LADO Principal Officer

CRA Group Recruitment And Payroll Ltd; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK local authority is seeking a skilled professional for a full-time role focused on managing allegations concerning adults working with children. The ideal candidate will ensure adherence to statutory guidance in safeguarding practices, coordinating multi-agency responses and providing expert advice. This role requires significant experience in statutory children's social care and a relevant social work qualification. Strong analytical and communication skills are essential, alongside a commitment to children's welfare.

Qualifications

• Significant post-qualification experience in statutory children's social care or safeguarding roles.
• Demonstrable experience of analysing and presenting a child's lived experience in formal settings.
• Continued professional development in safeguarding/child protection and allegations management.

Responsibilities

• Triage and risk-assess referrals regarding adults working with children.
• Manage cases, maintaining clear and timely records.
• Chair multi-agency meetings ensuring child-centered outcomes.

Skills

Understanding child situations

Communication with children

Collaboration with parents

Team collaboration

Data Analysis Skills

Education

Degree in Social Work

Registered with Social Work England

Job description

Overview

3-month contract with a local authority focusing on the management and oversight of allegations and concerns about adults who work with or care for children including paid staff, volunteers and foster carers. The role is crucial in ensuring that statutory guidance is adhered to and that children's safety, welfare and lived experience are prioritised in decision-making. The postholder will coordinate and quality-assure multi-agency responses, provide professional advice, convene and chair LADO/strategy/allegations management meetings and drive timely defensible outcomes in line with local safeguarding procedures and national statutory guidance.

Responsibilities

• Receive triage and risk-assess referrals regarding adults working with children, ensuring threshold decisions align with statutory guidance and local procedures.
• Lead, coordinate and record the end-to-end management of cases, maintaining clear, timely and accurate records and management oversight.
• Convene and chair multi-agency allegations/LADO meetings, ensuring actions are proportionate, child-centred and outcome-focused.

Essential Experience Required

• Significant post-qualification experience in statutory childrens social care or safeguarding roles (e.g. LADO, IRO, CP Chair, Senior Social Worker, Safeguarding Lead) within a multi-agency environment.
• Demonstrable experience of analysing and presenting a childs lived experience and risk in formal meetings/conferences.

Essential Qualifications Required

• Social Work qualification (e.g. Degree in Social Work/Diploma in Social Work) or equivalent safeguarding professional qualification.
• Registered with Social Work England (or relevant professional body as applicable).
• Evidence of continued professional development in safeguarding/child protection, safer recruitment and allegations management.

Additional Information

• Working hours: 36.50 hours per week
• This post requires an Enhanced DBS
• The role closes on 11th January 2026; apply ASAP.

Required Skills:

Ability to understand, analyse and present a childs situation and lived experience within the conference setting. A proven ability to communicate with children and young people. Ability to work collaboratively with parents and children. Ability to collaborate with a wide range of professionals. Ability and willingness to work as part of a team and support colleagues and receive support from them.

Required Education:

Ability to understand, analyse and present a childs situation and lived experience within the conference setting. A proven ability to communicate with children and young people. Ability to work collaboratively with parents and children. Ability to collaborate with a wide range of professionals. Ability and willingness to work as part of a team and support colleagues and receive support from them.

Key Skills

Business Development, Classroom Experience, Dayforce, Go, Cloud Computing, AWS, Teaching, Administrative Experience, Leadership Experience, negotiation, SAS, Data Analysis Skills

Employment Type : Full Time

Experience: years

Vacancy: 1