Safeguarding Assistant

Contract type - Permanent

Hours and working pattern -

35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm. Occasional evening and weekend flexibility required.

The Archdiocese of Southwark is a diverse and vibrant diocese covering the London boroughs south of the Thames, the county of Kent and the Medway Unitary Authority.

The Safeguarding Team exists to serve the parishes, parishioners, agencies, clergy, volunteers and staff of the Archdiocese. The team works closely with survivors and those who have been harmed by abuse, and it is essential that anyone joining understands the importance of a compassionate, collaborative and person-centred approach.

The Archdiocese is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications reflecting the diverse community we serve.

This is a development post. It is designed for someone who is at the beginning of a safeguarding career, or who is moving into safeguarding from a related field and who wants to learn the work properly alongside an experienced team.

You are not expected to arrive knowing how to do this job. You are expected to arrive wanting to learn it, with the judgement to know what you do not yet know and the confidence to ask.

• You will work under the direction of a Safeguarding Manager, who will be your day-to-day supervisor.
• You will support casework and safeguarding plans.
• You will have regular, protected supervision and a structured programme of training and development.
• Your responsibilities will grow as your experience and confidence do, with the aim of graduating to a safeguarding officer.

To support the Safeguarding Team in the delivery of safeguarding across the Archdiocese, working under supervision and developing the knowledge and skills to take on greater responsibility over time.

The post holder will assist the team with:

• Receiving and recording safeguarding referrals and concerns, and passing them promptly to a Safeguarding Officer.
• Supporting the administration and monitoring of safeguarding plans, under the direction of the safeguarding manager.
• Providing support to the Safeguarding Office, including records, correspondence and meeting arrangements.
• Supporting Parish Safeguarding Representatives with routine queries, training arrangements and record keeping.
• Assisting with the preparation and delivery of safeguarding training.
• Supporting the safer recruitment and DBS process.
• Assisting with audits, returns and the annual report.

• Discuss safeguarding concern to a Safeguarding Manager without delay. You will never be expected to decide alone whether something meets a threshold.
• Maintain accurate, timely and contemporaneous records on the case management system.
• Prepare papers, chronologies and summaries for meetings at the request of the safeguarding office.
• Track review dates and outstanding actions.
• Attend meetings alongside a Safeguarding Officer, to observe, learn and contribute.

• Maintain the record of current safeguarding plans, including review dates and required contacts.
• Support the administration of quarterly reviews, arranging contact with individuals and parishes.
• Attend visits relating to plans, and as part of your development hold responsibility for a number of plans.
• Risk assessment and make decisions about the content of plans and record appropriately.

• Act as a point of contact for routine queries, escalating anything that is not routine.
• Maintain accurate records of representatives, their parishes, training and DBS status.
• Support the arrangement of induction, training events and the annual gathering.
• Help identify parishes without a representative, and support recruitment activity.