Head of Safeguarding (Diocesan Safeguarding Officer)
This role is for a senior leadership position with the independent authority of the Diocesan Bishop and Cathedral Dean, responsible for the professional oversight of safeguarding children, young people, and vulnerable adults across the Diocese of Liverpool.
Role Summary
The Diocesan Safeguarding Officer (DSO) provides strategic leadership to deliver the diocesan safeguarding strategy and ensure policies and practices protect children and vulnerable adults. The DSO embeds safeguarding in every area of diocesan life, works closely with senior clergy and external agencies, and leads a dedicated team to embed safeguarding culture.
Key Roles and Responsibilities
* Lead the Diocese’s safeguarding strategy and culture across the Diocese, working with the Diocesan Bishop, senior clergy, and other staff.
* Proactively engage with and support the work of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel and the DSAP.
* Respond to quality assurance and audit processes and manage the Diocesan response to safeguarding quality assurance practices.
* Prepare regular reports for DSAP, trustees, synod and other governing bodies to support oversight of safeguarding work.
* Ensure learning and reflective practice from safeguarding casework and serious incident reporting, commission or request reviews, and provide guidance to Bishop and other church officers on safeguarding matters.
* Implement, coordinate safeguarding codes of practice and House of Bishops guidance across the Diocese, and provide guidance, support, direction and challenge to safeguarding matters to Diocesan Bishop and other church officers.
* Coordinate safeguarding training across the Diocese, promote a culture of continuous learning and development around good safeguarding practice.
* Obtain, maintain, and share risk assessments, safety plans and safeguarding documentation.
* Lead response to safeguarding concerns or allegations against church officers in line with safeguarding policy and clergy risk regulations.
* Work collaboratively with police, local authorities and other organisations in any case where a child or vulnerable adult is suspected of having suffered abuse or is at risk of suffering abuse.
* Establish an effective escalation policy to resolve unresolved concerns or differences of opinion within the Diocese and the national safeguarding team.
* Coordinate response to those reporting abuse and implement the House of Bishop’s Policy and Responding well to Victims and Survivors of Abuse.
* Work with national safeguarding team to attend safeguarding training and learning events, ensuring professional supervision and quality assurance.
* Meet the requirements of the National Learning and Development Framework for Diocesan Safeguarding Officers by engaging in professional supervision and continued professional development.
Person Specification
Skills and Aptitudes
* Apply good safeguarding practice to deliver positive outcomes for children and adults.
* Transfer safeguarding outcomes to a non‑statutory organization and achieve good safeguarding outcomes.
* Provide clear strategic leadership for good safeguarding practice and healthy safeguarding cultures.
* Manage, support, and coach others to deliver good safeguarding practice.
* Communicate clearly and effectively to diverse stakeholders with authenticity and expertise, producing clear written records and reports.
* Deliver or contribute to the delivery of safeguarding training to safeguarding professionals and other stakeholders.
* Maintain confidentiality and work sensitively around those affected by safeguarding issues.
* Quality assure safeguarding practice, identity learning and make recommendations for improvement.
* Develop effective new ways of working for an organisation.
* Understand and navigate the complexity of working in a large organisation.
Knowledge and Experience
* Case worker lead responsibility in cases involving the protection and safeguarding of children and or adults (essential), with at least some statutory safeguarding agencies experience (desirable).
* Broad strategic leadership and management responsibility, leading a team to develop good safeguarding practice and healthy safeguarding cultures across an organisation.
* Experience of working within a framework of external audit and regulation.
* Detailed knowledge of and experience of applying safeguarding legislation, guidance and best practice.
* In‑depth knowledge of the statutory framework in relation to safeguarding children and adults.
* Experience of contributing to managing allegations against people in positions of trust.
* Experience of leading or contributing to case review processes and identifying learning, for example, Serious Case Reviews, Domestic Homicide Reviews.
* Up‑to‑date knowledge of research and evidence‑based practice models relevant to safeguarding.
* Experience of working with victims, survivors and perpetrators of abuse.
* Working with statutory and non‑statutory organisations in managing safeguarding allegations and assessing risk.
* Experience in providing supervision of staff in managing and coordinating safeguarding casework with children or adults.
* An understanding of Church of England structures and experience of working with the Church or other faith groups in respect of safeguarding children or vulnerable adults (desirable).
Personal Attributes
* The ability to inspire the trust, confidence and commitment across the diocese and nationally across church safeguarding.
* A strong value base and commitment to doing the right thing.
* A good understanding of self; how their personal history, life experiences and characteristics inform how they respond to safeguarding situations.
* Open to learning, self‑reflective and welcoming of feedback from others.
* A high level of personal resilience – working effectively in a pressured environment and under scrutiny.
* A strong commitment to equality and diversity.
* A broad sympathy with the aims and objectives of the Church of England.
Education and Qualifications
* A relevant professional qualification or the equivalent experience (for example, in social care or criminal justice), with current professional registration where applicable.
* Postgraduate qualification e.g. leadership and management / social work / public protection / community safety (desirable).
Essential Requirements
The post includes a requirement to travel to meetings throughout, and sometimes beyond, the Diocese when required, and to work flexibly outside of office hours as the needs of the post dictate. The post holder must also fully support the Values of the Diocese of Liverpool. References are taken and all roles are subject to a 6‑month probation period.
The post holder will be based at St James’ House, Liverpool. A flexible approach to working is required with regular travel across the dioceses and some work at weekends.
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