Safeguarding Divisional Lead

Bright Horizons Early Education & Preschool; Greater London; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 49,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Discounted childcare

Wellbeing resources

Job summary

Bright Horizons Early Education & Preschool is seeking a traveling Safeguarding Divisional Lead to provide overarching safeguarding leadership across a regional portfolio. You will support Designated Safeguarding Leads and nursery managers, visiting settings in London and surrounding regions to ensure safeguarding standards are met and improved.

The role involves coaching, training and convening with external partners to drive consistent safeguarding practice and policy compliance across the

Qualifications

• Significant experience as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in a regulated children’s setting.
• Experience safeguarding in early years, education, social care or related environment.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding legislation, guidance and reporting requirements.

Responsibilities

• Act as safeguarding escalation point for DSLs, Nursery Managers and regional teams.
• Provide safeguarding oversight across a designated region with nursery visits and meetings.
• Coach and support DSLs to strengthen safeguarding practice and decision-making.
• Offer expert guidance on high-risk safeguarding concerns.
• Promote compliance with safeguarding policies and statutory requirements.
• Support safeguarding improvements through audits, reviews and learning.
• Contribute to safeguarding helpline and escalation management.
• Deliver safeguarding training and induction programmes.

Skills

Safeguarding leadership

DSL support

Training delivery

Coaching & development

Risk assessment

Education

Early Years / Education qualification

Job description

Contract type: Full Time / 37.50 hours per week / Monday to Friday

Location : A travelling role supporting nurseries within London, Oxford, Bristol, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Warwickshire (Weekly travel and possibly overnights stays)

Salary: From £43k per annum + car allowance

Purpose of Role

The Safeguarding Divisional Lead provides safeguarding oversight across a designated division, supporting DSLs and operational teams to identify risks, respond to concerns and protect children from harm. Through guidance, training, case consultation and quality assurance, the role promotes high safeguarding standards, continuous improvement and a child-centred culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

What We Can Offer You

• Our benefits include, but are not limited to;
• Flexible working and holiday entitlements
• Discounted childcare
• Quarterly Employee Appreciation Weeks
• Annual gala award evening
• Fantastic range of discounts on high street retailers, grocery stores, cinema tickets, holidays and more
• Wide range of wellbeing resources, supporting our teams for the ups and downs of daily life

Why Bright Horizons?

Our support functions enable our nurseries to deliver the best possible care and education to over 10,000 children across the UK. Through this support, our nurseries can deliver excellence – with 98% of our 270+ portfolio being rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.

We’re on a mission to change the future for children, families, and the people we work with, and are committed to progressive working values like flexibility, work-life balance, and wellbeing

Key Accountabilities

Safeguarding Leadership & Oversight

• Act as the safeguarding escalation point for DSLs, Nursery Managers and operational teams.
• Provide safeguarding oversight across a designated region, including nursery visits and key safeguarding meetings.
• Coach and support DSLs to strengthen safeguarding practice and decision-making.
• Provide expert guidance on complex and high-risk safeguarding concerns.
• Promote compliance with safeguarding policies, procedures and statutory requirements.
• Support safeguarding improvements through audits, reviews and learning.
• Contribute to the Safeguarding Helpline, R2R calls and management of escalated concerns.
• Support the delivery of safeguarding training and induction programmes.

Practice Improvement & Support

• Support settings where safeguarding concerns or improvement actions have been identified.
• Work with DSLs and operational teams to implement and monitor safeguarding improvement plans.
• Provide targeted safeguarding support, guidance and challenge where additional intervention is needed.
• Escalate concerns where safeguarding improvements are not being achieved.
• Embed learning from safeguarding incidents, investigations and inspections.
• Safeguarding best practice and key learning to drive consistency across the region.

Coaching, Development & Training

• Deliver safeguarding training, workshops and development sessions to Designated Safeguarding Leads and nursery teams.
• Coach leaders to strengthen safeguarding knowledge, confidence and decision-making.
• Reinforce safeguarding expectations, professional curiosity and effective safeguarding practice.
• Support colleagues to understand and apply statutory safeguarding responsibilities, escalation routes and reporting requirements.
• Identify gaps in safeguarding knowledge and capability and support targeted improvement activity.

Partnership Working

• Build effective relationships with Nursery Managers, Regional Directors, operational leaders and Early Childhood Specialist colleagues.
• Work collaboratively with HR, Operations, and Early Childhood teams to deliver a joined-up approach to safeguarding.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with external safeguarding agencies and partners, including Children's Services and LADO teams where appropriate.
• Support the DSLs in preparation and attendance of Allegation Against Staff and Volunteer Meetings and Child Strategy Meeting.
• Monitor the DSLs engagement with the Local Authority Safeguarding offer and provide targeted improvement activity to ensure participation.
• Support the implementation of safeguarding initiatives and organisational priorities across the region.

Insight & Continuous Improvement

• Use learning from Internal Review audits, investigations, safeguarding concerns and organisational insight to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Identify recurring issues, themes and risks and support action to address them.
• Contribute to the development of safeguarding resources, guidance and improvement initiatives.
• Maintain accurate safeguarding records, reporting and documentation relating to regional safeguarding activity.
• Support the sharing of organisational learning and effective safeguarding practice across settings.

Essential Experience

• Significant experience as a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) within a regulated children's setting.
• Significant safeguarding experience within early years, education, social care or another regulated environment.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and child protection processes.
• Experience supporting leaders to manage safeguarding concerns and risk.
• Experience managing complex or sensitive safeguarding matters.
• Experience delivering training, coaching or professional development activity.
• Experience working with external safeguarding agencies and partners.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding thresholds, escalation processes and statutory reporting requirements.
• Training, coaching or facilitation experience.

Qualifications

• Relevant qualification in Early Years, Education, Social Care or related discipline – Essential.

Personal attributes

• Demonstrates consistent behaviours aligned with our HEART principles, acting with Honesty, Excellence, Accountability and Respect in all interactions, decisions and ways of working.
• Credible safeguarding professional with sound judgement and strong decision-making skills.
• Excellent coaching, influencing and relationship-building capability.
• Confident communicator, able to support and challenge constructively.
• Passionate about improving outcomes for children.
• Organised and able to manage competing priorities across a regional remit.
• Resilient and calm when managing complex and sensitive situations.
• Collaborative, proactive and solutions focused.

Bright Horizons is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, which will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. We are an inclusive employer and welcome people from all ages and backgrounds to apply. We will consider reasonable adjustments required by applicants.