Job summary
Are you ready for your next challenge? Have you considered a career in safeguarding?
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our dedicated Safeguarding Team, working across Pan Bedfordshire within East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust. This is a rewarding role for an experienced and motivated professional who is passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people, families, and adults at risk.
As a Safeguarding Lead, you will play a key role in supporting and strengthening safeguarding practice across the organisation. Working alongside Named Professionals, the Head of Safeguarding, and wider system partners, you will provide expert safeguarding advice, supervision, leadership, training, and support to frontline staff.
You will champion a Think Family approach, promoting evidence-based practice and ensuring that safeguarding remains at the heart of all clinical services. The role offers opportunities to influence service development, contribute to safeguarding audits and training programmes, participate in multi-agency work, and support the learning and improvement culture across the Trust.
"Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 27/10/2026".
Main duties of the job
Main Responsibilities
This role is ideal for someone with strong safeguarding knowledge, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to partnership working. You will be an integral member of the locality leadership team, contributing to the delivery of high-quality, safe, and effective services.
Lead on the development of agreed areas of safeguarding practice across the Trust.
Provide specialist safeguarding advice, support, and leadership to staff on matters relating to children and adults at risk.
Promote and embed the Think Family approach across clinical services.
Support the effective clinical governance of safeguarding children and adult safeguarding processes.
Deliver safeguarding supervision and guidance to frontline practitioners.
Contribute to the design, delivery, and evaluation of safeguarding training programmes.
Participate in safeguarding audits and quality improvement activities.
Represent the safeguarding team at multi-agency meetings and sub-groups.
Work collaboratively with partner agencies to support learning from reviews and safeguarding practice developments.
Support safeguarding decision-making and advice within Single Point of Access services.
Act as a visible safeguarding leader, supporting colleagues and promoting best practice across the Trust.
About us
Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.
There's one reason why our services are outstanding - and that's our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.
If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.
Please be aware that East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust will never ask applicants to pay fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including job applications, sponsorship arrangements, or employment offers. All recruitment communications and job applications should only be made through our official careers website and published contact details.
If you receive a suspicious job offer or recruitment-related communication, do not make any payments, share personal information, or provide identity documents. We encourage you to report the matter to your local police or relevant law enforcement agency. Any concerns relating to potential recruitment fraud should also be reported to our Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS) as soon as possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are looking for an enthusiastic and knowledgeable professional who:
Has substantial experience of safeguarding children and/or adults at risk.
Demonstrates a strong understanding of current safeguarding legislation, policy, and guidance.
Has experience of providing advice, support, supervision, or training to colleagues.
Can build effective working relationships across organisations and professional groups.
Is committed to continuous improvement and high-quality patient care.
Shares our Trust values of Integrity, Compassion, Inclusion, and Ambition.
"Please see JD and PS for detailed responsibillities".
Person Specification
Qualification and training
Essential
- Registered Nurse/Health Visitor and/or Specialist Degree in Community or Public Health / Midwife/ Registered with Social Work England
- Evidence of professional development
- Degree or equivalent
- Evidence of further training/education in Safeguarding Children
Desirable
- NSPCC or other Trust accredited safeguarding supervision training or other relevant training.
- Recognised professional teaching qualification
Experience
Essential
- Relevant post qualification experience working in specialist practitioner role. ?Experience of working autonomously in their role working with children and young people.
- Relevant experience of safeguarding children and working with Families.
- Demonstrates a good understand of the Think Family model and is able to identify adults at risk
- Demonstrates a good understanding of Legislation and National Guidelines that drive safeguarding policy and practice. ?Knowledge/understanding of confidentiality issues. ?Knowledge of national and local safeguarding policies, guidelines and key recommendations.
- Knowledge of models of supervision
- Demonstrates knowledge relevant to patterns of abuse and neglect. ?Understands the assessment of need and harm.
Desirable
- Experience of providing clinical supervision and mentoring
- Experience of working in MASH or multi-agency setting
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Demonstrates an ability to identify and manage safeguarding concerns within current practice.
- Demonstrates an ability to remain child focused and facilitate the Think Family approach with health practitioners
- Demonstrates an ability to advise other agencies regarding the health needs of people.
- Demonstrates professional curiosity and the ability to manage appropriate professional challenge in safeguarding work.
- Ability to communicate effectively: verbally, in writing and via other media (ie power point, teaching presentations, )
- Ability to demonstrate effective team and multi-agency collaborative working.
- Able to demonstrate advanced report writing and presentation skills
- Ability to manage and organise workload including prioritising work as it presents itself to the safeguarding team. ?Ability to work to meet deadlines.
Desirable
- Supervision skills both individual and group facilitation skills.
- IT Skills.
Safeguarding Knowledge
Essential
- Has a good understanding of the nature of abuse and neglect and is able to interpret and act on information in order to protect people appropriately.
- Demonstrates a good understanding of current safeguarding issues and understands the wider safeguarding agenda.
- Can demonstrate how s/he has promoted 'best practice'.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust (Cambridge)
Address
Pan Bedfordshire
Bedford
MK427PN
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.eastofenglandcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Think Family Safeguarding lead in Bedford employer: Cambridge
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