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Deputy Manager - Family Assessment Centre

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Job Title: Deputy Manager - Family Assessment Centre

Location: Arun Hope, Littlehampton

Contract Type: Maternity Cover

Hours: Full Time

Salary: £35,000 - £37,000 dependent on experience

About National Fostering Group

Its official, we have been rated as a Great Place to Work 2025!

83% of employees at National Fostering Group say it is a great place to work, compared to 54% of employees at a typical UK based company!

With over 20 years experience, National Fostering Group is the largest independent children's fostering group in the UK with a community of over 2,500 foster carers.

As a Group, we work with Local Authorities to provide the highest quality of care for children and young people. All of our fostering agencies are officially recognised by Ofsted, Welsh and Scottish regulators as either ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’ which we are extremely proud of.

About Arun Hope

Arun Hope is a residential family assessment centre, based in the Littlehampton area.

We provide a safe, nurturing and supportive environment for families experiencing difficulties, that places children at risk of being taken into care. Parents and their children will reside at Arun Hope for 16 weeks in total, where our team of experienced staff and highly skilled professionals will assess and support them throughout their stay with us. Within this time, a 12-week programme will be delivered that is designed to both assess and empower their ability to care for their children safely.

About the Role

As Deputy Manager, you will play a key role in supporting the Registered Manager with the day-to-day operational running of the service and will step in to lead during their absence when required.

Your role will be multifaceted, where you will build strong, positive relationships with families, welcoming them to the centre, and being part of their assessment through oversight of the direct work delivered, providing advice and guidance accordingly. You will work collaboratively with the wider team, where you will actively contribute to the development of the service, adhering to company policies, procedures, and Ofsted standards.

You will take a lead role in supporting and line managing the Senior Support staff and will join the team on shifts where needed, role modelling good practice standards. This may include some planned early or late finishes and may include some occasional unplanned rota cover. You will frequently liaise with the Office Manager and implement operational changes where necessary, to support continued service improvement.

Please find a list of all responsibilities on the attached job description.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate individual with strong leadership skills and a commitment to delivering high-quality therapeutic care and support.

As Deputy Manager, you will be a confident communicator, able to build trust with families, colleagues and professionals, while ensuring compliance with all regulatory standards.

Essential Criteria:

* Proven experience in a management role within a care setting

* A relevant Level 3 qualification (e.g. Health and Social Care or equivalent)

* Strong understanding of safeguarding, risk assessment and care planning processes

* Experience in working with children and their families using a trauma informed therapeutic parenting approach

* Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to engage effectively with stakeholders

* Strong ability to lead, support and motivate an established team to deliver high standards of therapeutic care

* Sound knowledge of current legislation, policies, and best practice guidance relevant to the service

* Confident in maintaining accurate records and reports to a professional standard

* Have an ability to adapt, be flexible and use own initiative, making good sound decisions based on risk

* Flexibility to work across the service and in the community, including occasional shifts during early mornings, evenings or weekends if required

* Be able to participate with over the phone on-call rota; every Monday and Tuesday overnights 10pm – 8am and every other weekend Friday 5pm through to Monday 9am - all paid at an additional rate.

* It would be desirable if you are a qualified social worker

But what else is in it for you? Your health and wellbeing are important to us, so you’ll get an exceptional reward package including:

* Up to 39 days annual leave each year (25 base entitlement + 1 One moment in time + 8 bank holidays + ability to buy up to 5 extra days)

* Life Assurance

* Pension scheme with options to increase your contributions

* “Your Wellbeing Matters” – access to a wide range of first-class mental health support services and physical health checks

And a market-leading benefit offering through our Flexible Benefits Platform, Vista, enables you to choose the package that’s right for you, including:

* A wide range of health, wellbeing, and insurance benefits

* 100’s of discount options valid in the UK and abroad

* Cycle to Work Schemes

* Electric Car Purchase Scheme

* Critical illness cover

And that’s not all, we place the outcomes of the children and vulnerable young adults in our services at the heart of everything we do, so you’ll wake every day in the knowledge that your role will have a significant positive impact on the lives of others.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all employees to share this commitment and undertake appropriate checks.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.

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