Are you an experienced social worker looking for a new challenge? Are you committed to ensuring that the safeguarding of children is central to all professional decision making across our city? If so this could be your next exciting role!
Our Children's Safeguarding Unit are looking to recruit a Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) working full time hours
The LADO is a statutory post in which you must act upon all cases where it has been alleged that a person who works or volunteers with children has:
* behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child
* possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child
* behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children
* behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children
The team manage all allegations made against professionals who are in a position of trust and take responsibility for ensuring that appropriate safeguards are immediately put into place to safeguard children.
You will join our established, friendly and supportive LADO team which sits within the wider service of the Safeguarding Unit. Due to the nature of the role, you will report directly to the SQAU Service Manager. This hybrid role with a mix of office (Unity House) and home working. We value our team and are passionate about your development and you will receive support in your role through regular 1:1 supervision.
What will you be doing?
* You will screen and co-ordinate information in relation to all allegations made against professionals, ensuring that information is shared with relevant key professionals, such as the police, HR and employers.
* Provide advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations about what is an allegation, a concern about the quality of care or practice or a complaint.
* Provide advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations on how to deal with allegations against people who work with children.
* Develop and maintain effective working relationships with partners and stakeholders
* Support the development and maintain a robust system for quality assurance and performance management.
* Report on activity and outcomes at business meetings and support the production of high-quality annual report.
* Raise awareness of the management of allegations across the partnerships and wider community, so there is a consistent approach across the city
* Ensure that allegations made against people who work with children are dealt with in a fair and proportionate way
* Actively participate in local, regional and national forums to inform a best practice approach.
* Liaise with senior managers, elected members and press office on high profile cases
You will be responsible for convening and chairing multi-agency Managing Allegation Meetings where the threshold for LADO intervention is met.
To ensure policies and procedures are followed to safeguard children, you will provide training to partner agencies to raise the awareness of the LADO.
About you
This is a great opportunity to use your skills and expertise to manage a busy and varied caseload ensuring safeguarding of children is paramount and central to all decision making.
* The role requires a Social Work qualification where you can evidence you have experience in working in a fast paced work environment where referrals received require a timely response, that you have experience in safeguarding children and are able to recognise, analyse and manage risk.
* Ability to translate complex ideas and information into meaningful and ‘user-friendly’ information; ability to ‘tell the story’.
* To remain positive under challenging circumstances.
* To demonstrate initiative, confidence, and personal responsibility for action especially where solutions or ways forward are not clear.
* To be a skilled communicator who communicates with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm and is able to demonstrate integrity, create rapport and build trust and confidence.
* Ability to contribute to the development of positive and supportive team working relationships.
* To be determined and consistently persist with actions to achieve outcomes
* Analytical skills and using insight to inform change and plans.
* Be committed to your own professional development.
* Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office Systems and LCS
Interested in finding out more?
For an informal discussion in relation to the post please contact Vickie Hollingworth, Service Manager vickie.hollingworth@salford.gov.uk .
Interviews will be held in person at Unity House on Monday 8th December and will consist of a series of questions by an panel interview
Please be aware that this post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. If you have lived or worked abroad for 3 months or more in the last 5 years or 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years whilst aged 18 or over, please refer to the link below for details for how to obtain your Certificates of Good Character.
If you have completed the GM Elevate Leadership Development Programme within the last 2 years, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.
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