Salary: £33,550.40 per annum with a potential to earn up to £35,230.40 with sleep in shifts

Location: Guildford, Surrey

Contract Type: Full Time, permanent

Specific Hours: 40 hours per week (9am - 5pm)

We are looking for experienced Residential Children's Services Deputy Manager for our 8 bed home in Guildford.

Apple Orchard has five homes in Surrey and West Sussex. Each home is set in a rural location and offers a comfortable homely environment for young males aged 11-18 years.

We aim to help young people to develop insight into their experiences in order that they can move on from their often damaged traumatic past. We support them as they take steps to make sense of their lives by providing clear and safe boundaries and achievable goals. This includes positive reinforcement strategies such as reward charts and free time.

Central to our work is the need to provide a high level of nurturing which ensures all the basic needs of the young person are met to the highest standard. This includes providing a home that has a warm and friendly atmosphere where great emphasis is placed on building supportive relationships and positive attachments.

Essential Skills

• Knowledge and experience of implementing the Quality Care Standards for Children's Homes.
• Experience of carrying out administrative duties such as filing, recording, rota preparation and report writing for Children's Homes.
• At least one years' experience in supervising and managing professional staff.
• Professional qualification at Level 3/4 'Working with Children and Young People' (or equivalent)
• A willingness and desire to pursue further training.
• Up-to-date Safeguarding and/or Recruitment Training.

Responsibilities:

• To work 40 hours a week plus one sleep-in. In times of illness or crisis you may be asked to cover more shifts.
• When sleeping-in you will be required to take over the petty cash and will be accountable for any discrepancies in relation to any transactions that you have made. Keyworkers will do the same for clothing and toiletries money for their key boy.
• To promote the welfare of the children as defined in the Children Act 1989 (HMSO (phone number removed).
• To attend staff meetings / supervision for 1½ hours on a weekly basis even when not on shift. To attend Seniors meeting monthly.
• Organise and implement the young people's holiday.
• To participate in training as required, and to contribute to your own professional development by keeping up to date of national developments in childcare policies and practice.
• To run / chair the young people's meetings.
• You may be called at home if a problem arises to give advice over the phone. In an emergency you may be called to come in.
• To ensure that all staff members are kept up to date with changes to procedures within Apple Orchard.
• To ensure that communication between staff is promoted and individuals are given the opportunity to express their opinions.
• To offer guidance and support to staff while on shift, particularly when dealing with incidents.
• To complete regular quality audits within the home and offer advice and supervision to staff members on the improvement to care practices and processes in consultation with line manager.
• To ensure that positive and negative feedback is given constructively to promote a professional approach to work.
• To inform the Manager as soon as is reasonably possible in matters of dispute.
• To remain on shift throughout its duration, making sure that there enough staff on the following shift to take over.
• To promote equal opportunities.
• To make sure that young people and staff are kept safe and secure whilst out among the public.
• To be accountable for any decision made in regard to the welfare of the young people and staff members during the shifts that you lead.
• To arrive in plenty of time to begin shift, read the handover book, and to receive information in handover from the out-going staff team regarding any events and the individual young people.
• To support and encourage the young people to participate in decision making and planning.
• Holidays must be booked at least one month in advance and two seniors may not be off at the same time.
• Rotas - staffing levels, ensure adequate cover when off shift.

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Access to our Exchange Employee Discount Scheme
• Access to wellbeing programmes via our Exchange Provision
• Up to £1680 additional pay for one sleep in per week

Apple Orchard is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates. The company is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be subject to a DBS check at enhanced level if successful for the position.