Safeguarding Adviser

Support the Church of England’s commitment to creating a safer environment by managing safeguarding concerns and ensuring that appropriate safeguarding measures are in place.

Job title: Cathedral Safeguarding Adviser (CSA)
Line managed by: Diocesan Safeguarding Officer (DSO)
Employer: Blackburn Diocesan Board of Finance Ltd
Salary: £15,368 per annum (FTE 38,420 per annum)
Hours: 14 hours per week
Location: Blackburn Cathedral,Cathedral Close, Blackburn, BB1 5AA

About The Diocese of Blackburn

The Diocese of Blackburn represents the Church of England in most of Lancashire and part of Wigan Metropolitan Borough, covering an area of 878 square miles with a population of 1.3 million. The Diocese is made up of two archdeaconries, Blackburn and Lancaster, with a total of fourteen Deaneries. There are 281 Churches, comprising around 226 parishes, with around 250 clergy (c.200 stipendiary) and 230 licensed Readers.

Blackburn Cathedral is one of England’s newest cathedrals, yet one of the country’s oldest places of Christian worship. God has been worshipped on this site for over 1,500 years and we are a vibrant community serving the people of Lancashire.

About The Role

We are looking for a person who can apply good safeguarding practice in a way that delivers positive outcomes for children and adults at Blackburn Cathedral. You will need a relevant professional qualification, and substantial practitioner experience. It’s essential that you have up to date knowledge of statutory safeguarding guidance and legislation, and significant experience in managing safeguarding cases. If you are a team player and passionate about safeguarding, then we would love to hear from you.

The Cathedral Safeguarding Adviser (CSA) will support the Church of England’s commitment to creating a safer environment by managing safeguarding concerns, conducting risk assessments, and ensuring that appropriate safeguarding measures are in place. The role involves working closely with Cathedral staff and clergy, survivors, statutory agencies, and other safeguarding professionals to promote best practices in safeguarding children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

Our Diocesan Safeguarding Team is key in delivering on this commitment. The CSA will be embedded within the Diocesan Safeguarding Team which consists of four safeguarding professionals; the DSO, an Assistant Diocesan Safeguarding Officer, a Safeguarding Case Worker, and a Training Officer all supported by a Safeguarding Administrator.

Following an independent audit at both the Cathedral and Diocese we are currently seeking to grow and develop the Cathedral’s safeguarding function. This is an opportunity for an experienced and motivated professional to help shape and deliver our safeguarding work at the Cathedral.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Joint Cathedral and Diocesan working

• Safeguarding arrangements between the Diocese and the Cathedral are formalised within a Service Level Agreement.
• Where an allegation or concern is raised in connection with a Church Officer, the Cathedral Safeguarding Adviser must report to, and consult with the DSO and agree a plan for response, including case lead, respective roles, responsibilities and action.
• The Cathedral Safeguarding Adviser (CSA) has operational authority within the Cathedral, subject to agreement with the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer.

The following responsibilities are arranged according to the Church of England’s five National Safeguarding Standards.

Standard 1: Organisational culture, leadership and capacity

Church bodies have safe and healthy cultures, effective leadership, resourcing and scrutiny arrangements necessary to deliver high-quality safeguarding practices and outcomes.

The CSA will lead the Cathedral’s work on this standard by:

• Working with the DSO, Chapter, Dean, other senior clergy, the Chief Operating Officer, other senior staff, relevant Cathedral committees and structures, the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel and key diocesan staff to support, develop and improve the safeguarding practice and culture across the Cathedral.
• Cooperating with and supporting the work of the relevant Cathedral committees and structures and the Diocesan
  Safeguarding Advisory Panel as required.
• Supporting the Cathedral’s response to ongoing safeguarding quality assurance and audit processes.
• Escalating safeguarding concerns or issues to the appropriate body, such as the Diocesan Safeguarding Team, and/or the relevant statutory safeguarding agency, including the Charity Commission, and/or the National Safeguarding Team, as the situation requires.
• Ensuring that appropriate learning and reflective practice takes place across the Cathedral and contributing to learning within the Diocese arising from safeguarding casework, and referring to the DSO where required in relation to commissioning or requesting safeguarding practice reviews.

Standard 2: Prevention

Church bodies have in place a planned range of measures which together are effective in preventing abuse in their context.

The CSA will lead the Cathedral’s work on this standard by:

• Co-ordinating the implementation of House of Bishop’s safeguarding policy and practice guidance in the Cathedral.
• Giving advice, support, direction and challenge, as required, to the Dean, Chapter and other church officers across the Cathedral and where necessary escalating any concerns to the DSO.
• Providing, or co-ordinating, in partnership with the Diocesan Safeguarding Training Officer, and Diocesan Safeguarding Administrator, and the Cathedral administrative team, the provision of, safeguarding training across the Cathedral, according to the Church of England’s Safeguarding Learning and Development Framework .

Standard 3: Responding to and managing risk

Risk assessments, safety plans and associated processes are of a high quality and result in positive outcomes. The assessment and management of risk is underpinned by effective partnership working.

The CSA will lead the Cathedral’s progress on this standard by:

• Ensuring that all allegations and concerns relating to Church Officers and members of the clergy are reported to, and a plan is agreed with, the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer (DSO) and/or relevant members of the National Safeguarding Team (NST).
• Leading and coordinating all aspects of safeguarding casework within the Cathedral, ensuring that all work is completed in line with House of Bishop’s safeguarding policy and guidance and all other relevant statutory guidance and legal responsibilities.

The CSA will lead the Cathedral’s progress on this standard by:

• Ensuring that all allegations and concerns relating to Church Officers and members of the clergy are reported to, and a plan is agreed with, the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer (DSO) and/or relevant members of the National Safeguarding Team (NST).
• Leading and coordinating all aspects of safeguarding casework within the Cathedral, ensuring that all work is completed in line with House of Bishop’s safeguarding policy and guidance and all other relevant statutory guidance and legal responsibilities.

Standard 4: Victims and Survivors

Victims and survivors experience the timeliness and quality of Church bodies’ responses to disclosures, and their subsequent support, as positively meeting their needs, including their search for justice and helping their healing process.

The CSA will lead the Cathedral’s progress on this standard by:

• Coordinating the Cathedral’s response to those reporting abuse.

Standard 5: Learning, supervision and support

All those engaged in safeguarding-related activity in Church bodies receive the type and level of learning, professional development, support and supervision necessary to respond to safeguarding situations, victims and survivors, and respondents, effectively.

The CSA will lead the Cathedral’s progress on this standard by:

• Working collaboratively with the Diocesan and National Safeguarding Team and other Church of England
  Safeguarding Officers and attending national safeguarding events and activities as required.
• Engaging in professional supervision and quality assurance with the DSO and engaging in continual professional development.

Key Relationships

In the Cathedral, the Dean provides leadership concerning safeguarding, supported by Chapter and the senior leadership team requiring good working relationships with both clergy and lay colleagues.

It is essential that the CSA forms excellent working relationships with key people in the Diocese, including: the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer (DSO), the safeguarding team and other relevant staff; the chair and membership of diocesan safeguarding governance structures e.g., the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel (DSAP) and relevant sub-groups; and in the National Safeguarding Team.

Relevant officers in the various statutory authorities: the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO); key officers from local authority adult social care and children’s services and associated partnership arrangements); Probation Service, including officers responsible for Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA); Police officers from key teams; and health services.

Each locality has its own demography and challenges – it is essential to have good connections with colleagues in relevant local third sector agencies, including those working in the fields of homelessness, poverty, domestic abuse, mental health, substance misuse, refugee support, language and learning support, etc. Adults and children who are using, have used or may use the services of the Cathedral, particularly in relation to safeguarding.

Person Specification

Please see the document below for full person specification.

Outline of Terms and Conditions

Employer: Blackburn Diocesan Board of Finance

Contract type: Permanent

Salary: £15,368 per annum (FTE 38,420 per annum)

Hours: This is a part-time role based on a 14-hour working week, but the post holder may be required to work additional hours as to meet the reasonable requirements of the role. The post holder will be entitled to time off in lieu for atending meetings outside normal office hours which may include evenings and weekends.

Location: The post holder will be based at Blackburn Cathedral, Cathedral Close, Blackburn, BB1 5AA. The nature of the role requires travel between the diocesan office at Clayton House in Blackburn and the Cathedral, and occasionally beyond. A smartphone and laptop will be provided to assist remote working. Pension: The default for staff is a Royal London Pension Scheme, 10% Employer contribution 2% minimum employee contribution.

Annual leave: The full-time entitlement is 25 days (not including statutory bank holidays) in the first year of employment rising by 1 day per completed calendar year up to a maximum of 30 days per year. Annual leave including bank holidays is pro rota for part time employees. The holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December.

Probationary period: The appointment is subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period. Notice Period: During the six-month probationary period 4-weeks’ notice is required on either party. Thereafter you will be required to give 12-weeks’ notice should you wish to resign.

Expenses: Working expenses are paid at the Diocesan rates.

Employee Assistance Programme: Employees of the BDBF are entitled to the Medicash Employee Assistance Programme following their second month of employment. Medicash is available to all employees whose contracts exceed 3 months from their continuous start date.

Right to work: The post-holder must have the right to reside and work in the UK.

Diversity: The Diocese of Blackburn believes that diversity enables us to thrive and develop and is committed to race equality, welcoming applications from UK Minority Ethnic/ Global Majority Heritage backgrounds

Safeguarding: The Diocese of Blackburn and Blackburn Cathedral are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment and may be required to have a disclosure and barring service check.

How to apply

To apply for this position, please follow the link below.

The Dean and Chapter recognise that discrimination and victimisation is unacceptable and that it is in the interests of the organisation and its employees to utilise the skills of the total workforce.

It is the aim of the organisation to ensure that no employee or job applicant receives less favourable facilities or treatment (either directly or indirectly) in recruitment or employment on grounds of age, disability, gender, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Safeguarding

Blackburn Cathedral is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to align with this and our recruitment processes reflect this commitment.

Pre-Employment Checks

Please note that all offers of employment are subject to pre-employment checks which will include receipt of satisfactory references and, where required, either basic or enhanced DBS clearance.

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