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Strategic Governance, Safeguarding & Regulatory Oversight Lead

Location: Across all UK regions
Salary: Competitive rates (dependent on experience and qualifications)
Job Type: Contract basis (Project-based)
Hours of work: Typically Monday to Friday
Start Date: Subject to satisfactory Enhanced DBS (including Children’s Barred List check)

Appointed by: Registered Provider / Board of Directors

Regulatory Framework:

• Care Standards Act 2000
• Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015
• Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations
• Ofsted Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF)

About Delphi Care Solutions

Delphi Care Solutions supports Ofsted-regulated services from initial concept through to safe, sustainable operational practice. We work alongside providers at every stage of their journey — from registration and governance set-up to ongoing regulatory oversight and inspection readiness.

Many providers appoint an experienced Responsible Individual (RI) to strengthen their governance arrangements and ensure robust safeguarding oversight. Delphi offers consultancy-led RI support that brings extensive sector knowledge, regulatory expertise, and strategic challenge, helping providers operate with confidence while keeping children’s safety at the centre of every decision.

Our ethos is simple: we partner with providers who genuinely care and are committed to making a meaningful difference in children’s lives. We do not offer superficial compliance. Instead, we deliver structured, inspection-led support that embeds strong systems, transparent governance, and defensible safeguarding practice.

Through proactive oversight, professional challenge, and continuous quality assurance, we help ensure that services are not only compliant, but consistently inspection-ready and delivering the highest possible standard of care.

Role Positioning

Under the Care Standards Act 2000, the Responsible Individual sits within the provider’s legal accountability framework.

The RI reports directly to the Registered Provider or Board of Directors and acts as the provider’s regulatory and safeguarding representative to Ofsted.

This role extends beyond compliance monitoring. The RI provides:

• Independent governance oversight
• Strategic safeguarding leadership
• Inspection-readiness assurance aligned to SCCIF
• Provider-level accountability
• Constructive professional challenge

The RI ensures the service is not simply compliant, but defensible, sustainable, and child-centred.

Core Accountability

The Responsible Individual is accountable for ensuring that the children’s home:

• Operates lawfully under all relevant legislation
• Meets and sustains the Quality Standards
• Maintains safe, proportionate safeguarding systems
• Remains inspection-ready under the Social Care Common Inspection Framework
• Delivers measurable outcomes for children

The RI represents the provider in regulatory engagement and must be able to evidence oversight, scrutiny, and challenge.

Strategic Functions

A. Governance & Regulatory Assurance

• Maintain provider-level oversight systems
• Monitor trends in incidents, restraints, missing episodes, complaints and safeguarding
• Oversee Regulation 44 independence and scrutiny quality
• Review and approve Regulation 45 Quality of Care reports
• Ensure Regulation 40 notifications are appropriate and timely
• Maintain a live compliance and risk register
• Stress-test systems prior to inspection

The RI ensures governance systems are proactive rather than reactive.

Oversight is based on documentation, disclosures, and information made available by the service at the time of review. The provider retains ultimate legal responsibility for operational delivery and regulatory compliance.

B. Safeguarding Leadership

The RI:

• Holds ultimate safeguarding accountability on behalf of the provider
• Scrutinises serious incidents and allegations
• Ensures appropriate external referrals (LADO, police, placing authority)
• Monitors learning and practice improvement
• Ensures safeguarding decisions are evidence-based and defensible

Where safeguarding concerns arise and provider action is deemed inadequate, the RI reserves the right to escalate concerns to Ofsted or relevant safeguarding authorities in line with statutory responsibilities.

Delphi Care Solutions maintains a zero tolerance approach to poor safeguarding practice. Children’s safety must never be compromised by operational, financial, or reputational considerations.

C. Leadership Oversight & Culture

• Provide structured supervision to the Registered Manager
• Offer professional challenge and performance scrutiny
• Identify early indicators of drift, fatigue, or compliance risk
• Monitor workforce stability, safer recruitment, and training compliance
• Ensure the Statement of Purpose reflects operational reality

The RI supports a culture of transparency, reflection, and accountability.

D. Inspection Readiness & Risk Anticipation

The RI ensures the home remains prepared for inspection by:

• Reviewing evidence trails against SCCIF judgement areas
• Overall experiences and progress of children
• How well children are helped and protected
• Effectiveness of leaders and managers
• Evaluating documentation quality and regulatory language
• Identifying vulnerabilities before inspection
• Ensuring improvement plans are outcome-focused

Inspection readiness is continuous, not seasonal.

Measurable Performance Indicators

The effectiveness of the RI function may be evidenced by:

• No avoidable regulatory breaches
• Timely and accurate statutory notifications
• Reduction in recurring safeguarding themes
• Consistent Regulation 44 quality and independence
• Clear, evidence-based Regulation 45 reports
• Demonstrable improvement following action plans
• Positive inspection feedback regarding governance and oversight

The RI provides structured oversight reporting to the provider quarterly (minimum).

Independence & Conflict of Interest

• The RI operates independently of day-to-day management
• The RI will not undertake direct operational shift delivery
• Any prior consultancy involvement will be transparently declared
• Clear boundaries will be maintained between improvement consultancy and statutory oversight
• Financial or professional conflicts of interest will be formally declared

The RI retains professional authority to challenge the provider where necessary.

Professional Boundaries

As a consultant:

• The RI provides governance oversight, not operational management
• The Registered Manager retains responsibility for day-to-day running
• The provider retains ultimate legal responsibility
• The RI role does not guarantee inspection outcomes
• Oversight is based on information disclosed and made available at the time of review

Fees reflect professional expertise and governance oversight. Inspection outcomes remain the responsibility of the provider.

Professional Requirements

• Enhanced DBS including Children’s Barred List check
• Level 5 Diploma in Leadership & Management (Children’s Residential) or demonstrable equivalent senior leadership experience
• Significant senior leadership experience in children’s residential care
• Deep knowledge of:
• Care Standards Act 2000
• Children’s Homes Regulations 2015
• Quality Standards
• Ofsted Social Care Common Inspection Framework
• Strong safeguarding expertise
• Ability to evidence governance scrutiny
• Ongoing CPD

Time Commitment – Example Structure

Minimum: X days per month (dependent on client’s needs)

• Monthly Registered Manager supervision
• Quarterly governance review
• Attendance during inspection
• Immediate availability for serious safeguarding incidents

Travel to services across UK regions will be required. Mileage and reasonable travel expenses may be chargeable in line with the agreed consultancy contract.

Ethical Statement

The Responsible Individual’s primary duty is to children’s safety and welfare.

Commercial interests must never override safeguarding responsibilities.

Delphi Care Solutions will not support or remain engaged with services where safeguarding standards fall below acceptable statutory thresholds without clear, measurable improvement action.