s Guide and key operational documents
• Provide strategic oversight of the Registered Manager and the home’s leadership arrangements
• Ensure the home operates in line with the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 and the Quality Standards
• Support the development of robust governance, safeguarding and quality assurance systems
• Oversee safer recruitment, staff induction, supervision and training arrangements
• Review placement matching, referral decisions and impact risk assessments
• Monitor the quality of care provided to children and young people
• Ensure children’s wishes, feelings and outcomes are central to service development
• Provide challenge, support and direction to the Registered Manager
• Review safeguarding concerns, complaints, incidents and notifications
• Monitor Regulation 44 independent visitor reports and ensure actions are followed through
• Support Regulation 45 quality of care review processes
• Prepare the provider and Registered Manager for Ofsted inspection
• Help develop a positive, child-centred and therapeutically informed culture
• Maintain clear records of oversight, advice, visits, decisions and actions
• Report to the provider on service quality, compliance, risk and improvement priorities

During the registration and mobilisation phase, the Responsible Individual may support with:

• Ofsted registration preparation
• SC1 and SC2 readiness
• Review of the Statement of Purpose
• Review of policies, procedures and safeguarding systems
• Workforce planning and staffing structure
• Registered Manager support and supervision arrangements
• Review of the home’s location risk assessment
• Review of the business continuity plan
• Safer recruitment file audits
• Staff induction and mandatory training planning
• Placement referral and matching processes
• Quality assurance framework development
• Senior leadership advice to the provider

Following registration, the Responsible Individual may provide ongoing oversight by:

• Visiting the service at agreed intervals
• Supervising and supporting the Registered Manager
• Reviewing safeguarding practice and incident management
• Monitoring children’s outcomes and care planning
• Reviewing Regulation 44 reports and action plans
• Supporting Regulation 45 quality of care reviews
• Auditing staff files, supervision records and training compliance
• Reviewing complaints, allegations and notifications
• Monitoring placement stability and referral matching
• Supporting preparation for Ofsted inspection
• Providing written reports to the provider
• Advising on service improvement and regulatory compliance

Ofsted guidance confirms that registered providers must continue to meet their conditions of registration and demonstrate ongoing suitability. Providers must also notify Ofsted about specific changes and events, including changes involving the Responsible Individual.

Applicants must have

• Significant senior leadership experience in children’s residential care
• Strong understanding of Ofsted registration and inspection expectations
• Experience acting as a Responsible Individual, Operations Manager, Head of Care, Responsible Person, Director of Children’s Services or equivalent senior role
• Excellent knowledge of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 and Quality Standards
• Strong safeguarding and child protection knowledge
• Experience supporting services for children with EBD, autism, learning disabilities and complex needs
• Experience supervising or supporting Registered Managers
• Strong understanding of safer recruitment, staff supervision and workforce development
• Ability to provide constructive challenge and professional oversight
• Experience of quality assurance, auditing and service improvement
• Ability to represent the provider professionally with Ofsted, local authorities and external agencies
• Enhanced DBS suitability and satisfactory references
• Capacity and availability to provide meaningful oversight to the service

It would be beneficial for applicants to have

• Previous successful involvement in registering a new children’s home
• Direct experience of Ofsted RI interviews
• Experience supporting homes through Ofsted inspection
• Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare, or equivalent
• Social work, therapeutic, safeguarding or senior operational qualification
• Experience working with complex referrals and high-risk placement matching
• Experience developing new children’s residential services from pre-registration to full operation

Candidate Profile

The ideal Responsible Individual will be experienced, credible and confident in children’s residential care. They will understand the balance between regulatory oversight, safeguarding scrutiny, operational leadership and positive support for the Registered Manager.

They must be able to provide clear challenge where standards fall short, while also helping the provider and Registered Manager develop a safe, stable and child-focused service. This role requires someone who can evidence good judgement, professional integrity, strong safeguarding knowledge and the ability to supervise the management of the home effectively.

The Responsible Individual must be assessed by the provider as suitable to represent the service to Ofsted. Ofsted guidance states that a proposed provider should only appoint a Responsible Individual who has been assessed as suitable and who has the appropriate skills to represent the service.

This role is subject to satisfactory suitability checks, enhanced DBS checks, references and Ofsted requirements.