Safeguarding Officer

Overall Purpose

To support the DSL in their role of promoting safeguarding in the school, setting a healthy and effective culture. They will carry out pastoral casework, keep accurate records and track trends in order to plan for training and educational needs. They will ensure that both teaching and support staff receive regular and appropriate training. This role would be ideally suited to someone who has a background in social care and education.

Duties

Safeguarding culture – working with the DSL:

• To be a deputy DSL.
• To help promote an explicit safeguarding culture and ethos within the school.
• To help ensure that safeguarding is at the forefront of school activity across the whole school, including the procedures followed by external groups and agencies.
• To promote the school as a beacon for outstanding safeguarding practice through its meticulous handling and recording of incidents.
• To support members of staff (e.g. Hsms, Assistant Hsms, teaching staff, medical staff and counselling staff) and advise on safeguarding and welfare cases.

Management, record keeping and information sharing

• To keep abreast of changes in statutory and regulatory safeguarding requirements (liaising with the School’s Director of HR / HR Manager).
• To ensure the school is compliant with inspection requirements where safeguarding matters are concerned.
• In partnership with the DSL, to update annually the School’s Safeguarding Policy and Child Protection Procedures.
• To review regularly current safeguarding policies, practices and processes and advise on improvements, including improvements to safeguarding management systems and their use.
• To ensure the School’s safeguarding and support mechanisms (e.g. policies, training, health and counselling provision etc.) are appropriately promoted, publicised and understood by pupils, staff and parents.
• To continue to support the low-level concerns policy, to ensure that concerns are managed appropriately, patterns identified, and emerging issues addressed at an early stage.
• To build your personal knowledge and understanding of, and developing supportive and effective working relationships with, local and community resources and statutory services, so that you are best able to deliver outcomes in the best interests of pupils and the school. These services include: the LADO, NHS, Police, CAMHS, Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, privately commissionable services and voluntary services.
• To work with the deputy DSLs and DSL in managing safeguarding referrals to the Police, LADO, Children’s Social Care, CAMHS, etc, liaising with the Deputy Head Pastoral or Head as appropriate.
• To monitor trends in pupil attendance and connect these with safeguarding concerns that are raised, taking action to help improve attendance where appropriate.
• To work closely with the Health Centre to understand issues affecting pupils from a safeguarding and wellbeing perspective.
• To take the lead for administrating the school’s online safeguarding reporting tool MyConcern, triaging all incoming concerns and allocating a lead professional and ensuring appropriate follow up.
• To maintain high quality safeguarding records and assist with the preparation of reports and production of management information to inform future practice. This includes keeping detailed logs of safeguarding concerns and proactively tracking trends via MyConcern.
• To share relevant safeguarding information where appropriate using tact and diplomacy.
• To oversee the appropriate sharing of safeguarding information when pupils are transferring into or out of the school.
• To deal efficiently with emails, telephone calls and enquires from parents, staff, pupils, visitors, other schools and outside agencies during working hours.
• To use discretion in providing information both within and outside the school and ensure that confidentiality is maintained as appropriate regarding all pupil and staff matters.
• In discussion with the DSL, to review the thresholds framework for identifying levels of concern and appropriately manage cases.
• To document the ongoing support, management and progress of pupils of concern discussed at the weekly safeguarding meetings including, but not limited to, any child looked after by the Local Authority or otherwise subject to child protection plans.
• To take minutes of general pastoral and safeguarding meetings and confidential note taking as required.
• To engage actively with pupils, to ensure that pupil voice plays an important role in informing the school’s work in this vital area and that policies and practices are presented in a pupil friendly manner; and to ensure that pupil views and concerns related to safeguarding are heard and responded to.

Training and education

• To deliver safeguarding updates to staff as appropriate.
• To take responsibility for the coordination and organisation of all safeguarding induction and other related CPD training and record keeping, in some instances via Educare, including sending invitations and reminders to staff and governors and the retention of documentary evidence where required. This will involve working closely with the HR team and relevant Heads of Department.
• To work with governors to promote understanding of safeguarding and its demands at the governance level and to report regularly to them.
• To monitor and evaluate the efficacy and relevance of training delivered to ensure the highest standards of care, high levels of awareness of safeguarding responsibilities, and improved outcomes for pupils, parents and staff.
• To actively engage with national and local trends, to enable the school to prepare proactively for emerging issues and promote training accordingly.
• To work closely with the pastoral teams to support and upskill staff working closely with children.
• To contribute to the Beyond the Gates programme where appropriate.
• To liaise with the Marketing Department to ensure that safeguarding information on the School’s website, parent portal and Staff Hub are kept up to date as regulations, policies and practice develop.
• To promote understanding of safeguarding issues with parents, via the website, talks and other forms of information.
• To produce regular safeguarding bulletins for staff, pupils and parents, including identifying initiatives and drawing attention to key issues in pupil welfare.
• To operate in accordance with School’s policies and procedures as detailed on the School’s website and intranet and as set out in the Staff Handbook and elsewhere, ensuring compliance with the School’s Code of Conduct, the Safeguarding Policy and Child Protection procedures, the School’s Health and Safety policy and the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Knowledge / Experience

• A minimum of four years’ experience of working within an education or social care setting (ideally some experience of both)  (E)
• Level 3 safeguarding training (needs to be in place before starting the role)  (E)
• Experience of working in partnership with external agencies to support young people.  (E)
• Ability to write detailed reports, complete returns and compose complex letters.  (E)
• Ability to communicate information effectively in both oral and written form.  (E)
• A highly effective listener.  (E)
• The ability to make a proactive contribution to the work of the pastoral team supporting students, families and carers.  (E)
• The ability to work with parents and carers to improve support for students.  (E)
• The ability to develop and implement effective systems to share information.  (E)
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and organise own work and time effectively.  (E)
• To demonstrate creativity and the ability to solve problems independently.  (E)
• An understanding of legislation and procedures relating to the handling and storage of confidential information.  (E)
• Sound knowledge of Child Protection procedures, appropriate legislation, national developments /initiatives regarding safeguarding of children.  (E)
• A commitment to working with and supporting your people.  (E)
• Experience and knowledge of working with MyConcern  (D)
• A qualified social worker, trained and experienced in dealing with children, safeguarding and mental health issues.  (D)

Canford School is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in all areas of our Community and encourages applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

Canford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

The successful applicant will be required to undergo child protection screening.