Deputy Manager, Therapeutic Children’s Home

Deputy Manager – Therapeutic Children’s Home

Job Breakdown

• Employer: Liquid Personnel (Recruiting on behalf of a leading residential provider)

• Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

• Role Type: Full-time, Permanent

• Estimated Salary: £35,000 – £44,000 per annum (Subject to experience)

• Estimated Average Salary (Newcastle 2026): £39,000 – £41,500 for residential management.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership Support: Act as the primary support to the Registered Manager, overseeing the daily operations of a home for children aged 6–13 with Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties (EBD).

• Therapeutic Oversight: Ensure the consistent application of therapeutic care models, focusing on trauma-informed practice and emotional regulation.

• Staff Management: Lead, mentor, and supervise a team of Residential Support Workers, including managing rotas and conducting performance reviews.

• Ofsted Compliance: Maintain rigorous standards to ensure the home meets or exceeds Ofsted Quality Standards and the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015.

• Care Coordination: Develop and monitor individualized care plans and risk assessments, ensuring the young people’s voices are central to their care.

• Safeguarding: Act as a senior point of contact for safeguarding concerns and coordinate with external agencies like Social Services and CAMHS.

Requirements

• Qualifications: Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare is essential.

• Management Training: Must hold, or be willing to work toward, a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management.

• Experience: Substantial experience in a children’s residential setting, with at least one year in a senior or supervisory capacity.

• Driving: A full UK Driving Licence is required for the transportation of residents.

• Skills: Strong resilience, excellent communication, and a deep understanding of the impact of trauma on child development.

Benefits

• Career Mapping: Structured pathways to progress into Registered Manager roles.

• Training: Fully funded Level 5 management qualifications and specialized therapeutic training.

• Financial Incentives: Competitive sleep-in rates (approx. £45–£60) and potential performance-related bonuses.

• Support: Access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and clinical supervision to support mental well-being.

Job Description

The Opportunity In the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne, a premier residential provider is seeking a dedicated Deputy Manager to join a specialized therapeutic children’s home. This isn’t just a management position; it is a chance to lead a team dedicated to changing the trajectories of children aged 6–13. These young people have often faced significant trauma and placement instability, and your role will be to provide the leadership necessary to create a safe, healing environment where they can finally feel at home.

Your Impact and Leadership As the Deputy Manager, you are the engine room of the home’s daily operations. You will spend your time balancing high-level administrative oversight with “on-the-floor” mentorship. You will be the person the staff turns to during challenging moments, providing the calm, therapeutic guidance needed to de-escalate situations and turn crises into learning opportunities. By fostering a culture of reflection and empathy, you ensure that every staff member is equipped to meet the complex emotional needs of our residents.

You will also take a lead role in administrative excellence. Whether you are preparing the home for an Ofsted inspection or drafting a comprehensive care plan, your attention to detail will ensure that the home operates at the highest legal and ethical standards. You will act as a bridge between the Registered Manager’s strategic vision and the practical, life-changing work happening in the living room and around the dinner table every day.

Why This Role? This position is designed for an ambitious professional who is ready to take the next step toward becoming a Registered Manager. You will be joined by a multidisciplinary team that values clinical input and professional growth. We understand the emotional weight of residential care, which is why we provide robust internal support, including clinical supervision and a clear focus on work-life balance.

Liquid Personnel is a multi-award-winning specialist recruitment consultancy and the UK’s leading supplier of agency social workers. While its main operations are centered in Manchester as part of the Acacium Group, it maintains a massive footprint in Newcastle upon Tyne, acting as a primary staffing partner for the city’s adults’ and children’s social care departments.

Organization & Culture

Liquid Personnel is defined by a high-octane, results-oriented culture typical of top-tier recruitment firms, but with a specific focus on the health and social care mission. The firm positions itself as a specialized “career partner” for social workers, providing a level of industry-specific expertise that generalist agencies often lack.

Internally, the workplace is known for being vibrant and high-energy. In 2026, the company continues to be praised for its “work hard, play hard” mentality, featuring performance-related rewards and a strong emphasis on well-being through the Acacium Group’s resources. However, like many large agencies, feedback from contract workers occasionally highlights the pressures of high caseloads and the fast-paced nature of temporary placements.

Key Organisation Highlights (2026)

Core Operations & Newcastle Specialisms

Liquid Personnel is the dominant force in the Tyneside social work market, placing hundreds of professionals into critical local authority roles:

• Children’s Services: A major area of operation in Newcastle, focusing on Child Protection, Child in Need, and Looked After Children (LAC) teams.

• Adult Social Care: Placing qualified social workers into specialized Newcastle teams, including Learning Disabilities, Autism, and Hospital Discharge.

• Criminal Justice & SEN: Expanding its reach into youth offending teams and Special Educational Needs (SEN) support within North East schools.

• Qualified Nursing: Supplying RGNs and RMNs to both NHS trusts and private healthcare providers across the North East.

Working through Liquid Personnel (Newcastle)

For social care professionals in the North East, Liquid Personnel offers one of the most comprehensive agency packages:

• Salary Benchmarks (2026): Qualified Social Workers in Newcastle Child Protection teams typically earn between £31 and £37 per hour, while Senior Practitioners can earn up to £52,000 per year in permanent roles.

• The “CPD Portal”: All registered candidates get free access to an exclusive Continuing Professional Development (CPD) portal, helping them maintain their Social Work England registration.

• Vetting & Compliance: The agency handles all compliance internally, providing free Enhanced DBS checks and assistance with Social Work England renewals.

• Employee Sentiment: Rated 4.2/5 on Indeed. Candidates frequently mention the “excellent rates of pay” and “supportive consultants,” though some 2026 reviews suggest that communication can occasionally feel “transactional” during peak busy periods.

2026 Strategic Vision: “Professional Resilience”

As of March 2026, Liquid Personnel is focusing on supporting the workforce through systemic challenges:

• • The “Wellness Priority”: Launching a new initiative in collaboration with local authorities to provide mental health “check-ins” for agency staff working in high-pressure child protection roles.

  • Hybrid Innovation: Working with Newcastle-based clients to standardize hybrid working models, ensuring social workers have the flexibility to complete assessments and reports remotely.

  • Referral Rewards: Maintaining one of the industry’s most aggressive referral schemes, offering up to £500 for successful social worker placements.