Derbyshire County Council
Manager (Children's Residential Home - Gatekeepers Lodge)
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Closing date: 16 August 2026
Registered Manager - Gatekeepers Lodge
An Exciting Opportunity to Lead a New Children's Home and Be Part of Derbyshire's Residential Growth Journey
Are you an inspirational leader with a passion for improving the lives of children and young people?
Derbyshire County Council is seeking an exceptional Registered Manager to lead Gatekeepers Lodge, in central Derbyshire, a new specialist one-bed children's home and an exciting addition to Derbyshire's growing residential provision.
This is a unique opportunity to be part of the next chapter in Derbyshire's residential journey. As we continue to invest in and expand our in-house children's homes, we are looking for an ambitious and child-centred leader who can help shape a home where children experience stability, nurture, belonging and high aspirations.
Gatekeepers Lodge has been developed to provide a warm, loving and therapeutic environment for a child who would benefit from a solo provision. As Registered Manager, you will have the opportunity to establish the culture of the home from the outset, develop a skilled and committed team around the child, and create a service that places relationships and children's lived experiences at the heart of everything it does.
Why Join Derbyshire?
This is more than a Registered Manager position. It is an opportunity to help shape the future of residential childcare across Derbyshire.
Our residential service is continuing to grow and evolve through investment in new homes, workforce development, therapeutic practice and improved sufficiency across the county. We are ambitious for our children and equally ambitious for our staff.
As Registered Manager of Gatekeepers Lodge, you will:
- Lead a brand-new home and influence its development from day one.
- Create a nurturing and therapeutic environment where children feel safe, valued and cared for.
- Build and develop a skilled, passionate and child-centred team.
- Work alongside a supportive senior leadership team with a strong commitment to residential childcare.
- Be part of a wider residential service that values innovation, learning and continual improvement.
- Play a key role in Derbyshire's vision to provide more children with high-quality homes within their own communities.
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About You
We are looking for a leader who:
- Is passionate about improving the lives of children and young people.
- Has experience of leading and developing residential childcare services.
- Understands the importance of relationships, nurture and therapeutic care.
- Can create a positive culture where children and staff thrive.
- Has high aspirations for children and relentlessly champions their progress and achievements.
- Is resilient, reflective and committed to continuous improvement.
- Can inspire confidence in others and develop high-performing teams.
- Has a strong understanding of safeguarding, Children's Homes Regulations, Quality Standards and Ofsted expectations.
Essential Knowledge, Skills And Experience
You will bring:
- Significant experience of working within children's residential care.
- Experience of leadership and management within a residential setting.
- Strong knowledge of Children's Homes Regulations, Quality Standards and safeguarding practice.
- Experience of supporting and developing staff teams.
- The ability to manage risk effectively whilst maintaining a child-centred approach.
- Excellent communication, partnership working and organisational skills.
- A commitment to achieving outstanding outcomes for children.
Qualifications
You must:
- Hold the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) or equivalent.
- Hold the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) or equivalent, or be willing to undertake and achieve this qualification.
- Hold a recognised professional qualification relevant to working with children and young people, together with appropriate management experience.
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What We Offer
In return, Derbyshire County Council offers:
- Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 27 days per year, rising to 32 days after five years' continuous service.
- Additional financial reimbursement for On-Call responsibilities.
- A comprehensive induction programme and ongoing professional development opportunities.
- Excellent career progression within a growing residential service.
- Access to leadership development, mentoring and specialist training.
- Local Government Pension Scheme.
- Guaranteed annual incremental progression.
- Employee wellbeing support and assistance programmes.
- Cycle to Work Scheme.
- A range of employee discounts and benefits.
Be Part of Something Special
Gatekeepers Lodge represents the next step in Derbyshire's commitment to providing children with homes where they can feel safe, cared for and supported to achieve their potential.
This is an exciting opportunity to shape a new service, develop a strong team around a child and be part of a wider residential service that is investing in the future.
If you are passionate about residential childcare and ready to lead a home where children don't just live but truly belong, we would love to hear from you.
For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact:
Danielle Waterfall
Operations Manager - Children's Residential Services
Danielle.Waterfall@derbyshire.gov.uk
Together, we can create homes where children feel safe, loved, valued and able to thrive.
Provisional Interview Date: 20 August 2026
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