Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is looking for an inspiring Deputy Director of Care to provide dynamic leadership to the organisation and its clinical services.
Who we are.
Shooting Star Children’s Hospices provides specialist care and support to families who have a baby, child or young person with a life-limiting condition or whose child has died across Surrey, south-west London and north-west London.
Our bespoke support is free of charge to families and includes a comprehensive range of therapies and support groups for the whole family, specialist nursing care and respite, symptom management, end-of-life care and bereavement support.
We believe every life-limited or dying child and their family should have the opportunity to make every moment count and get the support they need.
About the role.
The Deputy Director of Care will provide knowledgeable, professional, and inspirational leadership to our clinical teams. The role will ensure the provision and strategic development of our clinical services.
We are looking for someone who has a clear passion and strong commitment to our mission and values and will support and challenge their team to do the same. Holding the position of Deputy Director of Care will further the culture of quality improvement, patient safety and governance across clinical services and ensure the experiences and voices of the children, and their families influence our service delivery and strategies.
As a member of the Organisational Leadership Team (OLT), the Deputy Director of Care will also develop good working relationships within all areas of the hospice, as well as with external stakeholders.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Rachel Davies | rachel@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07961 208037
Ella Garfinkel | ella@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07432 859534
Welcome from the Chief Nurse, Director of Care
Dear Candidate,
I am delighted that you are interested in the role of Deputy Director of Care at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.
This is a special place to work, with a proud history of caring for children with life-limiting conditions and those at the end of life. Through the expansion of our Specialist Bereavement Service, we now care for the whole family, and this includes those whose children have died suddenly or unexpectedly. We have rightly established our reputation for outstanding standards of care and ensure that children and families are at the very heart of our work.
We continue to be recognised for our achievements and have won numerous awards for our outstanding work. We enjoyed great success at the 2024 Business Awards UK, winning ‘Best Family Liaison Team’ as well as being honoured with the title of ‘Best Palliative Care Provider’.
Earlier this year, Shooting Star was even spoken about in the Houses of Parliament, with local MPs praising our work during a debate on hospice funding. We are also regularly asked to give presentations both nationally and internationally.
I joined Shooting Star as Director of Care in September 2022 and am proud to be part of such an incredible organisation. We have a strong Executive Directors Team, an expert Board of Trustees, and a formidable team of dedicated staff and volunteers. We have also developed an incredible cohort of supporters, without whom our work would not be possible.
As our new Deputy Director of Care, you’ll be an ambitious and inspiring senior leader with experience in leading geographically dispersed and multi-disciplinary teams to improve the services we provide for children and families. We are looking for a dynamic individual with expertise in quality improvement, patient safety and governance, someone who can quickly apply their skills to motivate and lead a high-performing team. This role will be pivotal in driving the provision and strategic development of our outstanding clinical services, helping us to achieve even more than we do today.
Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is a unique organisation, and it is a real privilege to be part of the team. We are looking for someone who shares our ethos and exhibits a clear passion and strong commitment to our mission and values.
It’s certainly an exciting time to be joining Shooting Star Children’s Hospices and I hope you are inspired to apply.
Kind regards,
Lisa Dennis
Chief Nurse, Director of Care
About Shooting Star Children’s Hospices
Whether lives are measured in days, weeks, months, or years, we’re here to make every moment count.
Our bespoke support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It includes specialist nursing in the community, symptom management and pain relief, overnight respite stays, end-of-life care, specialist bereavement care and a comprehensive range of therapies, groups and clinics for the whole family.
We support 800 families who have a baby, child or young person with a life-limiting condition or whose child has died. Including life-limited children, their siblings, parents, grandparents, and those who are bereaved, we currently support over 2,000 people.
Our catchment area.
The difference we make.
Our 2023-2026 strategy, For Every Family, sets out our purpose, ambition and path to deliver outstanding care over the next three years. It embraces two important principles:
- providing the best care to children and families across Surrey, north-west London and south-west London
- recognising that many families are not getting the support they need.
Here’s what we delivered in the first year of our strategy:
544 children with life-limiting conditions were supported (a 1% increase)
151 new referrals were accepted (a 45% increase)
1,767 family members received support (a 15% increase)
258 bereaved families accessed our specialist bereavement service (a 47% increase)
117 events were held for children and their families, with 1,337 attendees (a 10% increase)
47 of all newly bereaved families in the area we cover were offered our specialist bereavement care
1,474 care nights were provided
15,134 face-to-face and telephone contacts were made to families (a 30% increase)
Our bereavement suites were sadly in use 87 nights of the year.
Our care service in detail.
- Our care service is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). We currently have a rating of outstanding at our hospice in Guildford. Shooting Star House in Hampton is our Outreach, Therapy and Family Support Centre.
- A named key worker: Caring for a life-limiting child can be daunting and physically exhausting. It can also be difficult to keep on top of things like hospital appointments. As experienced care professionals, our key workers get to know each family and develop an understanding of each child or young person’s medical and individual needs. They are there to support and help families.
- Comprehensive range of therapies and support groups for the whole family: Our award-winning, highly skilled, and professional Psychosocial team provide psychotherapeutic support and social support to children and families. The team consists of therapists, counsellors, social workers, and family support workers. We ensure families are supported throughout their journey with us. This includes our new specialist bereavement service whereby we support families whose child died suddenly and unexpectedly with support groups for families such as cognitive behavioural therapy groups, siblings days, pamper days, hydrotherapy and much more.
- Respite at our hospice: Respite provides the children and young people we support with a range of fun, sensory and therapeutic activities while parents can enjoy family time together or get a crucial break. Occasionally, a family may require support at short notice due to an unexpected situation. At Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, we pride ourselves on our flexible care and will always do our best to support a family in a crisis.
- Symptom management: Many of the children we support have very complex and changing symptoms, particularly at end of life. We have a Symptom Care Team led by one of the country’s leading Consultants in Paediatric Palliative Medicine and a team of specialist nurses trained in symptom care who provide expert advice, including individualised symptom care plans and emergency health care plans, to help improve the child’s quality of life. The team are also part of a 24/7 telephone service, enabling families to access support wherever they are.
- End-of-life care: One of our fundamental aims is to provide expert nursing and medical care for children at end of life, with support for their families, in their preferred place of care and death.
- Bereavement support: Care does not stop after a child has died. We have a dedicated bereavement suite where a child can lay at rest, allowing their family to say goodbye in a familiar and supportive environment. We will also continue to provide practical and emotional support for the entire family.
We also help young people transitioning out of our hospice care, give guidance and advice on social support and are able to care for children with extremely complex needs, including ventilation dependent children, who would not be able to access support elsewhere.
Learn more about Shooting Star Children’s Hospices
Accessibility information
We understand that different members of the community have different access needs and have made some modifications to the way we do business to accommodate people from diverse communities and abilities.
Our accessibility provisions include:
- Step-free access to the building, all key meeting rooms and bathrooms, and an accessible workstation.
- Accessibility dogs are welcome.
- Papers and materials can be presented in different formats.
- A sign language interpreter can be accessed for interviews.
- Working patterns and locations can be adjusted.
Applicants with a disability are invited to contact us in confidence at any point during the recruitment process to discuss steps that could be taken to overcome operational difficulties presented by the role, or if any adjustments or support are required regarding the recruitment process.
Investors in Diversity Accreditation
Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is proud to be accredited as an Investors in Diversity organisation. This reflects our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace that values diversity and promotes equality.
Reasonable adjustments and accessibility
We are committed to ensuring our recruitment processes and workplaces are accessible. Reasonable adjustments include accessible formats, flexible interview arrangements, step-free access, and assistive technology.
What we offer
Pension: NHS Pension Scheme (where eligible) or stakeholder pension with up to 7% employer contributions.
Leave: 27 days plus Bank Holidays, increasing with service, plus paid sabbatical leave every five years.
Health & Wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme, Occupational Health, mental health support, and nutritious meals.
Other Benefits: Generous sick pay, enhanced family leave, flexible working, death in service benefits, professional fee reimbursement, and the Blue Light discount card.
Safeguarding
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Employment is subject to references, an enhanced DBS check, and compliance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
For further information or to organise a conversation, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Rachel Davies | rachel@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07961 208037
Ella Garfinkel | ella@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07432 859534
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Job Description and Person Specification.
To formally apply, please submit a CV and supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: Shooting Star Children’s Hospices —Deputy Director of Care” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Rachel Davies | rachel@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07961 208037
Ella Garfinkel | ella@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07432 859534
As a sector-leading executive search consultancy, we know the importance of creating recruitment processes that are fair, inclusive, and free from bias. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a process that values differences.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010 and can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification, please let us know.
If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please contact Rachel. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Timetable
Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 10th March 2025
First stage interviews (virtual): Tuesday 18th March 2025
Second stage interviews ( in-person): Wednesday 26th March 2025
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and Shooting Star Children’s Hospices are committed to promoting equality and diversity. To help us raise awareness and support a culture that is diverse and recognises and develops the potential of all, we need to appreciate the profile of candidates who apply for positions. We will send you an equality monitoring survey at the point of receiving your application and at the time of placement. This ensures that our processes remain inclusive and equitable throughout, and provides us with important data to help us showcase our impact.
The information will be treated confidentially and anonymously and will help us to support our commitment to fair recruitment practice. All information provided will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with anyone, in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 launched on 25 May 2018.
The information provided does not form part of the decision-making process and will not affect your application. Learn more about why we collect this data here.
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