Contextual Safeguarding Coordinator

Cheshire West and Chester; Ellesmere Port; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Job summary

Cheshire West and Chester is seeking an experienced Contextual Safeguarding Co-ordinator to embed the council’s Risk Outside the Home approach. Working with local authority, police, health and partners, you will strengthen the response to at-risk children by applying Prepare, Prevent, Protect and Pursue.

The role is hybrid, requiring flexibility to work across council locations and from home. The successful candidate will have degree level education, substantial safeguarding experience, and

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Extensive experience with children and families and safeguarding risk.
• Experience chairing and minuting meetings; proficient with IT systems.
• Knowledge of safeguarding legislation, policy, and child exploitation practices.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate multi-agency contextual safeguarding arrangements.
• Organise meetings, minuting discussions and distribute outputs.
• Develop performance reporting and present to operational/ strategic forums.
• Deliver training, raise awareness and promote accountability among staff and partners.

Skills

Contextual safeguarding

Risk assessment

Communication skills

Report writing

Interpersonal skills

Education

Degree level or equivalent

Job description

We are seeking an experienced, motivated and adaptable Contextual Safeguarding Co-ordinator to help embed Cheshire West and Chester’s approach to Risk Outside the Home. Working collaboratively with local authority, police, health and wider statutory and non-statutory partners, you will strengthen the partnership response to children and young people at risk of harm by applying the four Ps:Prepare, Prevent, Protect and Pursue. You will co-ordinate key partnership forums, chair mapping meetings, analyse intelligence to identify links and patterns of harm, support effective disruption and intervention activity, and co-ordinate Risk Outside the Home training with and for the partnership to strengthen workforce knowledge and practice. You will need to adapt confidently within an ever-changing safeguarding landscape, responding to legislative and policy developments, the evolving and increasingly complex methods used by those who cause harm, and the diverse needs, vulnerabilities and experiences of the children and young people within this cohort. You will also monitor safeguarding plans, maintain performance information and produce clear reports for operational and strategic audiences. You will bring sound knowledge of contextual safeguarding, experience of assessing risk and working with children and families, and strong communication, relationship-building and report-writing skills, alongside the confidence to provide high support and constructive challenge. This hybrid role requires flexibility to work across council and partner locations, in the community and from home

Principal Responsibilities Summary:

The postholder will coordinate and support Cheshire West and Chester’s multi-agency contextual safeguarding arrangements, including contributing to strategy, policy and practice guidance; organising, minuting and chairing key meetings; and bringing together intelligence to identify networks of harm and agree disruption and intervention activity. They will maintain accurate case information, develop performance reporting, prepare and present reports to operational and strategic forums, monitor the quality and effectiveness of plans for children and young people, and drive improvements where required. The role also involves strengthening partnership accountability, liaising with other local authorities, delivering training and awareness-raising activity, developing a network of safeguarding champions, and ensuring that the views of children and young people inform services and interventions.

Person Specification Summary:

The successful candidate will be educated to degree level or equivalent and will have substantial experience of working with children and families, assessing safeguarding risk, chairing and minuting meetings, using a range of information technology systems, and contributing to the development of policies and procedures. They will have sound knowledge of safeguarding systems, contextual safeguarding and the relevant legislation, policy and practice relating to child exploitation, modern slavery, trafficking, domestic abuse and harmful practices. Strong analytical, report-writing, communication, presentation and interpersonal skills are essential, alongside a solution-focused approach, sound literacy and numeracy, and the confidence to promote accountability through high support and high challenge. The postholder must be able to work flexibly across different locations, communicate clearly in spoken English, work within equality and diversity frameworks, and meet the requirements for an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check; experience of multi-agency working, delivering training, reporting to senior boards and driving service improvement would be advantageous.