Safeguarding Advisor

Would you like to be a part of The London Borough of Hounslow, Children’s Services whose diverse workforce are committed to making a positive difference to children and their families?  You can play a key role in our improvement agenda and our journey across Children’s Services to become an ‘’Outstanding’’ borough.

This is a great time to join the Safeguarding & Quality Assurance Service as it grows and innovates under a new leadership structure. Part of this growth is the establishment of an additional new 0.5FTE Safeguarding Advisor position, funded by the London Councils to ensure we have capacity to respond to referrals from the Feltham Young Offenders Institute and continuing to provide an excellent LADO service.

This operational role will involve you offering a professional consultation service, providing advice and information to staff within Hounslow and partner agencies and organisations regarding allegations management and safe employment in order to maximise the safety and welfare of children and young people.

Through your work, you will be expected to evidence the voice of the child and that they and their family appropriately participate in the investigative process relating to allegations management and that the child or young person’s interests are paramount.

The Council is embarking upon a major programme of change to modernise the way we work and reduce our carbon footprint. We have moved to a new landmark building in 2019 located in Hounslow town centre, and our new technology will enable staff to work remotely and flexibly to improve the service we provide to residents and to help our staff achieve a better work/life balance. To find out more please visit: http://hounslowciviccentre.org.uk/

‘’Senior Leaders have worked purposefully to build a stable works force and enable staff development.  Social Workers moral is high.  They have access to good training and management support and enjoy working in Hounslow - Ofsted 2018’’

About the team:

The Safeguarding Advisor forms part of the wider Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Service, incorporating the Council’s Independent Reviewing Officers & CP Chairs, the Exploitation & Vulnerabilities Co-Ordinator, Case Progression Manager, Social Work Standards Manager, ASYE co-ordinator, CIN Reviewer and Practice Champion. The Service is embarking on a journey of expanding the Safeguarding Advisor role and other aspects of the service, with a focus on innovation and a desire to be outward facing in driving forward best practice across Children’s Specialist Services.

Key Responsibilities:

• Management of allegations against staff and volunteers.
• Chairing and documenting ASV meetings and complex strategy meeting.
• Training and awareness raising for staff across all agencies and organisations in Hounslow on allegations management to promote and develop good practice to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
• Producing reports on LADO activity, including the LADO annual report.
• Participating in the Safeguarding Allegation Advice Management (SAAM) duty.
• Participating in quality assurance activity, including case audit.

Your Skills:

• You will need to have significant post qualification experience of working with children and families, this must have included extensive involvement as a lead Practitioner in child protection within a multi-agency framework. 
• You will demonstrate a high level of skill in chairing meetings; with an advanced ability to plan, negotiate and implement change and manage conflict.
• You will have good organisational skills and ability to use IT effectively in implementing tasks.
• You will have an in-depth knowledge of current legislation, current practice issues, policies, procedures and guidance relating to safeguarding children.

Our offer includes:

• An excellent working environment at our fantastic new office.
• 24 days annual leave per year (plus bank holidays), increasing to 30 days after 5 years, pro-rata for part time post.
• Professional reflective supervision.
• Opportunities for flexible working with excellent ICT facilities.
• Career progression pathways for training and continuous professional development.
• Opportunity to engage in our Aspiring Leaders Programme
• Staff Benefit Scheme.
• Annual Leave Purchase Scheme.

Essential for the Role:

• Social work degree
• Enhanced DBS check

This post is considered by the authority to be a customer-facing position; as such it falls within scope of the Code of Practice on English language requirement for public sector workers. The council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the employee specification.

If you would like an informal conversation regarding the position, please contact elizna.visser@hounslow.gov.uk or 020 8583 3685

To apply please visit www.hounslow.gov.uk/jobs

Interviews will be held on 11^th and 12^th February 2020.

Closing date: 31 January 2020.