At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead child protection reviews and ensure high-quality outcomes for children and families.
- Company: Westminster City Council, dedicated to safeguarding and supporting communities.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and a chance to make a real difference.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for continuous learning and growth.
- Why this job: Join a passionate team making impactful changes in children's lives.
- Qualifications: Social work qualification and strong knowledge of child protection legislation required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Westminster City Council is seeking an experienced and passionate Safeguarding and Reviewing Chair to help deliver excellent outcomes for children, young people and families. This is a pivotal role providing independent oversight, challenge and quality assurance across child protection and children looked after services. You will work within a strong systemic practice framework, valuing relationships, collaboration and meaningful engagement with children and families, while ensuring compliance with statutory duties and safeguarding responsibilities.
The purpose of this role is to provide a consistent, high-quality and child-centred service through the chairing and management of statutory reviews for children who are Looked After and Child Protection Case Conferences. The role is grounded in the legislative and statutory framework including:
- Children Acts 1989 and 2004
- Adoption and Children Act 2002
- IRO Regulations
- Working Together to Safeguard Children
- Children and Social Work Act 2017
- London Child Protection Procedures
You will also act as a source of expert advice and consultation, supporting social workers, managers and partner agencies in complex safeguarding and care‑planning matters.
Key Responsibilities
- Chair Child Protection Case Conferences and statutory reviews for children in care, ensuring effective decision-making, timely reviews and full compliance with statutory timescales.
- Provide timely, high-quality written records and clear, measurable actions arising from reviews and conferences.
- Ensure practice is child-centred, promotes participation and fully reflects children’s wishes, feelings and lived experience.
- Support and embed a systemic practice approach, valuing relationships, reflection and dialogue to create meaningful change with families.
- Provide independent scrutiny of Care Plans, Child Protection Plans, PEPs and EHCPs, ensuring plans are outcome-focused, robust and promote permanence.
- Challenge poor practice constructively and escalate concerns as required through the established Issues Resolution Process, including referral to CAFCASS where necessary.
- Act as a Safeguarding Advisor, offering consultation and guidance to professionals, partner agencies and the public.
- Contribute to LADO responsibilities, including chairing strategy meetings and providing advice.
- Undertake quality assurance activity such as audits, midway reviews, threshold work and practice evaluations.
- Work effectively with multi‑agency partners to ensure joined‑up, SMART planning that improves safety and outcomes.
- Contribute to continuous service improvement, training and workforce development across Westminster and the wider safeguarding partnership.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, research and evidence-based practice in safeguarding and child protection.
About You
You will be an experienced social work professional with the confidence, authority and emotional intelligence to chair complex, multi‑agency discussions and provide independent challenge.
Essential Requirements
- DipSW (or equivalent professional social work qualification)
- Strong knowledge of child protection legislation, guidance and London Child Protection Procedures
- Experience of safeguarding practice with children and families
- Experience working with children who are Looked After or Care Leavers
- Excellent communication, facilitation and report‑writing skills
- Ability to challenge respectfully, escalate concerns and influence practice
- Ability to build effective relationships with families and partner agencies
Desirable
- Systemic Practice qualification
- Experience chairing Child Protection Conferences and Looked After Reviews
- Experience working within Signs of Safety or similar frameworks
- Experience of LADO processes
- Experience contributing to policy development or workforce training
Our Values
At Westminster City Council, everything we do is guided by our values: Putting communities first – including children and families in decisions that affect their lives; Respect – recognising and valuing diversity, culture and lived experience; Integrity – acting with honesty, openness and accountability; Working together – collaborating across services and with partners to deliver the best outcomes.
Safer Recruitment Statement
Westminster City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, satisfactory references and verification of qualifications and employment history. Any appointment will be conditional on these checks being completed satisfactorily.
Child Protection Advisor - Westminster employer: Tripod Partners
Contact Detail:
Tripod Partners Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Child Protection Advisor - Westminster
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the child protection field, attend relevant events, and engage with professionals on platforms like LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of child protection legislation and frameworks. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with the role's responsibilities, especially around chairing meetings and working collaboratively with families and agencies.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your passion for safeguarding! During interviews, share specific examples of how you've made a difference in children's lives or improved practices in previous roles. This will demonstrate your commitment and expertise in the field.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search and genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Child Protection Advisor - Westminster
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the role of Child Protection Advisor. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t just list your qualifications; demonstrate how your skills in safeguarding and child protection have made a difference in your previous roles. We want to see real examples of your impact!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use bullet points where necessary to make it easy for us to read through your experiences and achievements.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to the right people and shows your enthusiasm for joining our team at Westminster City Council.
How to prepare for a job interview at Tripod Partners
✨Know Your Legislation
Make sure you brush up on the key legislation and frameworks mentioned in the job description, like the Children Acts and the IRO Regulations. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you’re not just familiar with the role but also understand the legal context in which you’ll be working.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare specific examples from your past work where you've successfully chaired meetings or managed complex safeguarding cases. Highlight how you’ve made decisions that prioritised children's welfare and how you’ve engaged with families and multi-agency partners.
✨Demonstrate Your Communication Skills
Since this role requires excellent communication and facilitation skills, practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. You might even want to do a mock interview with a friend to get comfortable discussing your approach to challenging conversations and decision-making.
✨Emphasise Your Child-Centred Approach
Be ready to discuss how you ensure that children’s voices are heard in your work. Share examples of how you’ve promoted participation and reflected children’s wishes in your previous roles, as this aligns perfectly with the values of Westminster City Council.