What skills and experience we're looking for
We are looking to appoint a Welfare & Safeguarding Officer to support the work of the Safeguarding Team. This is an exciting opportunity for the successful candidate to develop this new role, and to make a difference to children in our service. You will join a highly motivated and rigorous Safeguarding Team who are committef to achieving the best outcomes for our children and families. We are looking for a someone who:
• Has a working knowledge of safeguarding, child protection and Special Education Needs and how it applies in a school context
• Has excellent administration and time management skills coupled with experience of working with children and young people and their parents/carers
• Is confident, resilient and dependable and is committed to high quality support for young people
• Is organised and hard working – willing and able to go the extra mile.
If you would like an informal discussion with our Headteacher and/or would like to visit us, please email our Office Manager, Jo Reynolds, on JReynolds@tdpc.somerset.sch.uk and she will be able to arrange this for you.
We welcome applications from colleagues in mainstream schools, special schools, PRUs and alternative provision.
What the school offers its staff
Free on site parking
CPD opportunities
Wellbeing support
Further details about the role
Main purpose of job:
• To support the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSLs) in the delivery and administration of an effective safeguarding service on a day-to-day basis across all TDPC sites.
• To support and liaise with the Attendance & Welfare Lead to ensure that the TDPC Attendance Strategy is realised for all students.
Safeguarding:
• To be committed to the safeguarding and promotion of safeguarding to students and staff.
• To have responsibility for all administration processes related to the safeguarding of students, including transfer of safeguarding information and files from/to other schools, and maintaining records in MyConcern.
• To support the DSL with the completion of Early Help Assessments (EHAs) and other referral processes.
• Under the guidance of the DSL, to make timely external referrals and seek guidance from a range of agencies, including Children’s Social Care and Local Authority Designated Officer, in order to appropriately safeguard and support students.
• Where requested by the DSL/Headteacher, to attend a range of external meetings - including child protection conferences, core groups, child in need meetings, team around the family meetings.
• To attend weekly internal safeguarding related meetings.
• To maintain up to date, accurate, confidential records.
• To provide, collate and monitor regular, accurate and timely data on safeguarding and child protection incidents and outcomes.
• To input into the design of safeguarding systems, policies and procedures.
• To attend regular safeguarding training, to include training to the same level as DSL.
• To keep informed of current legislation, statutory and other guidance with regards to safeguarding and child protection, cascading the information accordingly to leaders and other staff.
• To support the development and monitoring of student awareness of safeguarding and child protection.
• To establish and maintain positive and professional relationships with students, parents/carers, colleagues and others as part of duties, which may include directing working with students and parents/carers and other colleagues to ensure TDPC’s safeguarding responsibilities are met.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade as appropriate.
Welfare:
• Work with the Attendance & Welfare Lead to promote strategies for improving attendance with students and families.
• Make contact with students’ parents in response to attendance concerns and complete welfare home visits as required.
• Lead and attend TAC/TAF meetings in school as required.
• Working with the Attendance & Welfare Lead, develop targeted procedures to support students with lower attendance to attend school.
• Lead and attend attendance review meetings as required.
• Support and implement whole school initiatives to improve attendance.
• Run targeted interventions, including EBSA (Emotional Based School Avoidance) as required.
• Ensure that the wellbeing of students who are struggling with attendance is supported, including using restorative approached with students as needed.
• 1:1 interventions with young people around a range of pastoral topics, including – but not limited to supporting students’ mental health.
• Supporting needs of students throughout their journey at TDPC from arrival to onward transition.
• Support students to transition to their next steps as required.
Support in the The Hub at the Holway Centre as required.
Commitment to safeguarding
Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.