Head of Safeguarding and Child Protection

Education Authority; Belfast; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading education organization in Northern Ireland seeks an Assistant Director of Pupil Well-being and Protection to manage safeguarding services. The ideal candidate will have a professional social work qualification, at least five years’ experience in a senior leadership role, and a comprehensive understanding of current safeguarding and child protection practices. This role involves strategic planning, policy influence, and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to promote pupil welfare and service improvement, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation.

Benefits

Equal Opportunities Employer

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum five years’ experience in a senior leadership role.
• Professional social work qualification and registration with NISCC.
• Experience in business planning and service development.

Responsibilities

• Manage and lead assigned services, including CPSS and IES.
• Act as EA’s Lead Social Worker, ensuring compliance.
• Promote rights, welfare, privacy and consent.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Social Work Knowledge

Service Improvement

Education

Professional social work qualification

Job description

Job Overview

Assistant Director of Pupil Well‑being and Protection. The post holder will manage and lead a series of assigned services, including the Child Protection Support Service (CPSS) and Inter‑Cultural Education Service (IES) (under review), taking a rights‑based approach to effective service delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage assigned well‑being and protection services, ensuring continuous service improvement, high quality service delivery and assurance.
• Act as the EA’s Lead Social Worker, ensuring that social workers employed by the EA are compliant with Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) standards, including supervision, training, practice and documentation.
• Promote rights, welfare, privacy and consent in all safeguarding, protection and inclusion functions.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that allegations of child and adult abuse and neglect are dealt with in adherence to legislation, EA policy, procedures and due process.
• Support multi‑disciplinary / inter‑agency assessments and action planning to ensure organisational and professional learning in relation to safeguarding, protection and inclusion; including Case Management Reviews, Individual Agency Reviews and Domestic Homicide Reviews.
• Develop staff through professional development that enhances skillsets, capacity and competence.
• Work collaboratively to promote trauma informed approaches.
• Monitor and demonstrate service impact and pupil outcomes using Outcome Based Accountability Framework.
• Facilitate the EA Safeguarding in Education Forum (education sector).
• Manage staff, budgets and resources equitably and effectively.

Strategic Planning & Policy Influence

• Ensure EA meets child and adult safeguarding and protection, and inclusion statutory obligations.
• Lead policy development and ensure up‑to‑date safeguarding, protection and inclusion policies.
• Ensure that the EA training framework for child and adult protection, safeguarding and inclusion is responsive to the needs of the education sector.
• Translate strategic objectives into directorate, division and service plans and targets.
• Promote participation of stakeholders in service planning.
• Represent EA on SBNI multi‑agency fora and other strategic planning and policy groups as required.
• Ensure regular reporting and assurances to the Directorate Management Team, Corporate Leadership team and EA Board members and Committees on child and adult safeguarding, protection and inclusion, including emerging issues, trends and demand.

Corporate Leadership & Management

• Promote EA values and contribute to a positive corporate culture.
• Provide expert and informed social work opinion and influence.
• Ensure CPSS and IES services align with EA policies and governance, including audit and risk management.
• Collaborate across directorates to address matters relating to safeguarding, protection and inclusion.
• Deliver high‑quality reports to EA leadership and stakeholders as required.
• Manage staff performance, wellbeing, supervision and development.
• Lead disciplinary, capability and complaints procedures as needed.
• Engage with key stakeholders including schools, trade unions and public representatives.

Service Development & Quality Assurance

• Develop and deliver specialist services to promote educational access.
• Promote reflective practice.
• Review and update policies and procedures for regional service delivery.
• Facilitate inter‑agency work and share best practices and lessons learned.
• Keep designated safeguarding professionals in schools informed and engaged.
• Implement ICT systems for monitoring and reporting.
• Promote efficiency and evaluate resource use.
• Identify and secure funding for innovative projects, contributing to business cases as required.

Training & Workforce Development

• Oversee child and adult safeguarding, protection and inclusion training programme, resources and online content.
• Lead recruitment and retention of professional and administrative staff.
• Ensure induction, supervision and professional development meet regulatory and best practice standards.
• Facilitate appropriate regulated post‑qualifying training.

Governance & Financial Management

• Ensure robust governance and financial controls.
• Monitor budgets and ensure value for money.
• Evaluate financial implications of service models.
• Act as budget holder and authorised signatory.
• Manage physical resources effectively.

Partnership Working

• Build partnerships with DE, schools, health and social care trusts, and other agencies.
• Ensure regular consultation with service users, including children and parents.
• Influence partners to improve service effectiveness.
• Ensure information relating to safeguarding, protection and inclusion service information is easily accessible on the EA website and support EA communication strategies.

Other Duties

• Comply with EA policies and undertake additional duties as required.
• Promote equality and good relations in line with Section 75 of the NI Act (1998).

Applicant Guidance

The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer. To view applicant guidance notes, please click here. To learn about the many great benefits of joining the Education Authority, click here.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential and desirable criteria are below. Please ensure you provide evidence in your application to meet these criteria.

Essential Criteria – Shortlisting Stage

• Professional social work qualification and registration or evidence of application to register with NISCC.
• Minimum five years’ experience working in a senior leadership role.
• Experience of business planning, service development informed by evidence and data analytics, and the management of financial resources within a senior leadership role.
• Sound professional knowledge of current safeguarding and child protection practice opportunities and challenges within the Education Sector.
• Demonstrable commitment to continuous personal and professional development.
• Access to a suitable vehicle for mobility requirements of the post.

Essential Criteria – Interview Stage

• Excellent leadership and management skills to build a high‑performing team.
• Achievement against challenging targets through engagement of teams and problem solving under pressure in sensitive circumstances.
• Ability to champion EA strategic priorities, support the delivery of change and drive service improvement.
• Strong communication skills with proven ability to engage across a range of stakeholders and demonstrate successful impact.
• Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect EA’s ethos and values.

Desirable Criteria

• Lead role in the introduction of a new service or implementation of a significant service change to achieve better outcomes.

Disclosure of Criminal Background

In the event that you are recommended for appointment to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that you will be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Further information can be accessed at NI Direct or the Department of Justice.

Values & Equality

Through the selection process we will also seek evidence that the personal values of candidates align with those of the EA. This will include evidence of commitment to equality and excellence in service delivery.