Care home manager
Care home managers lead and run residential homes for adults or children.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
As an adult care home manager you may:
- provide information, advice and support to residents, families and staff
- help residents access local services
- monitor business performance and quality of care
- agree contracts, budgeting and fundraising
- develop policies and keep private information confidential
As a children's home manager you may:
- look after the children in your care
- make sure that wellbeing standards are met
- help children access local education and health services
- take part in care planning, statutory case reviews and conferences
- respond to child protection concerns and complaints
Working environment
You could work at an adult care home or at a children's care home.
Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could:
- manage several care homes for a large company or charity
- freelance as a consultant or a care home inspector
- teach in further education, such as a college
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- customer service skills
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to understand people’s reactions
- to enjoy working with other people
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- knowledge of psychology
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Restrictions and Requirements
You'll need to:
How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in health and social care management.
With your degree you can apply for graduate schemes.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
More Information
You may be able to do a higher apprenticeship in adult care or children, young people and families manager.
You could then find work and train more on the job.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
More Information
If you work in social care, you can apply to join a manager course.
We recommend you start the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People's Services within 3 months of starting your job. You'll need to complete it within 2 to 3 years.
You'll choose a pathway relating to either adults or children and young people.
Further information
You can get more advice about working as a care home manager from Think Care Careers.
Related videos
Suggested videos
Coffee With is in early release mode with a limited number of videos. New videos are being added every week, so please check back for updates.
External links
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.