Head of Safeguarding and Quality Assurance

The Methodist Church in Britain; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Induction programme

Annual leave above minimum

LGPS employer contribution 6.5%

Professional development opportunities

Collaborative working environment

Job summary

Clayfields House, a secure children’s home operated by Nottinghamshire County Council, seeks a Head of Safeguarding & Quality Assurance. The post leads safeguarding and QA across the service, providing professional challenge and oversight alongside the Head of Service and the Strategic Designated Safeguarding Lead.

The role is permanent, office-based and requires a qualified social worker with substantial child protection experience.

Qualifications

• Substantial safeguarding children and young people experience.
• Experience with quality assurance frameworks in child protection.
• Strong leadership, governance and policy development skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead safeguarding and quality assurance processes across Clayfields House.
• Provide leadership and professional challenge to safeguarding arrangements.
• Collaborate with senior leaders and external agencies to ensure best practice.
• Produce complex reports and policy documents on safeguarding and QA.
• Support trauma‑informed, strength‑based approaches across workforce.

Skills

Multidisciplinary working

Report writing

Trauma‑informed practice

Emotional intelligence

Workforce development

Education

Qualified social work practitioner

Job description

Head of Safeguarding & Quality Assurance at Clayfields House, a secure children's home run by Nottinghamshire County Council for up to 20 young people aged 10 to 18 placed on criminal or welfare grounds. The post leads safeguarding and quality assurance across the service and gives professional challenge and oversight alongside the Head of Service and the Strategic Designated Safeguarding Lead. It is a permanent, office-based, single-post role for a qualified social worker with substantial child protection experience.

What the job involves

• Lead safeguarding and quality assurance processes across the service
• Provide leadership, professional challenge and oversight of safeguarding arrangements at Clayfields House
• Work with senior and middle leaders, including Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads
• Work with internal teams and external agencies to ensure best practice
• Produce complex reports and policy documents on safeguarding and quality assurance
• Support a trauma-informed, strength-based approach across the workforce
• Ensure timely notifications of significant events to relevant stakeholders and regulatory bodies

What’s required

Qualifications

• Qualified social work practitioner

Experience

• Substantial experience safeguarding children and young people
• Proven safeguarding and child protection practice
• Experience of quality assurance frameworks, particularly those relating to child protection

Skills & knowledge

• Multidisciplinary working and stakeholder engagement
• Producing detailed reports and policy documents
• Commitment to workforce values and trauma-informed practice
• Resilience, judgement and emotional intelligence for a complex, demanding setting
• Commitment to improving outcomes and high-quality care for young people

What’s offered

• Comprehensive induction programme
• Annual leave above the statutory minimum
• Local Government Pension Scheme membership with a 6.5% employer contribution
• Continuous learning, development and career progression opportunities
• Supportive, inclusive and collaborative working environment