Shame on YOU and YOU and YOU! An exploration into the experiences of registered managers, the opportunities and challenges faced in residential childcare within the context of change

The residential childcare sector in England has long been, and continues to be, a contested space, subject to ongoing debate regarding its purpose, function, and role within society. It is continually shaped and reshaped by broader social, cultural, and political contexts. As a result, the boundaries of the registered manager's role have shifted and continue to evolve in response to legislative changes and socio-technical developments. These changing contexts significantly impact the postholders and shape their lived experiences. This research utilises the Biographic Narrative Interview Method (BNIM) to explore the experiences of registered managers in residential childcare in England. While small in scale, the study provides valuable insights into the lived realities of professionals tasked with delivering outcomes for children placed in residential care. It aims to illuminate the life journeys, professional trajectories, and practice experiences of registered managers and to amplify their often-overlooked voices within the field. Findings suggest that working in residential childcare is experienced as emotionally overwhelming, particularly in relation to the level of responsibility held. This sense of burden arises from the dynamic interaction between the personal values and sentience that managers bring into the role and the systemic context within which the role is situated. Participants reported experiencing a range of intense and often conflicting emotions, including anxiety, guilt, fear, and shame, shaped by transference and countertransference from children, staff teams, and broader societal expectations. These emotional experiences contribute to the development of defended subject positions. The study draws on Armstrong’s (2005) concept of "role and organisation in the mind" to explore how internalised perceptions of the role are shaped by systemic anxieties and societal ambivalence towards residential care. A recurring theme was anxiety centred around abandonment, both experienced by the children and mirrored by those in managerial roles, leading to complex object relations and emotional turmoil within the field of work. The research also highlights the pervasiveness of shame and the psychological defences employed by managers to cope with the emotional intensity of their roles. The study concludes by considering the implications of these findings for professional practice and the need for systemic reform in how registered managers are supported, trained, and perceived within the English residential childcare sector.