Education Safeguarding Lead in Ipswich

This post is open to internal Suffolk County Council staff only. Fixed term/Secondment to support the Multi-agency Child Protection team, as part of the Families First Programme ending once the work is complete (12 weeks). We’re focused on making a meaningful difference to communities across Suffolk by listening to our people, learning from what they say and creating a culture of mutual respect, where everyone works together to achieve great things.

Your role and responsibilities:

• This is an exciting opportunity to bring your education knowledge into a fast-paced, multi-agency safeguarding environment where your insight will help shape decisions for children and young people at risk of significant harm.
• On a typical day, you may be working alongside colleagues from social care, health, police and education to consider safeguarding concerns, share specialist advice and ensure the education perspective is central to decision-making.
• The role entails providing specialist education input within the Multi-Agency Child Protection Team, ensuring safeguarding decisions, plans and interventions are fully informed by children’s educational context.
• You will use your skills and experience to:
• Act as the education representative within the MACPT, contributing specialist advice and analysis to safeguarding processes.
• Ensure educational factors such as attendance, exclusions, alternative provision, SEND and engagement in education are fully considered in risk assessments and decision-making.
• Contribute to multi-agency safeguarding activity, including strategy discussions, child protection processes and planning meetings.
• Provide education analysis and advice on individual cases to support robust, timely and proportionate safeguarding decisions.
• Work closely with schools, headteachers, designated Safeguarding Leads, SENCOs and other education professionals to share information, provide guidance and improve safeguarding practice.
• Identify and challenge educational risk, including persistent absence, inappropriate or reduced timetables, off rolling and unmet SEND needs.
• Act as a key link between the MACPT and education services, including Attendance, Children Missing Education, Elective Home Education, SEND and Alternative Provision.
• Contribute to multi-agency audits, reviews and learning activity, identifying themes and supporting improvement in practice.

You will play an important role in ensuring that vulnerable learners, including children with SEND, children not in school and those at risk of exclusion, are fully considered within safeguarding activity. The Multi-Agency Child Protection Team brings together professionals from education, social care, health and police to provide a coordinated, timely and effective response to children and young people at risk of significant harm.

This role represents the education service within the MACPT and is co-located with the team, working as a core safeguarding partner alongside multi-agency colleagues. You will ensure education information, insight and statutory responsibilities are fully embedded within safeguarding activity, and that the education perspective is central to risk assessment, planning and intervention.

You will also act as the key link between the MACPT and education services, settings and wider Inclusion teams, helping to ensure risks linked to attendance, exclusion, SEND and children not in school are identified, understood and addressed.

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation.

At Suffolk County Council, our WE ASPIRE values set out the behaviours expected from everyone in the organisation, regardless of role, grade or where they work. These values were developed through feedback and input from employees and underpin how we go about our everyday work.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.

We hope you’ll bring a strong education background, sound safeguarding knowledge and the confidence to work collaboratively with a wide range of professionals. Just as importantly, you’ll bring curiosity, professional judgement and a commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people.

You will need:

• A degree level qualification or equivalent experience in education or a related field.
• A strong professional background within education, such as teaching, safeguarding, inclusion or a related area.
• Evidence of continued professional development in safeguarding and/or education.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance, including Working Together to Safeguard Children and Keeping Children Safe in Education.
• A good understanding of the education systems and responsibilities, including attendance, exclusions, alternative provision, Children Missing Education and SEND.
• Experience of working with vulnerable children and young people within an education or children’s services context.
• Experience of safeguarding practice within education settings, ideally including experience as a Designated Safeguarding Lead or equivalent.
• The ability to analyse complex information and apply professional judgement to safeguarding decisions.
• Confidence working in multi-agency environments, contributing to joint decision-making and planning.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across agencies.
• The ability to manage competing demands and work effectively under pressure in a fast-paced safeguarding environment.
• An understanding of confidentiality, data protection and information sharing requirements in safeguarding contexts.

It would also be helpful if you have experience of working with children with SEND or additional needs, knowledge of local authority education and inclusion services, or experience of working with children at risk of harm or in child protection processes.

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career.

In return, you’ll enjoy:

• Up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days.
• Membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits.
• Performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase.
• Training and encouragement to expand your knowledge.
• A variety of career development opportunities across our organisation.
• Diverse and active staff networks.
• Flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day.