About The Service
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced safeguarding professional to join Cardiff Council's Safeguarding and Reviewing Hub as the Service Manager - Designated Officer for Safeguarding.
The Safeguarding and Reviewing Hub brings together a range of specialist safeguarding and reviewing functions that support children, adults at risk and the wider safeguarding system across Cardiff. The service plays a key role in promoting high-quality safeguarding practice, providing professional challenge, and ensuring concerns are managed fairly, proportionately and effectively across agencies.
This is an important leadership role within a well-established service that works at the centre of safeguarding partnerships across Children's Services, Adult Services, Education, Health, Police and other key agencies.
About the job
As Cardiff Council's Designated Officer for Safeguarding, you will lead the Practitioner Concerns Team and provide strategic oversight of safeguarding allegations and concerns relating to practitioners and people in positions of trust across the city.
You will provide leadership and professional oversight for complex and sensitive safeguarding matters, working closely with employers, schools, partner organisations and safeguarding agencies to ensure risks are appropriately assessed and managed. You will chair and oversee professional strategy meetings, provide expert safeguarding advice and consultation, and support robust and defensible decision-making in challenging circumstances.
The role also has management responsibility for the Education Safeguarding Team, which provides advice, support and challenge to schools and education settings across Cardiff. Working alongside the team, you will help strengthen safeguarding arrangements within education, support partnership working, and promote effective responses to safeguarding concerns.
Reporting to the Operational Manager, who also fulfils the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) function, you will play a key role in shaping safeguarding practice, contributing to service development, quality assurance and wider corporate safeguarding priorities across the Council.
What We Are Looking For From You
We are looking for an experienced and credible safeguarding leader with substantial social work experience and a strong understanding of safeguarding legislation, policy and practice.
You will bring:
- Extensive experience of working within safeguarding services and managing complex safeguarding practice.
- Strong knowledge of Section 5 of the Wales Safeguarding Procedures and the management of allegations and concerns relating to practitioners and those in positions of trust.
- Experience of chairing complex multi-agency meetings and working effectively with a range of statutory and partner organisations.
- The ability to provide professional challenge, advice and consultation to senior managers, employers and safeguarding partners.
- A commitment to partnership working, service improvement and achieving the best outcomes for children and adults at risk.
- Proven leadership and management skills, with the ability to motivate, develop and support staff within complex and sensitive safeguarding services.
Experience of working alongside education safeguarding arrangements, schools or wider safeguarding partnerships would be beneficial.
Why Cardiff?
Cardiff is committed to delivering high quality safeguarding services and promoting a strengths-based approach to practice. We are a forward-thinking local authority that values innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.
This is a unique opportunity to lead a specialist safeguarding function, influence practice across agencies, support the development of safeguarding within education settings, and contribute to safeguarding arrangements across the capital city of Wales.
Additional information
For an informal discussion about the role please contact recruitme@cardiff.gov.uk
This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Cardiff Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. We expect all employees to share this commitment.
We welcome applications in both Welsh and English. Applications submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than those submitted in English.
This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced checks.
This post has a requirement for registration with Social Care Wales.
Safeguarding and Child Protection are key priorities for the Council. We aim to support children and vulnerable adults to ensure they are as safe as they can possibly be. Our services and schools are committed to ensuring the safety and protection of all children and vulnerable adults, and will take action to safeguard their well-being, and acknowledge that children and vulnerable adults have a right to protection. This is supported in the general ethos of the Council and all schools.
Due to the current interim working arrangements, we are unable to provide recruitment packs or accept application forms via the post.
Interviews are currently taking place both Face to Face and virtually on Microsoft Teams. If you have any concerns around your ability to participate in a virtual interview process please contact Laura.white3@cardiff.gov.uk for a discussion.
Please note the Council does not accept CV’s. When completing the supporting information section of your application, please ensure you refer to the below located on our website:
Important information you need read in order to complete your application:-
Additional Information:-
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