Last updated: 30 May 2026
Preston is the administrative heart of Lancashire County Council — one of England's largest shire-county commissioners of children's residential placements. The city itself hosts a modest cluster of homes but sits at the centre of a county-wide provider network stretching from the Fylde Coast to the East Lancashire valleys. Roles here typically serve Lancashire-commissioned placements alongside out-of-area referrals from Greater Manchester and the North West.
Lancashire's commissioning approach emphasises sufficiency planning, in-house provision growth and regional framework working. Employers look for staff who can support placements referred from across the North West, often with experience of criminal exploitation, missing-episodes and complex adolescent presentations.
Ofsted-registered children's homes: the highest concentration in England with over 550 registered children's homes
Sector vacancy rate: 19%
Greater Manchester and Lancashire commission at scale and the region is the single largest residential childcare labour market in England, with strong therapeutic provider density in Stockport, Bolton and Cheshire
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