This role is key in building high levels of professionalism in the recording, retention and retrieval of information, including allegations and concerns, to ensure effective, compassionate, and timely victim / survivor communication. The role is underpinned by key record management within data protection legislation.

The role will help to ensure that there is a sensitive and effective response to safeguarding concerns and/or disclosures of harm, neglect, or abuse, and appropriate follow up takes place in a timely and appropropriate way.

The role has a variety of duties in supporting the work of the Diocesan Safeguarding Team including:

Information Management.

Developing and maintaining effective records management systems

• Overseeing the transition to a new National Case Management System,
• Data cleansing, development of data entry standards, case closure templates and threshold guidance and signposting.
• Developing and implementing information sharing protocols
• Devloping systems for the logging and easy retrieval of information about safeguarding cases within the case management system.
• Developing effective systems for the regular and routine work of the team.

Data Subject Access Requests

• Develop processes to support Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs) on safeguarding cases, ensuring appropriate, and timely responses

Data Collection and Analysis

• Develop and maintain effective information governance, to maintaining high standards of data quality.
• Monitor and analyse monthly data to identify trends.
• Prepare data for a variety of reports in and response to requests

Monitoring and communication with parishes

• Project manage diocesan parish auditing processes including design, implementation, collation of returns, analysis, reporting and follow up action.

• Ensure that safeguarding materials, including policies and procedures are signposted appropriately on the website, and the work of the team is communicated effectively, including the drawing together of a quarterly newsletter and website messaging.

Auditing and Quality Assurance

• Manage, design, plan, organise, coordinate, implement, oversee, and develop and respond to Diocesan safeguarding auditing processes;
• Support the processes for quality assurance review and independent audits
• Conduct information audits and analyse returns in consultation with DSA.
• Work with DSA to establish effective quality assurance and supervisory systems for case management and risk assessment reviews.
• Quality assure advice to parishes on all safeguarding matters relating to policy and information governance, ensuring the DST is operating in line with the law, government guidance and national practice guidance from the House of Bishops.

General

Support the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser in a variety of ways including:

• The review of referrals to ensure that any calls, advice and / or activity are progressed in a timely way.
• The information and case management of complex cases and those cases managed by National Safeguarding Team.
• Administration and minuting of meetings as required

We are looking for someone who with

• Excellent organisational and administrative abilities
• Highly literate with strong verbal and written communication skills
• Minimum 3 years experience in administration, information management and data analysis.
• Familiarity with current safeguarding legislation
• Knowledge and experience of Data Subject Access Requests (DSAR)

Skills/Aptitudes:

• Excellent skills in Word, PowerPoint and Excel for data analysis with the ability to spot trends
• Proactive problem solver
• Able to work under pressure and multi-task whilst meeting deadlines
• Experience in consistently delivering within a fast-paced environment
• Excellent time management skills with high attention to detail
• Information and Project Management Skills
• Highly experienced in confidential and sensitive information management which at times may be distressing.

Personal Attributes:

• Confidence to work with senior people at a national level, including senior church leaders, external safeguarding experts and other stakeholders.
• A proven ability to develop and sustain relationships at all levels both inside and outside the Church.
• A proven ability to maintain the highest standards of confidentiality and work sensitively with those affected by safeguarding issues.
• In sympathy with the aims of the Church of England.

Desirable Knowledge/Experience:

• Understanding of Church of England structures and experience of working with the Church or other faith groups in respect of safeguarding children and/or adults who may be vulnerable.

The Diocesan Safeguarding Team (DST) supports parishes and senior clergy to safeguard children and adults who may be at risk of abuse and neglect, and those in abusive relationships, through: immediate response to current and past allegations of abuse and harm, in partnership with statutory agencies; safe recruitment, training and support to voluntary and paid workers with children and adults; and creation of safe environments, through implementation of policies and procedures following the national legal and procedural framework for safeguarding children and adults, and Church of England policy and practice guidance.

The Diocese of Southwark, founded in 1905, covers primarily the area of Greater London which is south of the Thames, together with the eastern part of the county of Surrey. It is one of the largest dioceses in terms of population and parishes as well as one of the most diverse. As a Diocese, we celebrate churches, worshipping communities and fresh expressions of Church, across the full spectrum of traditions, that speak well of each other and support each other as together we seek to be Christ centred and outward focussed in all we do.