Safeguarding Divisional Lead

Contract type: Full Time / 37.5 hours per week / Monday to Friday

Location: A travelling role supporting nurseries within London, Oxford, Bristol, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Warwickshire (Weekly travel and possibly overnights stays)

Salary: From £43k per annum + car allowance

All applicants need to attach an up-to-date CV to be considered

The Safeguarding Divisional Lead provides safeguarding oversight across a designated division, supporting DSLs and operational teams to identify risks, respond to concerns and protect children from harm. Through guidance, training, case consultation and quality assurance, the role promotes high safeguarding standards, continuous improvement and a child-centred culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

• Our benefits include, but are not limited to;
• Flexible working and holiday entitlements
• Discounted childcare
• Quarterly Employee Appreciation Weeks
• Fantastic range of discounts on high street retailers, grocery stores, cinema tickets, holidays and more
• Wide range of wellbeing resources, supporting our teams for the ups and downs of daily life

Our support functions enable our nurseries to deliver the best possible care and education to over 10,000 children across the UK. Through this support, our nurseries can deliver excellence – with 98% of our 270+ portfolio being rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.

We’re on a mission to change the future for children, families, and the people we work with, and are committed to progressive working values like flexibility, work-life balance, and wellbeing

• Act as the safeguarding escalation point for DSLs, Nursery Managers and operational teams.
• Provide safeguarding oversight across a designated region, including nursery visits and key safeguarding meetings.
• Coach and support DSLs to strengthen safeguarding practice and decision-making.
• Provide expert guidance on complex and high-risk safeguarding concerns.
• Promote compliance with safeguarding policies, procedures and statutory requirements.
• Support safeguarding improvements through audits, reviews and learning.
• Contribute to the Safeguarding Helpline, R2R calls and management of escalated concerns.
• Support the delivery of safeguarding training and induction programmes.

• Support settings where safeguarding concerns or improvement actions have been identified.
• Work with DSLs and operational teams to implement and monitor safeguarding improvement plans.
• Provide targeted safeguarding support, guidance and challenge where additional intervention is needed.
• Escalate concerns where safeguarding improvements are not being achieved.
• Embed learning from safeguarding incidents, investigations and inspections.
• Share safeguarding best practice and key learning to drive consistency across the region.

• Deliver safeguarding training, workshops and development sessions to Designated Safeguarding Leads and nursery teams.
• Coach leaders to strengthen safeguarding knowledge, confidence and decision-making.
• Reinforce safeguarding expectations, professional curiosity and effective safeguarding practice.
• Support colleagues to understand and apply statutory safeguarding responsibilities, escalation routes and reporting requirements.
• Identify gaps in safeguarding knowledge and capability and support targeted improvement activity.

• Build effective relationships with Nursery Managers, Regional Directors, operational leaders and Early Childhood Specialist colleagues.
• Work collaboratively with HR, Operations, and Early Childhood teams to deliver a joined-up approach to safeguarding.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with external safeguarding agencies and…