Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel Member - Criminal Justice Specialist

No child should ever suffer harm, abuse or neglect, and reducing this is the primary focus of the independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. Set up by the UK Government in 2018, the Panel reviews all cases when children die or are seriously harmed, and abuse or neglect is known or suspected. The aim is to see what lessons can be drawn from these tragic incidents to prevent them from happening again elsewhere.

The Panel brings together a range of experts who have a strong understanding of the multi-agency safeguarding system, with experience working in child safeguarding across health, children’s social care, policing, education and the third sector. It currently consists of a chair and eight other members, including the Chief Social Worker for Children and Families. The Panel has the power to commission national reviews of serious child safeguarding incidents which it believes are complex or have issues of national importance. Improvements identified by the Panel’s national reviews help the Government and those who work with children to better safeguard and promote their welfare.

The independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel is looking for a new member with a background in criminal justice. Under the leadership of a Chair, Panel members are responsible for looking at serious child safeguarding incidents notified to the Panel to determine whether learning could be identified through further analysis or a national review. Responsibilities include leading reviews, supervising fieldwork, undertaking analysis and other activity supporting the Panel’s remit. Members are also responsible for supporting the dissemination of learning identified by the Panel to those involved in child safeguarding.

It is a varied role, which includes working with Ministers and senior government officials, supervising fieldwork, undertaking analysis and disseminating learning to those working in child safeguarding. We are looking for individuals with experience working strategically and operationally in child protection. However, the successful candidate will be appointed to fill this role as an individual acting in the public interest and not as a representative of their particular profession, employer or interest group.

The appointment will begin in November 2025 and the successful candidate will be required to commit up to 10 days a month, including attending fortnightly Panel meetings (either virtually or in-person in London). They must also be available to attend ad hoc meetings with key stakeholders, as well as working with a Secretariat.

• Drawing on your professional expertise and experience to contribute to Panel decisions and analysis of cases at fortnightly Panel meetings.
• Ensuring the Panel’s reviews identify any improvements that should be made by safeguarding partners or others to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
• Leading Panel national reviews and other analytical activity supporting the Panel’s role and remit.
• Supporting the dissemination of learning identified by the Panel.
• Building and maintaining positive relationships with multi-agency safeguarding partners and practitioners so that up-to-date understanding of child safeguarding, and practice challenges informs your contribution to Panel debate and decisions.
• Providing a regional lead for safeguarding partners in an allocated region, including strategic engagement with safeguarding partners in the region, conversations about general or specific issues relating to the Panel’s work and, where appropriate, speaking at regional events.

We welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience. Applicants will be assessed against the following criteria. In your application you should demonstrate clearly how you meet each of the following requirements of the post.

• Candidate will have a background in criminal justice, which could be from probation, youth justice or the domestic violence sector. They will have experience at senior management level and will be able to evidence working strategically at this level.
• As well as understanding the multi-agency challenges of safeguarding children, the candidate should be able to demonstrate good understanding of safeguarding roles and responsibilities in a criminal justice context. They should also demonstrate good knowledge of, and expertise in working in a multi-agency safeguarding system.
• Strong interpersonal skills including: the ability and confidence to make and be accountable for impartial, effective and timely decisions drawing on professional experience and knowledge; ability to work collaboratively and effectively with others in a professional decision-making forum; excellent communication skills; and the ability to negotiate between conflicting opinions and values, generating options to reach consensus and deal with difficult situations sensitively.
• The ability to critically analyse information and synthesise evidence about practice in order to take a strategic perspective on areas for improvement and change, locally and nationally.
• Strong leadership skills to drive forward individual strands of work from scoping through to communication of the final results.
• Candidates should also be able to demonstrate good understanding about how issues about equalities, inclusion, and diversity can affect safeguarding practice.

The closing date for applications is 12noon on 30th June 2025. To find further information on this vacancy and how to apply please go to the UK Government Public Appointments Website.