Job Introduction
BCP are looking to recruit an Education Safeguarding Advisor (ESA). The vacancy is a 30 hour per week post and the successful candidate will be joining a team of one other ESA, an Early Years Safeguarding Quality Improvement Specialist and two LADOs. We are a relatively newly established team, bringing together LADO, ESA and our Early Years Safeguarding Specialist in June 2024.
The creation of this team has already helped to strengthen safeguarding practice that spans LADO, ESA and Early Years work resulting in improved information sharing and earlier identification of safeguarding issues in education.
Our ESAs are responsible, alongside school senior leadership, for ensuring that every school aged child and young person in BCP, experiences a safe and successful education. ESAs achieve this by working closely with schools, the BCP Safeguarding Children’s Partnership and other organisations. ESAs are also responsible for the oversight and analysis of 175 audits and working with those schools where safeguarding policy and procedures need to be strengthened. ESAs are responsible for responding to safeguarding practice that falls below agreed standards and policies set out by the DfE and BCP’s Safeguarding Partnership Board.
Our ESAs have strong links and working relationships with BCP schools and provide help and support to Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) by way of half-termly ESA/DSL meetings. Their work extends to representing education on various multi-agency panels such as Missing, Exploited and Trafficked Panel, MARAC, Harmful Sexual behaviour Panel, Prevent and BCP’s education safeguarding subgroup.
Our ESA work also extends to having safeguarding oversight of the accreditation process of Approved Providers in BCP and we work collaboratively with BCP’s Commissioning Team to achieve this.
BCP Council is committed to supporting its workforce through training, development, and wellbeing initiatives. We offer flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance. We promote a strengths-based approach and aim to create a supportive and collaborative environment. We are rated as a ‘good’ authority by Ofsted and continue to strive towards improving the lives of our children and young people.

Key Responsibilities

• To provide safeguarding advice, support, and training to Designated Safeguarding Leads, Headteachers, Governors and Approved Providers.
• To maintain and further develop safeguarding practices within education settings to be in line with key legislation and guidance.
• To develop and keep under review, safeguarding audit arrangements within schools and ensure 175 audits are completed, reviewed and acted upon by BCP ESAs.
• To carry out thematic audits as requested by BCP’s Commissioning, Resources and Quality Service to ensure that learning from reviews, shapes practice and is monitored.
• To work closely with BCP LADO and Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.
• To provide timely and comprehensive responses to complaints and concerns raised by children, young people, parents, carers and regulatory bodies.
• To analyse data and produce reports for senior managers and the Safeguarding Children’s Partnership which highlight trends and influence future service delivery.
• To work to a high standard in accordance with agreed policies and procedures and behaviours of the Council.
• Work with BCP’s Commissioning Service to strengthen the Approved Provider accreditation process.
• To undertake other duties as may be required in the future due to changes in demand or newly identified safeguarding themes in education.

Specific Qualifications and Experience

• Educated to degree level or above in teaching or social care.
• Sound specialist knowledge, experience and expertise of safeguarding work practices, policies and procedures and legislation in education and other organisations.
• Previous experience of working with schools and other educational/social care settings in a safeguarding capacity at management level.
• Experience of facilitating training.
• Knowledge of the role and function of the Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.
• Experience of conducting audits of safeguarding practice and providing analysis and support/challenge to schools when necessary.
• Experience in producing high quality reports which include analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
• Ability to design, co-ordinate and lead safeguarding related projects across schools, departments and with partners.
• Experience and confidence of working electronically and with case management systems.

Personal Qualities & Attributes

• A passion for improving the lives and wellbeing of children and young people in BCP by always having a child centred approach.
• Provide a high support/high challenge approach when working with colleagues in education and other agencies and organisations.
• Organised and able to manage own workload in an environment of change and where there are competing demands.
• Possess a high level of resilience, emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills that help to build meaningful and positive relationships with professionals, children, young people, and their families.
• Solution focused and able to work autonomously.

Job Requirements

• Enhanced DBS check essential.
• Must be able to drive and hold a valid UK driving licence.
• May be required to work evenings occasionally.

If you would like any further information regarding this post, please contact Head of Service, Nicky Campbell 01202 123076.

DBS

BCP Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the community and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Applicants to this post will be required to complete the appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service Check. Please refer to the Job Description or Role Profile for more details

• To provide safeguarding advice, support, and training to Designated Safeguarding Leads, Headteachers, Governors and Approved Providers.
• To maintain and further develop safeguarding practices within education settings to be in line with key legislation and guidance.
• To develop and keep under review, safeguarding audit arrangements within schools and ensure 175 audits are completed, reviewed and acted upon by BCP ESAs.
• To carry out thematic audits as requested by BCP’s Commissioning, Resources and Quality Service to ensure that learning from reviews, shapes practice and is monitored.
• To work closely with BCP LADO and Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.
• To provide timely and comprehensive responses to complaints and concerns raised by children, young people, parents, carers and regulatory bodies.
• To analyse data and produce reports for senior managers and the Safeguarding Children’s Partnership which highlight trends and influence future service delivery.
• To work to a high standard in accordance with agreed policies and procedures and behaviours of the Council.
• Work with BCP’s Commissioning Service to strengthen the Approved Provider accreditation process.
• To undertake other duties as may be required in the future due to changes in demand or newly identified safeguarding themes in education