Most team leader roles in residential care feel like a step up in title but a sideways move in impact. You're stuck between the frontline and management, doing everyone else's job and getting recognition from no one. This is different: a genuine senior position where you lead by example, shape how your team works, and watch young people transform because your people are supported to do their best work
Every shift is different. One morning you're planning the rota so the team has consistency; the next you're in a meeting with the Deputy and Home Manager helping shape the bigger picture. You're the person young people respect because you're there doing the work alongside them, not hidden in an office. You read a situation fast, you help a young person make a better choice in the moment, and your colleagues see how it's done and start doing it themselves
You're not just supervising shifts; you're actively developing your team members. You spot potential, you notice when someone needs support, and you lead by example so the culture shifts upward. The unpredictability that exhausts other staff energises you because you're ready for it. Sleep-ins are part of the week, the rota averages 169 hours a month, and you work a flexible schedule that demands you're adaptable - which means you're also trusted to have real autonomy
This home is regulated, structured and clear about its Statement of Purpose. Working with children and young people here means meeting OFSTED standards every single day. That's not bureaucracy - that's a guarantee that the environment you're leading actually holds space for real care and real change
What you will be doing
- Plan and manage team rotas to ensure consistent, quality cover that supports both the young people and your colleagues
- Support the Deputy Manager and Home Manager in meetings and appointments, helping to shape decisions about how the home runs
- Lead by example on the floor - model the behaviours and values you want to see, help young people make positive choices, and show your team what good looks like
- Actively develop your colleagues through supervision, feedback and your own leadership presence - you're responsible for their growth as much as the young people's
- Step into the Registered Manager or Deputy Manager role when they're absent, making decisions and holding the standard
- Ensure all work with young people meets OFSTED regulations and the home's Statement of Purpose
Why you will love working here
- A real senior role where you're trusted to lead, not just manage tasks - you'll deputise for the Registered Manager and shape how the home operates
- Work within a regulated, OFSTED-compliant home where standards are clear and your leadership actually changes how young people experience care
- Development that goes both ways: you'll receive proper supervision aligned to quality standards, and you'll actively grow your team members
- A rota-based role (averaging 169 hours a month) with sleep-ins, giving you genuine flexibility and the ability to be part of the real day-to-day life of the home
Is this you?
- You've led a team in residential care before - you know what good looks like and you've already done some of the heavy lifting
- You're qualified to NVQ level 3 or equivalent - you've got the foundational knowledge and you're ready to deepen your practice
- You hold a full UK driving licence (essential for the location and nature of this role)
- You're genuinely willing to receive regular supervision and take full responsibility for your own professional development
- You're flexible, reliable and adaptable - unpredictable days don't faze you, and sleep-ins are something you're comfortable with as part of a full-time rota
Applications close on 12 October 2026. Great roles like this are filled quickly, so the sooner you apply the better.
Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.