Safeguarding & Welfare Officer in London

About Us

Newham College London, now merged with NewVIc Sixth Form College, is the largest post-16 education provider in Newham. With campuses in East Ham, Stratford, Plaistow, and the London City Institute of Technology (LCIoT) in Canning Town, we serve over 11,000 students across a range of pathways – including 16–18 study, adult education, apprenticeships, and higher education. With over 600 staff, four main campuses, and an annual turnover of £60 million, Newham College is one of the borough’s largest employers and plays a key role in driving local economic and community development.

The Role

The Safeguarding and Welfare Officer plays a leading role in ensuring students are safeguarded and that the personal development of students, through promoting awareness of their role in modern society and through the provision of appropriate personal support that aims to remove barriers to achievement and maximise potential. This position is term-time only.

Key responsibilities:

• Work with an allocated caseload of students, as determined through self-disclosure of safeguarding, welfare or social need or through referral by curriculum staff, to identify potential barriers to achievement and work with the students to address these and develop the confidence and resilience needed to succeed.
• To be a named member of the safeguarding team and hold a key responsibility for the safeguarding of students, reporting safeguarding concerns in accordance with College policy.
• Work with the DSL and Safeguarding Manager to raise awareness and deliver training regarding safeguarding themes and topics to staff and students, update information on posters, VLE and website.
• Work with students in groups and one to one so that they understand the skills and qualities that will support them making progress with their life goals and how action planning, their education and training, can equip them with the behaviours and attitudes necessary for employability and success in the future.
• Work with these students to develop, implement and monitor support strategies, referring students to both internal and external support agencies where appropriate.
• Contribute to the delivery and implementation of enrichment activities that allow all students to explore personal, social and ethical issues and take an active part in life in wider society, whilst promoting British and college values.
• Help students to comply with college guidelines for behaviour and conduct and to help students manage their own behaviour in the College.
• Ensure students receiving support or intervention are allocated with the correct risk indicators on the safeguarding systems.
• Liaise effectively with all other support services such as counselling, bursary and additional learning support in order to offer a full range of support for students.
• Contribute to students’ understanding of their rights and responsibilities as a student and as citizens in the community; and how well they work cooperatively with others in all settings and promote good and productive working relationships with their peers.
• Work as an active member of the Student Experience Team alongside the Head of Student Experience and Safeguarding Manager in the self‑assessment process for the team.
• Support a culture of continuous improvement through contributing to the use of rigorous self‑assessment processes.
• Implement strategies to maintain a safe working environment, adopting procedures and practices to ensure safe working conditions and ensuring students and staff comply with any relevant safety standards.
• Support the Safeguarding Coordinator in the preparation of enrichment materials to ensure effective promotion of the elements of Personal, Social and Employability skills, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Safeguarding.
• Liaise with parents, carers and external agencies, where applicable, establishing effective working relationships and providing timely and accurate information.
• Work with other departments to provide relevant information, advice and guidance to prospective students, e.g. open days, Interview session, enrolment and student events.

Our Ideal candidate should have the following qualifications, skills and experience:

• Level 2 in Maths and English or equivalent.
• Level 3 safeguarding and/or Mental Health First aid trained.
• Level 3 IAG qualification.
• Knowledge of frameworks, legislation, regulations and requirements of the sector and how these relate to the role.
• Knowledge of the national and local priorities for young people and adults.
• Knowledge of key developments relating to child protection and safeguarding.
• Experience of making positive impact through working directly with young people aged 14‑19 involving the assessment of needs and provision of advice, information and support.
• Experience of working with young people and adults to develop their employability, social, behaviour and personal skills to successfully achieve their programme of study.
• Experience of working with a number of different support agencies, both within an education setting or in the wider community, for example signposting students with mental health concerns to the appropriate support service.
• An understanding of and empathy with the challenges of working with learners from diverse backgrounds.
• Have excellent interpersonal skills needed to develop positive and supportive professional relationships with students, teachers, parents/carers, external agencies and the wider community.
• Good communication skills both written and oral to include being able to maintain accurate and up to date records in a timely fashion.
• Initiative and ability to prioritise one’s own workload and work to tight deadlines.
• Ability to improve own practice/knowledge through self‑evaluation and learning from others.
• Knowledge and experience of using ICT packages systems and equipment effectively.

Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults

In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education, all employment offers are subject to employment checks. These include (some of which are dependent on the role and the individual): Enhanced DBS including Children’s Barred List check, DfE teaching/management Barred List check, online searches, overseas criminal record check, evidence of identity and Right to Work in the UK, satisfactory references, confirmation of medical fitness, evidence of relevant qualifications and a check of previous employment history.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The College has a strong commitment to the implementation of equality of opportunity in both service delivery and employment. The College’s mission and strategic objectives directly support this aim. All employees are required to actively support the development, dissemination and implementation of this aim and related policies and programmes.