Army Cadet Safeguarding Manager in Aldershot

The Safeguarding Casework Manager plays a critical role in delivering the Cadet Branch safeguarding agenda, ensuring that all safeguarding concerns are assessed promptly, consistently, and in line with statutory and organisational standards. The role requires confident leadership of complex safeguarding casework, supporting decision-making, contributing to briefings, and working in close partnership with a wide range of stakeholders across Defence, wider government, and the voluntary sector.

Based within the Army Cadet Safeguarding Hub in Aldershot, the postholder will lead and oversee a team of caseworkers undertaking safeguarding enquiries across the Army Cadets. This includes directing and quality assuring investigations, making defensible, child‑centred decisions, and ensuring appropriate referrals are made to external agencies such as Children’s Social Care, the Police, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), where required.

The role demands strong professional judgement, experience in child protection, and the ability to operate effectively within multi‑agency environments. The postholder will engage with a broad range of stakeholders, including young people, families, adult volunteers, and staff, alongside representatives from statutory and third‑sector organisations. They will provide expert safeguarding leadership, advice, and guidance, contributing to a culture of safeguarding excellence across the organisation.

As a safeguarding manager, the role includes leading and managing caseworkers, ensuring high standards of practice and supporting continuous professional development within the team. This position offers an excellent opportunity for experienced safeguarding professionals from backgrounds such as Social Work, Youth Work, Education, or Policing to apply their expertise within a growing national youth organisation. It requires resilience, adaptability, and the ability to manage a team with diverse professional backgrounds, overseeing complex caseloads across a wide geographical area, including occasional travel within the UK and overseas.

While the role is primarily delivered during standard weekday hours, there is a requirement for flexibility to engage with volunteers and young people outside of core working hours. Participation in an out‑of‑hours duty rota may also be required, with additional allowances where applicable.

• Promote a child‑centred approach, ensuring the welfare and wellbeing of children is always the primary consideration.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and support to safeguarding caseworkers, including line management and supervision responsibilities, to ensure consistent practice and continuous improvement.
• Act as one of three regional management leads for safeguarding concerns, disclosures, and referrals, providing expert advice and coordinating effective responses.
• Manage and oversee safeguarding casework, ensuring all activity is compliant with national legislation, statutory guidance, and Army Cadet policies and procedures.
• Direct safeguarding enquiries and investigations, making informed and defensible decisions regarding the suitability of individuals to remain within the organisation.
• Apply sound professional judgement to complex safeguarding decisions, maintaining clear and auditable rationale.
• Build and sustain effective multi‑agency partnerships, attending and contributing to safeguarding meetings both internally and externally.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and comprehensive record keeping, including the completion of all case documentation to a high standard.
• Make appropriate referrals to statutory and regulatory bodies, including LADO, DBS, Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland), and Access Northern Ireland.
• Participate in professional supervision and actively engage in continuous professional development.
• Maintain and apply up‑to‑date knowledge of safeguarding legislation and guidance, including Working Together to Safeguard Children, the Data Protection Act 2018, and UK GDPR.