Safeguarding Lead Trustee

Migrant Help; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Migrant Help is seeking a Safeguarding Trustee who will ensure compliance with safeguarding obligations and provide strategic oversight. The role involves maintaining awareness of legislation, reviewing policies, and leading discussions in Board meetings regarding safeguarding practices. You will join a leading charity dedicated to supporting migrants across the UK.

Benefits

Reimbursement for reasonable expenses

Qualifications

• Experience in safeguarding children or adults.
• Ability to give urgent safeguarding advice.
• Practical experience required; social work qualification is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with safeguarding regulations.
• Review safeguarding policies annually.
• Advise on safeguarding processes and provide oversight.

Skills

Professional experience in safeguarding

Ability to provide urgent Safeguarding advice

Understanding of referral processes

Integrity and respect in collaboration

Direct practical experience

Education

Social work qualification (optional)

Job description

Location:Remote (with occasional attendance to in-person events)

Hours:8 Hours per month

Expenses:This is an unpaid remote position; however, reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

Closing date:4 July2025

Role Overview

The Safeguarding Trustee will provide guidance so that Migrant Help meets all safeguarding obligations and promotes a culture of safeguarding at every level. They will provide expert oversight, policy guidance, and support for the embedding of best practices across the organisation. The Safeguarding Trustee will work closely with senior leadership to provide oversight of the way that the organisation remains compliant with safeguarding regulations.

Key responsibilities

• Maintain an awareness and understanding of the Charity Commission's safeguarding regulations, responsibilities, and safeguarding good practice through training, conferences, and guidance review.
• Review the Charity’s safeguarding policies annually.
• Be aware of statutory safeguarding processes and policies, acting as a point of reference for the Designated Safeguarding Lead, as needed, and as assurance on behalf of the Board, for guidance on statutory and legislative safeguarding matters for issues in all four countries in the UK.
• Assess the monitoring reporting for safeguarding policy and procedural effectiveness from both internal and external reviews.
• Consider the Charity’s strategic plans and make sure they comply with safeguarding legislation and regulations specific to our activities, statutory guidance, and the safeguarding expectations of the Charity Commission.
• Review the Charity’s risk register for inclusion of safeguarding risks with sensible measures in place or planned, including relevant insurance for trustees’ indemnity, providing assurance to the Board that safeguarding risks are being managed appropriately by the organisation’s staff.
• Lead on the standing action item at the Board of Trustees meetings regarding safeguarding. Trustees share collective responsibility for the charity’s governance, ensuring the charity’s mission is achieved and its operations are effective.
• Trustees support the CEO by contributing to strategic planning, offering expertise, and working together to provide the necessary oversight and direction for the charity’s growth and success. The Safeguarding Trustee has the additional responsibility to fulfil this for safeguarding processes.

The skills and abilities you need

• Professional experience in safeguarding children or adults, with a means to keep informed of current legislation and good practice.
• Ability to work with short notice to give urgent Safeguarding advice and practical steps to the Safeguarding Lead.
• Understanding and having a ground-level aspect of referral processes to link clients in the services when giving Safeguarding advice.
• Ability to advise and support the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Safeguarding Manager within the Charity.
• Act with integrity and respect when working with others.
• A social work qualification is welcome but not essential. Direct practical experience is essential.

Mandatory Training Requirement

The Safeguarding Trustee must complete trustee governance and safeguarding training within the first three months of appointment. Additional training will follow as needed.

Terms of Appointment

Trustees serve an initial three-year term, with the option for renewal up to a maximum of a second term of three years.

Time Commitment:

8 hours per month, including:

• Quarterly board meetings, preferably with in-person attendance.
• Safeguarding Operations Group – monthly, via Teams. Annual half-day strategy session to contribute to the charity’s direction.
• Regular Teams/telephone discussion with the Designated Safeguarding Lead averaging half an hour a week.
• Must visit at least once with the Heads of Service or alone to a regional office once per year.

About Migrant Help

Migrant Help is a leading charity that has been established for over 50 years and delivers a range of support and advice services to migrants across the UK. Our vision is for a global society that protects vulnerable migrants, treats them with respect and enables them to reach their full potential.

We place ahigh value on employees in relation to the work that they do and the benefits the organisation offers, with an ethos of being aGreat Place to Work.

At Migrant Help, we foster a culture in which equality, diversity and inclusion are recognised, valued and encouraged. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, we match your skills with the needs of our organisation. As long as you share our values, vision and goals. We welcome applications from candidates regardless of their age, religion or belief, race, gender reassignment, disability, sexual orientation, sex, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity.

Migrant Help is committed to safeguarding those we provide aservice to, applicants will have to undergo strict vetting procedures throughout different stages of the recruitment process therefore:

• All voluntary roles are subject to satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS check.

How to apply

To apply for this role, please click on the 'use this link to apply' button and complete the online application form where you will be asked to upload a copy of your CV along with an expression of interest letter.

We particularly welcome applications from people with first-hand or indirect experience of displacement, either recently or in past generations