Director – Responsible Individual for Children’s Homes

About the role

The Director, acting as the Responsible Individual (RI), will lead the governance, regulatory compliance and safeguarding of all Ofsted‑registered children’s homes within the organisation. Reporting to senior leadership, the RI ensures that services meet the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015, Quality Standards and deliver outstanding outcomes for children and young people.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as the nominated Responsible Individual for every registered children’s home and maintain full compliance with Ofsted regulations and statutory guidance.
• Manage relationships with Ofsted inspectors, local authorities and other external regulators, overseeing registration applications, variations and statutory notifications.
• Lead organisational readiness for Ofsted inspections and ensure timely implementation of inspection actions.
• Provide strategic leadership to Registered Managers, promote a culture of safeguarding, continuous improvement and standardised operating procedures.
• Develop and monitor the quality‑assurance framework, including Regulation 44/45 compliance, audits, risk trends and improvement plans.
• Champion safeguarding, oversee referrals, serious incident investigations and ensure safer recruitment practices.
• Oversee operational metrics such as occupancy, staffing, incidents, financial performance and KPI reporting.
• Support strategic growth through acquisition, mobilisation of new homes and development of scalable governance structures.

Required profile

• Extensive experience in senior leadership within children’s residential or social care settings.
• Deep knowledge of Ofsted regulations, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and related quality standards.
• Proven ability to build effective relationships with regulators, local authorities and internal teams.
• Strong governance, risk management and financial oversight capabilities.
• Demonstrated commitment to safeguarding, trauma‑informed practice and continuous service improvement.

Required skills

• Understanding of Ofsted inspection processes and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience with quality‑assurance systems and KPI monitoring.
• Ability to lead multi‑site operations and drive strategic growth.