Safeguarding Advisor

Safeguarding Advisor

Location: UK Flexible, Homeworking or Hybrid working from a local office

Hours: 21 hours per week, core hours are 8am to 6pm flexible. This is a 7 day service staffed to 9pm so evening and weekend on-calls are required on a rota basis. (Hours discussed at interview)

Contract type: Permanent

Salary: £36,056 per annum pro rata based on 35 hours per week.

Could you help expand our safeguarding framework and culture to staff and volunteers across the UK and abroad? Are you confident in responding and addressing adult and child safeguarding concerns? Can you provide assurance that safeguarding concerns are being dealt with appropriately at all levels?

Purpose of the role

The Safeguarding Advisor will support British Red Cross staff and volunteers across the UK; providing support and guidance on safeguarding concerns relating particularly to adults at risk of abuse with knowledge of children’s safeguarding also required. They work will alongside other Safeguarding Advisors and report into the Safeguarding Manager. We are looking for someone with specific Health/Health Adjacent experience.

The Safeguarding Advice Team will provide standardised, high quality guidance and support to all of our people, and senior management, as required, including out of hours, to ensure that all safeguarding concerns are: responded to effectively; recorded accurately; and, actions arising from these concerns, including statutory notifications, are completed in a timely and appropriate manner.

A day in the life of a Safeguarding Advisor will include;

• Providing specialist safeguarding advice and support to staff and volunteers.

• Second line support to advise on complex adult at risk and child safeguarding matters to preserve life and prevent significant harm or abuse.

• Ability to work independently within processes and statutory guidelines whilst interpreting and adapting to suit a variety of situations

capable of negotiating with variety of statutory bodies to ensure appropriate escalation of matters of abuse and harm

• Ensures that safeguarding concerns are recorded, reviewed, escalated if required, and closed

• Management of all safeguarding reports in the Datix incident reporting management system to an excellent and auditable quality that can be relied upon to evidence good practice, and exceptional organisational risk management (including in litigation if required)

• Provides out of hours support on a rota system

• Partake in weekly case management discussions and bi-monthly clinical supervision to share good practice, and identify and share learning

• Conduct semi-regular service visits to ensure advice consistent with service needs and build safeguarding culture

To be a successful Safeguarding Advisor, you'll need;

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to represent the British Red Cross at multi stakeholder meetings.
• Specific Health/Health Adjacent experience.
• The ability to act in a calm and professional manner to guide individuals to a course of action.
• Be able to motivate staff ensuring their understanding of safeguarding issues.
• To be IT literate along with analysing data and produce reports.
• Knowledge of UK legislation, government guidance and national frameworks (including devolved contexts) for safeguarding children and adults at risk.
• Good working knowledge of risk assessment and management in relation to safeguarding.
• Knowledge of roles and responsibilities of national and local key safeguarding agencies, including social services and the police.
• Knowledge of social service processes for the assessment and referral of safeguarding concerns.
• Ability to work with conflict and emotionally distressing matters, whilst paying close attention to detail in reading and interpreting information.
• Ability to advise and support individuals at all levels of an organization.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, both written and oral, across a range of audiences.

About the Team

Safeguarding sits within Professional Services as part of the Internal Services directorate. Professional Services leads on advice, standards and compliance across the BRC, including Health & Safety, Legal, Quality, Internal Audit and Safeguarding.

Closing date for applications is 22nd September 2024. Interviews to take place Friday 23rd August 2024.

Please note that early application is encouraged, as we’ll be reviewing applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert in advance of the advertised closing date.

In return for your dedication and expertise, you’ll get:

• Holidays: 36 days annual leave (including bank holidays) + option to buy 5 extra days.
• Pension scheme: Up to 6% contributory pension.
• Flexible working: We do our best to accommodate your preferred work style.
• Learning & Development: Wide range of career opportunities + comprehensive learning.
• Discounts: Access to Blue Light Discount Card and employee benefits platform.
• Wellbeing Assistance: Access to mental health and wellbeing assistance.
• Team Working: Champion our mission in a collaborative team.
• Cycle2Work: Lease a bicycle through the scheme.
• Season ticket loan: Interest-free loan for commuting expenses.

We are proud to participate in the disability confident scheme for roles based in the UK. During the application process, you will be asked if you wish to apply under the scheme.

At The British Red Cross, we pride ourselves on our diverse workforce, and ensuring we have an inclusive environment for all our staff and volunteers. We remain dedicated to ensuring our teams can bring their true selves to work without risk or fear of discrimination. We do this through regular data reporting, and the assistance of our internal Race and Equality Network (REEN), LGBT+ Network, our Disability and Wellness Network (DAWN), Gender Network, Carers Network and Youth Network.

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