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Are you looking for a role where you'll be appreciated for the difference you make every day? A place where you'll be supported to grow, succeed, and reach your full potential?

If so, we'd love to hear from you. We're a great organisation with a leading employee experience and a commitment to helping our people thrive. If you're ready for your next challenge, keep reading. You may be the perfect fit for our team.

We encourage you to contact Paul Graydon – CDC&S Team Manager via email at paul.graydon@durham.gov.uk to arrange an informal discussion about the role.  
 
The Role
County Durham Care & Support is looking to recruit an enthusiastic and committed Shared Lives Registered Manager to lead and grow our CQC ‘Outstanding’ rated Shared Lives Service.

Shared Lives is a unique service that provides adults and young people who cannot live independently, often due to a learning disability, a safe, secure, and supportive home environment. It's about offering the love, stability, and sense of belonging that family life can provide.

As the registered manager, you will be responsible for the day-to-day operations within the service. As an inspiring leader you will support and develop the team and ensure that the Shared Lives Providers deliver quality support to individuals who access the service.

You will be expected to proactively develop the service through raising the awareness of the Shared Lives Service locally and regionally and drive the recruitment and development of Shared Lives Providers.

Durham Shared Lives prides itself on the high-quality care and support it offers to those who use our services and behind the scenes, our Shared Lives team play a vital role. They recruit and assess new providers, monitor and review placements, coordinate training, and provide day-to-day support and guidance - ensuring every Shared Lives arrangement is safe, effective, and rewarding for both the provider and the individual supported.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing a high-quality Shared Lives service that supports individuals who draw on care and support through the scheme to live as independently as possible, and achieve positive outcomes, within a family-based setting
• Providing leadership to ensure Shared Lives Support Managers, Monitoring Support and Providers are clear about their duties and responsibilities and have the support they need to carry out their roles safely and effectively in line with policies and procedures.
• Promoting the rights of each individual the service supports and keeping their wishes at the centre of their care and support.
• Managing the safety and quality of the service in line with legislative and regulatory requirements, sector best practice and organisational policy and procedures
• In conjunction with CDC&S Development Officer and Commissioning leads, develop a process of continued quality improvement and growth of the Shared Lives service. 

WHAT WILL I NEED?

• A recognised professional qualification in Care and Management e.g. DipSW, CQSW, CSS, NVQ 4 Care, NVQ Management, RGN (LD).
• Good understanding of relevant Adult Social Care legislation and standards. Including the Care Act, Mental Capacity Act, Safeguarding Adults, Health and Safety.
• Good understanding of the Care Quality Commission regulations and standards, including registration and inspection.
• Knowledge of the ethos of Shared Lives Schemes and the provision of high-quality support.
• A range of communication mediums including effective written skills, IT skills and the ability to engage with relevant stakeholders ensuring positive and effective engagement.

Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria. 

If successful, you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure.

OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARDING
Durham County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore if successful in your application, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be sought.  inclusive of a check of the Adults Barred List, due to the position working in regulated activity. Applicants should be aware that the DBS check will disclose both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, in line with current legislation and will confirm whether an individual is barred from working with adults.
 
INTERVIEWS
Interviews will be held week beginning 26th October 2026
 
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.
 
OUR OFFER TO YOU
We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website
 
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.
 
HOW TO APPLY 
Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted.
Please visit our website to understand our position on using AI to support your application and for guidance on completing your application.
 
If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27, or via email RecruitmentAHS@durham.gov.uk
 
All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.
 
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Company: Durham County Council

Salary: Grade 12 £45,529 - £49,817

Location: Durham, Durham

Sector: Education

Sector: Social Care

Job Role: Teaching Assistant