The Role

Can you provide high quality safeguarding advice and support?

Are you passionate about the role of education and schools in safeguarding children?

Can you foster great professional relationships across schools and social care?

If yes, we have the perfect role for you!

We are looking to recruit a Safeguarding in Education Officer on a 2 year fixed term contract (renewable).

About the role

The role of the Safeguarding in Education Officer is to provide advice, support and challenge to colleagues and partners across schools and other education settings on all safeguarding related issues.  This is a highly respected role in the partnership which education and social care colleagues really value.

This is an operational and strategic role that builds upon established relationships. It develops robust safeguarding pathways between education establishments schools, Children’s Social Care and the LADO service.  

This is an influential post within the quality assurance service (Safeguarding Standards) requiring a specific range of safeguarding knowledge as well as negotiation, influencing, auditing and signposting skills.

As part of Wandsworth Children’s Services, you would be joining at an exciting time as we are developing systemic social work practice and implementing the Hertfordshire Family Safeguarding model of working with families.

About you

You will be an experienced social worker, teacher or person with a similar relevant degree/professional qualification who has a strong background in schools, education or children’s social care.

You will have a detailed knowledge of working with schools and education colleagues as well as the interface between education and social care professionals. Some of your key skills will lie in developing great partnership relationships.

You will have extensive knowledge and experience of safeguarding children.

Contact details

For more information about the role, please contact the  recruiting manager Ruth Lacey on email ruth.lacey@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk to arrange a telephone conversation.

Benefits

In return, we can offer you working arrangements that will enhance your work-life balance including a generous holiday allowance of 31 days plus bank holidays (pro rata). 

In addition, we offer a range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts at many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments. A wide range of developmental opportunities is also offered.

(COVID-19) - information for job applicants

Given the ongoing situation, we have not set a closing date for this job vacancy. We are unable to currently advise when interviews will be arranged. We feel that this is the correct and responsible decision to make in these exceptional circumstances in view of:

· increased demand on the time of the council staff in response to the pandemic

· the need to support more vigilant public health measures.

We appreciate that applicants will want further information. However, as this is an unprecedented situation, arrangements for undertaking these interviews will require careful consideration.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Equality Statement

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services.

We are pleased to be Disability Confident employer.

Important Information

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils