At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a residential home for children, fostering growth and healing through compassionate care.
- Company: Join Catholic Care, a trusted organisation with over 160 years of experience in supporting families.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous holiday, and career progression opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive leadership team that values innovation and personal growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while leading a dedicated team.
- Qualifications: Experience in children's residential care and a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership required.
The predicted salary is between 48031 - 52282 £ per year.
We are looking for a values-based and experienced Registered Manager to run our residential home for children aged 6-11.
Salary: £48,031 - £52,282 (depending on qualification and experience)
Post: Permanent. Full Time. 37 hours a week for full-time.
Location: Steps for Tomorrow - Blossom Keep - Keighley.
Closing Date: Friday 4 September 2026.
Interview Date: TBC with shortlisted candidates.
Overview of Role
This brand-new role is for someone who can make their own! The home is a new addition to our range of services. You will manage a two-bedded home working with children in a therapeutic manner, recognising the difficulties that children can experience when considering the impact of early life trauma, adverse childhood experiences and disrupted attachments. You and your team will help them to learn to thrive in their day to day lives.
The successful applicant will support and manage a team of senior residential childcare workers and residential childcare workers, whilst acting as a corporate parent to the children we care for.
The Opportunity
As Registered Manager, you will take leadership of our established home in Keighley and its dedicated staff team. You won't be expected to come in and change things simply to make your mark. Instead, we want someone curious enough to understand what already works, confident enough to challenge where things could be even better and emotionally intelligent enough to bring people with them. You will have the autonomy to lead, alongside the support and challenge of an organisation that is deeply committed to children's residential care.
This is about far more than managing rotas, audits and regulations. Of course, those things matter. You will understand the Children's Homes Regulations and Quality Standards. You will be confident in safeguarding, quality assurance and regulatory oversight, and you will understand what excellent Ofsted practice looks and feels like. But compliance is the foundation it isn't the ambition.
The leader we're looking for
We are looking for someone who leads with both their head and their heart. Someone who can create strong relationships while maintaining high expectations. Someone who is visible, thoughtful and calm. Someone who develops people rather than simply manages them. And someone who understands that the culture of a children's home is created in the small things that happen every day.
- Lead and develop a confident, compassionate and accountable team;
- Maintain a warm, nurturing and aspirational home;
- Ensure children feel safe, heard, valued and genuinely cared about;
- Champion trauma-informed and relationship-based practice;
- Maintain excellent safeguarding and regulatory standards;
- Use quality assurance as a tool for learning and improvement, not simply compliance;
- Build trusted relationships with families, social workers, schools and other professionals;
- Develop your Deputy and wider team, creating future leaders;
- Celebrate success while having courageous conversations when standards fall short;
- Work alongside our senior leadership team to contribute to the continued development of Steps for Tomorrow.
What success will look like
Success won't simply be an Ofsted judgement. We want you to be able to look at the home and know that:
- Children feel that they belong.
- They have adults around them whom they trust.
- Their experiences, achievements and progress are understood and celebrated.
- Staff feel proud of the home they work in and understand the difference they make.
- Families and professionals have confidence in us.
- Practice is reflective, curious and continually improving.
- And the home never becomes satisfied with simply being good enough.
About you
You may already be an experienced Registered Manager looking for an organisation where you can have greater influence. You may be a strong Deputy Manager who is ready to take the next step. What matters is that you have the knowledge, judgement and leadership potential to take responsibility for an excellent children's home and the humility to recognise that exceptional leadership is always still learning.
You will need:
- Significant experience within children's residential care;
- Experience of leadership or management within a children's home;
- A strong understanding of the Children's Homes Regulations 2015, Quality Standards and Ofsted expectations;
- Excellent safeguarding knowledge;
- An understanding of trauma informed and relationship based practice;
- The ability to inspire, develop and hold teams accountable;
- Confidence in making difficult decisions and exercising professional judgement;
- Strong communication and partnership-working skills;
- A Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare, or a commitment to achieving the required qualification within regulatory timescales.
Most importantly, you will share our belief that children who have experienced adversity should never have their futures defined by it.
Why Catholic Care?
Catholic Care has supported children, adults and families across Yorkshire for more than 160 years. Our Tomorrow Strategy is built around a simple principle: People move through life, not services. Steps for Tomorrow is an important part of that future. You will work alongside an experienced leadership team who will give you autonomy to lead your home while providing support, challenge and opportunities for your own development. We want our Registered Managers to think, question, innovate and grow. Because when our leaders flourish, our teams flourish. And when our teams flourish, children do too.
Ready for the next chapter?
If you are looking for a Registered Manager role where excellent practice already has strong foundations but where there is still ambition to achieve even more we would love to hear from you.
What We Can Offer You:
- Competitive salary
- 26 days annual holiday plus bank holidays (full time equivalent)
- Additional 3 days annual leave after 5 years of service
- Comprehensive Induction Programme with ongoing learning and development
- Career progression opportunities
- Regular supervision
- Regular performance and development meetings to support your ongoing development
- Investors in People and Mindful Employer Group
- Personal Pension Scheme
- Healthcare Cash Plan
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Employee Referral Bonus Scheme
If you require any help or would like more information please email recruitment@catholic-care.org.uk
Catholic Care is an Equal Opportunities employer. At Catholic Care we provide services to people of all faiths and none and also employ people of all faiths and none.
Registered Children’s Home Manager employer: CATHOLIC CARE
Catholic Care is an exceptional employer dedicated to nurturing both its staff and the children in its care. Located in Keighley, our residential home offers a supportive work culture that prioritises professional development, with opportunities for career progression and a commitment to trauma-informed practices. With a competitive salary, generous holiday allowance, and a focus on employee well-being, we empower our Registered Managers to lead with confidence and compassion, ensuring that every child feels valued and supported.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Registered Children’s Home Manager
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at CATHOLIC CARE.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from CATHOLIC CARE!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like CATHOLIC CARE, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at CATHOLIC CARE or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Registered Children’s Home Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to CATHOLIC CARE:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to CATHOLIC CARE! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at CATHOLIC CARE
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
