Freelance Safegurding Consultant

Location: Nationwide, with travel

About tiney

tiney is England's largest Ofsted-regulated Childminder Agency (CMA). We recruit, train, register, and support home-based childminders, and take on ongoing regulatory responsibility for the quality and safeguarding of every childminding setting in our network. We currently work with over 1,100 tiney-registered childminders across England, supporting more than 10,000 families with high-quality, flexible childcare.

The role

We are building a pool of experienced freelance safeguarding consultants to support our safeguarding visit programme and panel work across England. This is a field-based, per-assignment role for highly experienced early years safeguarding practitioners who want flexible work that makes a genuine difference. Consultants work alongside tiney's employed safeguarding team in three ways:

• Supporting pre-registration and post-registration safeguarding panel decisions, contributing professional judgement to case reviews and suitability assessments.
• Conducting announced visits to childminders' settings — for example, monitoring compliance prior to lifting a suspension, or carrying out a 'check-in' visit following a period of regulatory action.
• Acting as the second practitioner on unannounced safeguarding visits alongside a tiney panel member, contributing observations and professional judgement in real time.

Key responsibilities

• Safeguarding panel support: Contribute to pre-registration and post-registration safeguarding panel decisions, reviewing cases and providing professional judgement on childminder suitability.
• Announced regulatory visits: Conduct announced visits to childminders' settings following a period of regulatory action, such as monitoring compliance prior to lifting a suspension or follow-up 'check-in' visits.
• Unannounced safeguarding visits: Attend unannounced visits to childminders' settings alongside a tiney panel member. Make professional observations and contribute to the live risk assessment throughout the visit.

Person specification

Essential:

• Extensive frontline experience working with children in the early years.
• A Level 3 qualification (or above) specifically in Early Years.
• Experience in a lead safeguarding role, such as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or equivalent.
• Substantial, current knowledge of safeguarding procedures, child protection frameworks, and relevant legislation.
• Strong observational skills and the ability to identify safeguarding risk.
• Excellent written English; able to produce accurate, concise visit reports and case summaries.
• Ability to travel across England.

Desirable:

• Experience in a regulatory or inspection role within education.
• Hold a valid Paediatric First Aid certificate.

What’s in it for you

A meaningful role in a mission-driven company that’s shaping the future of early education. This is a freelance role payable on submission of a monthly invoice. Our safeguarding consultant roles are nationwide (England only); we have vacancies available in the North, South, East and West. Flexibility: work the hours that you want to - you will be engaged on a per visit/per assignment basis.

Our Values

• Play is a superpower – Our Joy and creativity fuels our innovation.
• Curious Minds See More - We ask why? and are always open to learning.
• Reach High - We set long term ambitious targets to achieve our ambitious goals.
• You Grow Stronger After a fall – We lead with openness and trust.
• We’re Better Together - We are a collective of experts focused on serving children, families and our community of childminders.

Our Commitment

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity, foster inclusion, and are committed to building a team that reflects the children and communities we serve.