We are looking to appoint a part-time (21 hours) Safeguarding Adviser to work as part of the Diocesan Safeguarding Team. The Safeguarding Adviser main role is to co-ordinate and deliver safeguarding casework support to individuals and groups across the diocese, in line with Church of England policy and practice guidance, to ensure that the diocese is a safe environment, especially for children and vulnerable adults.

The successful candidate will have extensive experience of working within a safeguarding environment whose main function is to protect vulnerable adults, children and young people as well as an understanding of national and local influences relating to safeguarding.

The post holder will be required to work with a diverse range of clergy, staff, volunteers, and congregations, as well as partner agencies, to appropriately respond to and investigate safeguarding concerns or issues.

They must be able to work independently and flexibly, as the role involves travel across the diocese and evening and weekend working. For this reason, access to their own transport is essential.

Take on day-to-day investigative tasks and management of cases in the diocese in collaboration with the other Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser. This will include the following:

• preparation for and attending and contributing to Core Group meetings.
• interviewing survivors, witnesses and respondents
• accurately recording action taken.
• reviewing of documentary evidence and the writing of investigation reports

The ideal candidate should have

• Relevant professional qualification or equivalent (for example, social care or criminal justice), with current professional registration where applicable.
• Extensive experience of safeguarding of children and adults at a local and regional level including strategic development of safeguarding capabilities and practice.
• Experience of working with a range of statutory and non-statutory organisations in managing or contributing to safeguarding
• Practitioner/manager experience of working with victims or survivors of abuse and adults with mental health issues.
• In-depth knowledge of the statutory framework in relation to safeguarding children and adults.
• Experience of complex investigations.
• Experience of communications and external stakeholder management on safeguarding issues.

The strategic framework for the diocese is established in our Live|Pray|Serve strategy which sets out the priorities for the diocese. Through these commitments, we plan for the diocese to grow in depth, impact and number. All work to fulfil those commitments is driven and informed by our diocesan values of being courageous, collaborative, generous, resourceful and pioneering. Those values shape how we approach our work both collectively and as individuals.

Deadline for applications is 29th March 2022.

The interviews for this post will be held on 4th April 2022.