Designated Safeguarding Lead - CS12482

Warwickshire College Group; Royal Leamington Spa; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous leave entitlement plus up to

Carer’s Leave option

Leadership & Management training

Wellbeing support

Health cash plan

Discounted courses

Cycle to work

Free on-site gym

Discounted hair and beauty treatments

Free will writing service

Free car parking

Job summary

Warwickshire College Group is seeking a Designated Safeguarding Lead to join our safeguarding team at Royal Leamington Spa. You will lead safeguarding across college settings, liaise with external agencies and support staff and students in line with policy and legal requirements.

The role is permanent, full-time (term-time pattern with possible additional support at Warwick Trident College) with a pro-rata salary of £32,030.02 per annum. DBS check and eligibility to work in the UK are required.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with and supporting young people.
• Knowledge of legislation and guidance on Safeguarding.
• Strong understanding of Ofsted framework.
• Experience leading safeguarding in a secondary school, Further education, or other relevant setting.
• Experience building relationships with students and their parents.

Responsibilities

• Manage referrals and reporting systems for safeguarding using internal systems.
• Provide advice, guidance and training to staff on safeguarding and Prevent policies.
• Liaise with local authorities, schools, police, health services and other agencies on safeguarding matters.
• Respond to information that may constitute safeguarding concerns and make referrals as appropriate.
• Participate in assessments of students’ needs and well-being.
• Maintain accurate safeguarding records and reports.
• Promote a culture of safeguarding and staff wellbeing.
• Lead safeguarding matters for our learners across sites and in off-site provisions.
• Deliver safeguarding updates and training to student groups as required.

Skills

Relationship building

Safeguarding knowledge

Ofsted framework

Education

Level 3+ qualification

English Level 2 qualification

Job description

Designated Safeguarding Lead - CS12482

Warwickshire College Group, Warwick New Road, Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 5JE

Working pattern

Full time, term time: Monday-Friday. Please note, possible additional support may be needed at Warwick Trident College.

Contract type

Permanent

What skills and experience we're looking for

Experience of working with and supporting young people

Knowledge of legislation and guidance on Safeguarding

Strong understanding of Ofsted framework

Experience of building relationships with students and their parents.

Experience of leading on Safeguarding in a secondary school, Furthereducation, or other relevant setting.

What the college offers its staff

When you join WCG we offer you a whole host of employee benefits, including:

• Generous leave entitlement plus up to four free College Closure days a year
• WCG offers all employees who are carers the option to request a period of Carer’s Leave that is equal to their usual working week, paid at their normal pay.
• Leadership & Management training programme to develop our next generation of managers.
• Superb health and wellbeing support with Wellbeing@WCG.
• The opportunity to join our voluntary health cash plan run by Health Shield.
• Discounted Full Cost Recovery courses.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Free on-site gym
• Discounted hair and beauty treatments in our College salons.
• Free will writing service.
• Free car parking on-site.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

This role is pro rata. The salary you will be receiving is £32,030.02 per annum. For any roles that start part way through the academic year, the annual salary will be pro rata to the remaining months.

Please note, possible additional support may be needed at Warwick Trident College.

Background to the post

The Designated Safeguarding Lead will support across all matters of Safeguarding, Child Protection and Prevent. This ensuring that WCG complies with legal requirements and best practices. The post holder will advise staff, liaise with external agencies, and contribute to assessments of students.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead will report to the Director of Safeguarding and Security (Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), and work closely with curriculum areas, support departments and through reporting to the campus college’s leadership team. The post holder will be familiar with and work within inter-agency child protection procedures developed by the local child protection agencies and issues relating to child protection and abuse, and keep up to date with new developments in this area.

Duties and responsibilities

• Managing Referrals and reporting systems: Managing internal and external referrals related to safeguarding concerns, providing appropriate support to students. Management of triaging and assessing reports made through the My Concern system, providing trauma-informed support to students, including making onward referrals to relevant agencies.
• Providing Advice and Guidance: Offering advice, support, and guidance to other staff on safeguarding, child protection and Prevent. Organising and chair meetings with internal Safeguarding colleagues and appropriate academic colleagues.
• Liaising with External Agencies: Working with, and building positive working relationships with local authorities, schools, police, health services, and other relevant agencies on safeguarding and Prevent matters.
• Respond to information that may constitute a safeguarding concern including: a. Assessing and clarifying the information b. Making referrals to statutory organisations as appropriate c. Consulting with, and informing the relevant members of the organisation’s management following appropriate policies and procedures.
• Participating in Assessments: Contributing to the assessment of students needs and well-being, including participation in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings.
• Maintaining Records: Ensuring accurate and organised records of all safeguarding concerns are kept and appropriate reports prepared.
• Promoting a Culture of Safeguarding: Encouraging a culture of listening to professional curiosity and support and championing views of students.
• Ensuring staff receive appropriate training on safeguarding and promoting their well-being, including online safety.
• Supporting the writing of Policies including; Safeguarding and Prevent.
• Supporting Other Staff: Supporting other staff in taking part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings. Supporting a culture of safeguarding, by ensuring staff have access to, and understand, the college’s safeguarding and prevent policy and procedures, through annual training and development.
• Representing the College’s views and interests on safeguarding matters.
• Be familiar with and work within inter-agency child protection procedures developed by the local child protection agencies and issues relating to child protection and abuse, and keep up to date with new developments in this area.
• Attend regular training in issues relevant to child protection and share knowledge from that training with everyone who works or volunteers with or for children and vulnerable adults at WCG.
• Alongside cross college colleagues, lead on Safeguarding matters for our 14 – 16-year-old learners, support safeguarding in off-site provisions, and to those in residential accommodation.
• Support and deliver Safeguarding updates and training to student groups as required.

Criteria

• A professional, academic or vocational qualification at Level 3 or above.
• English language qualification at Level 2 (e.g. GCSE) or above or a willingness to undergo personal skills development to achieve Level 2 English/Maths during the first 12 months of the post.
• Experience of working with and supporting young people within the broad context of education.
• Experience of leading on Safeguarding in a secondary school, Further education, or other relevant setting.
• Experience of building relationships with students and their parents.
• Knowledge of legislation and guidance on Safeguarding and working with young people, including knowledge of the responsibilities of further education providers and other agencies.
• Strong understanding of Ofsted framework and application of Safeguarding requirements within further education and skills settings.
• Ability to make own travel arrangements to all sites of WCG.
• A recent DSL training certificate / record of training or qualification or significant experience in this area.
• Effective administration skills and the ability to maintain accurate records, and excellent use of IT packages.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):

• childcare disqualification
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
• medical
• online and social media
• prohibition from teaching
• right to work
• satisfactory references
• suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.