Job summary
As Head of Nursing
and Care/Senior Nursing Lead, you will be responsible for leading the
organisation in the implementation, and ongoing monitoring, of the National
Minimum Standards for Childrens Homes
and the Care Quality Commission standards, reporting directly to, and deputising for, the Director of
Nursing and Quality and Registered Manager.
Main duties of the job
You will be responsible for the professional leadership and management of nursing and care staff across The Children's Trust.Your role involves working collaboratively to ensure high standards of equitable,safe,and evidence based service provision, while continuously developing services in line with The Children's Trust strategic plan. You will also ensure that children and families are involved in the evaluation and development of changes to service provision.
You will provide highly visible leadership of the nursing and care workforce and foster a culture which values continuing professional development that empowers nurses and carers to achieve excellence.
INTERVIEW DATES: 9 & 10 December 2025
About us
The Children's Trust is
the UKs leading charity for children with acquired brain injury, providing
expert rehabilitation, education, therapy, and care at our national specialist
centre in Tadworth, and to children and their families across the UK, via our
Brain Injury Community Service.
Boasting a beautiful 24-acre site in Surrey, we
are located just outside of London, close to the M25 (accessible via Junction
8, A217 to Tadworth) and easily accessible via National Rail, by way of:
Clapham Junction, Sutton, and Epsom.
Staff Benefits
The work we do is
highly rewarding, and in addition to an attractive salary, we offer a valuable
range of benefits, including, adoption pay, time off for fertility treatment,
enhanced paternity leave, paid carers leave, time out days for those
experiencing menopause symptoms, time off for gender reassignment.
We also offer
additional annual leave days for those with long service, with entitlements
ranging from 35 to 41 days (including bank holidays) depending on your length
of service.
Other benefits include
free on-site parking; a staff shuttle service from Epsom and Sutton train
stations to Tadworth Court, subsidised cafeteria, on-site staff accommodation
(subject to availability), the ability to retain your NHS pension (where
applicable) or the opportunity to join an alternative scheme, and the
opportunity to develop your career in a supportive and collaborative
environment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Act as a key delegate for the Director
of Nursing and Quality,
deputising as and when required.
- Responsible for ensuring CQC and Ofsted
Care standards are met, including
National Minimum Standards for Childrens Homes
and CQC standards for the service, deputising for the registered as
required.
- Provide positive,
proactive, and visible
leadership to nursing
and care teams
e.g. through regular one-to-one and team meetings.
- Support the registered manager
to carry out an annual
audit of CQC and Ofsted
Care standards, producing and
implementing necessary action plan(s) to address any gaps.
- Ensure
suitable representation at annual reviews for children and young people in the
School Houses.
- Promote
a structured approach to nursing and care that ensures equitable, safe, and evidence- based practice, while also encouraging creative
problem-solving.
- Ensure
regular clinical supervision is provided for each team member and documented effectively.
- Work
collaboratively across The Childrens Trust to achieve positive clinical,
educational, and social outcomes for all children and young people, and their
families.
- Ensure
children and families are involved in the evaluation and development of changes
to service provision.
- Ensure there is a clear procedure for nurse documentation and record keeping,
with regular audit to ensure compliance.
- Encourage
personal development and provide appropriate opportunities by following up on
identified training needs.
- Ensure
effective processes are in place to monitor team members compliance with NMC
professional development requirements and revalidation.
- Ensure staff are aware of and adhere to the NMC standards for Medicines Management.
- Lead on all relevant
policy development and implementation.
- Develop and monitor systems
which improve clinical
effectiveness and quality.
- Communicate
organisational messages to staff and provide feedback from team to senior managers
- Support
the Director of Nursing and Quality and other clinical colleagues, to promote
the development of evidence-based practice
- Participate in the senior site manager
rota (weekends only)
-
Undertake other or additional duties that are
within your skills and abilities, as the organisation may reasonably require from time to time.
Resource and Performance Management
- Line
manages the Business Support Manager, 3 x House Managers, Respiratory Lead
Nurse and Senior Clinical Lead
- Regularly
review and determine skill mix and staff budget, to provide a quality and
cost-effective service, which safely meets the needs of the children,
youngpeople, and their families
- Be
responsible and accountable for the budgets for the residential Houses
- Adopt
a management style in accordance with The Childrens Trusts Promises
- Proactive
and timely management (or delegation of management) of performance and sickness
absence issues
- Work
with the People Team to ensure an effective recruitment strategy is in place to
attract and retain high quality nursing and care staff
- Set and oversee
non-staffing budgets, including capital expenditure for the residential houses
- Maintain
effective systems to ensure that all equipment is well maintained and fit for
purpose
- Build
effective team performance
- Set
SMART objectives with each direct report, to be reviewed on a quarterly basis
- Motivate
teams and staff to achieve their individual and team objectives
- Openly
encourage and recognise the contribution of others, ensuring a collaborative
approach
- Provide
constructive individual and team feedback on a regular basis
Direct work with children and families
- Ensure the child and their families views on
their experience are actively sought and acted upon
- Meet with parents as part of the complaints
process and the Duty of Candour Policy
- Lead on complaints and ensure that principles
of good practice are adhered to
- Ensure relevant meetings are chaired and
attended appropriately
- Provide advice and support for clinical
practice issues
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Act as a key delegate for the Director
of Nursing and Quality,
deputising as and when required.
- Responsible for ensuring CQC and Ofsted
Care standards are met, including
National Minimum Standards for Childrens Homes
and CQC standards for the service, deputising for the registered as
required.
- Provide positive,
proactive, and visible
leadership to nursing
and care teams
e.g. through regular one-to-one and team meetings.
- Support the registered manager
to carry out an annual
audit of CQC and Ofsted
Care standards, producing and
implementing necessary action plan(s) to address any gaps.
- Ensure
suitable representation at annual reviews for children and young people in the
School Houses.
- Promote
a structured approach to nursing and care that ensures equitable, safe, and evidence- based practice, while also encouraging creative
problem-solving.
- Ensure
regular clinical supervision is provided for each team member and documented effectively.
- Work
collaboratively across The Childrens Trust to achieve positive clinical,
educational, and social outcomes for all children and young people, and their
families.
- Ensure
children and families are involved in the evaluation and development of changes
to service provision.
- Ensure there is a clear procedure for nurse documentation and record keeping,
with regular audit to ensure compliance.
- Encourage
personal development and provide appropriate opportunities by following up on
identified training needs.
- Ensure
effective processes are in place to monitor team members compliance with NMC
professional development requirements and revalidation.
- Ensure staff are aware of and adhere to the NMC standards for Medicines Management.
- Lead on all relevant
policy development and implementation.
- Develop and monitor systems
which improve clinical
effectiveness and quality.
- Communicate
organisational messages to staff and provide feedback from team to senior managers
- Support
the Director of Nursing and Quality and other clinical colleagues, to promote
the development of evidence-based practice
- Participate in the senior site manager
rota (weekends only)
-
Undertake other or additional duties that are
within your skills and abilities, as the organisation may reasonably require from time to time.
Resource and Performance Management
- Line
manages the Business Support Manager, 3 x House Managers, Respiratory Lead
Nurse and Senior Clinical Lead
- Regularly
review and determine skill mix and staff budget, to provide a quality and
cost-effective service, which safely meets the needs of the children,
youngpeople, and their families
- Be
responsible and accountable for the budgets for the residential Houses
- Adopt
a management style in accordance with The Childrens Trusts Promises
- Proactive
and timely management (or delegation of management) of performance and sickness
absence issues
- Work
with the People Team to ensure an effective recruitment strategy is in place to
attract and retain high quality nursing and care staff
- Set and oversee
non-staffing budgets, including capital expenditure for the residential houses
- Maintain
effective systems to ensure that all equipment is well maintained and fit for
purpose
- Build
effective team performance
- Set
SMART objectives with each direct report, to be reviewed on a quarterly basis
- Motivate
teams and staff to achieve their individual and team objectives
- Openly
encourage and recognise the contribution of others, ensuring a collaborative
approach
- Provide
constructive individual and team feedback on a regular basis
Direct work with children and families
- Ensure the child and their families views on
their experience are actively sought and acted upon
- Meet with parents as part of the complaints
process and the Duty of Candour Policy
- Lead on complaints and ensure that principles
of good practice are adhered to
- Ensure relevant meetings are chaired and
attended appropriately
- Provide advice and support for clinical
practice issues
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse.
- Leadership/management qualification.
Desirable
- Masters degree in relevant subject.
Skills, Abilities and Knowledge
Essential
- Dynamic, passionate, open, collaborative, and supportive leadership style.
- Able to build teams and delegate.
- Able to problem solve and make informed decisions, and take charge of events.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Strong influencing skills in depth knowledge of all relevant regulatory legislation, with experience of implementing and working to them.
- Demonstrable track record of achievement in quality and patient safety.
- Experience of leading a service and of transformational change.
- Experience managing projects.
- Experience of effective partnership working, with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience of managing budgets.
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of recent management and leadership experience at equivalent to Band 8a or above, for a minimum of two years.
- Evidence of continuous professional and personal development.
- Experience of working with children and families with complex health needs.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Commitment to the vision and values of The Childrens Trust.
- Flexible and can do attitude to competing commitments in workload.
- Highly motivated and reliable.
- Ability to cope working in a demanding environment.
- Commitment to maintaining personal wellbeing and the wellbeing of colleagues.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse.
- Leadership/management qualification.
Desirable
- Masters degree in relevant subject.
Skills, Abilities and Knowledge
Essential
- Dynamic, passionate, open, collaborative, and supportive leadership style.
- Able to build teams and delegate.
- Able to problem solve and make informed decisions, and take charge of events.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Strong influencing skills in depth knowledge of all relevant regulatory legislation, with experience of implementing and working to them.
- Demonstrable track record of achievement in quality and patient safety.
- Experience of leading a service and of transformational change.
- Experience managing projects.
- Experience of effective partnership working, with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience of managing budgets.
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of recent management and leadership experience at equivalent to Band 8a or above, for a minimum of two years.
- Evidence of continuous professional and personal development.
- Experience of working with children and families with complex health needs.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Commitment to the vision and values of The Childrens Trust.
- Flexible and can do attitude to competing commitments in workload.
- Highly motivated and reliable.
- Ability to cope working in a demanding environment.
- Commitment to maintaining personal wellbeing and the wellbeing of colleagues.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
