Applications are invited for this Assistant post to act under the direction of the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser to strengthen the existing Safeguarding Team working towards the delivery of a safeguarding service that reflects best practice. They will support the diocese in the implementation of House of Bishops Policies and Procedures, providing appropriate support to parishes in responding to safeguarding queries and the delivery of training to clergy and church officers.

They will be educated to degree level or above (or equivalent) and may hold a relevant professional qualification or equivalent (for example, social care or criminal justice), with current professional registration where applicable, as well as demonstrating extensive experience of the safeguarding of children and adults.

The Assistant Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser post is based at Church House, Daresbury, with some travel around the Diocese and some hybrid working.

Salary: £36,803 - £40,647 dependent upon qualifications and experience.

The job description, person specification, background paper and application form can be downloaded from the Diocesan website: https://www.chester.anglican.org/support-services/job-vacancies/other-vacancies/

PLEASE NOTE: Applications should be made via the Diocesan website using the diocesan application form, not through Pathways.

Completed application forms should be returned to Mrs E A Geddes, Diocesan Director of Human Resources, preferably by email to liz.geddes@chester.anglican.org

Part time applications will also be considered.

Or by post to Church House, 5500 Daresbury Park, Warrington, WA4 4GE

Closing date: Wednesday 22nd November 2023

Interviews: Wednesday 6th December 2023

Job Title: Assistant Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser

Reports to: Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser

Salary Range: £36,803 - £40,647 dependent upon qualifications and experience.

Hours of work: Full time 35 hours.

Some flexible working is required e.g. travel around the dioceses and some occasional work in the evenings and at weekends. The post-holder will be required to attend meetings, training or events regionally, provincially or nationally.

Normal place of work: Church House, Daresbury

Key relationships It is essential that the Assistant DSA forms excellent working relationships with the DSA, Deputy DSA, Assistant DSA. the diocesan bishop and the bishop’s delegated safeguarding lead, senior staff, the independent chair of the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Pane(DSAP), the dean and senior cathedral staff, those in licenced and authorised ministry, deanery / parish safeguarding officers, relevant officers in the various statutory authorities such as Local Authority Designated Officers (LADOs), key local authority adult and children’s services officers, probation offender managers and officers responsible for child abuse and police public protection arrangements within the police.

Overall Purpose of the Post

To act under the direction of the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser to strengthen the existing Safeguarding Team working towards the delivery of a safeguarding service that reflects best practice.

To support the diocese in the implementation of House of Bishops Policies and Procedures, providing appropriate support to parishes in responding to safeguarding queries.

To deliver the House of Bishops Safeguarding Training modules to clergy, all who hold the bishops licence, employees, and volunteers, as required within the Learning and Development Framework.

Deputise for the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser when appropriate.

Principal Duties and responsibilities include:

1. Delivery of policy, procedures and good practice guidelines

• Monitor and remain up to date with the development of government policy, Church of England policy and good practice and maintaining continuing professional development and professional registration where appropriate.
• Maintain knowledge of how local arrangements for safeguarding agencies are structured in relation to providing safeguarding services and how they receive referrals.
• As part of the safeguarding team, ensure each parish has adopted and implemented the House of Bishops Practice Guidance.
• Provide advice and guidance to parishes in relation to routine safeguarding queries.
• Give advice and guidance to the bishop and other church officers on safeguarding matters, as required by the DSA.
• Contribute to the work of the diocesan safeguarding advisory panel (DSAP) and safeguarding executive group (SEG) when requested;

2. Training

• To deliver the Church of England Pathway Safeguarding modules to all eligible Church Officers, in conjunction with other members of the team.
• Evaluate, review and monitor the effectiveness of the training programmes delivered across the diocese. To keep the DSA advised of these outcomes and assist the DSA and DSAP in the development of the training strategy.

3. Casework

• To take responsibility for case work delegated by the DSA, ensuring all work is recorded in line with the House of Bishops’ safeguarding policy and guidance;
• Offer the diocese’s professional safeguarding response to safeguarding concerns or allegations against church officers in line with the House of Bishops’ safeguarding policy and guidance, as required by the DSA;
• Work co-operatively with the police, local authorities and other bodies in cases in which it is suspected that a child, young person or vulnerable adult has suffered abuse or is at risk of suffering abuse.
• Provide guidance and support in response to concerns raised about children young people or adults who may be at risk where safeguarding concerns have been expressed.
• Ensure appropriate safeguarding risk assessments are carried out, putting into place strategies and agreements to actively manage and evaluate any actual or potential risks identified, in consultation with the DSA.
• Respond to serious situations following HoB Practice Guidance 2017 - responding to assessing and managing safeguarding concerns or allegations against Church Officers. Contributing to the process and to the drawing up and regular review of agreements for those known to be a risk to children and / or adults.
• Ensure appropriate levels of support are put into place for alleged victims/survivors and their families, alleged perpetrators and their families, congregations or others who are affected.
• Ensure at all times that appropriate records are maintained, suitable for potential admission in legal proceedings.

4. Safer recruitment

• Build understanding and knowledge of Safer Recruitment guidance and of the Disclosure and Barring Service systems and processes
• Undertake a risk assessment process for those where DBS checks are blemished, as needed.

General Duties

• Ensure that records are kept that are accessible, accurate, securely held and able to be analysed.
• Work collaboratively with the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser, other members of the diocesan safeguarding team and National Safeguarding Team (NST) where relevant.
• Engage in professional supervision and continual professional development.
• To attend Diocesan and Safeguarding staff and other relevant meetings.
• To speak at appropriate services and meetings when required.
• To play a full part with other staff in the activities of the Diocese.
• To promote departmental collaboration and to work closely with colleagues in Church House.
• To undertake training and CPD as required.
• To carry out other such duties of a similar or related nature as may be required.

Please note: this list is not exhaustive and the post-holder will be required to undertake duties commensurate with the role.

Date: October 2023

Note – this job description does not form part of your Contract of Employment.

The work of the Chester Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) is operated from within Church House and is located at Daresbury Park, Warrington.

The DBF is the body which oversees the central financial and administrative work of the Diocese of Chester, provides support, teaching and trained personnel to advance the mission and ministry of the parishes within the Church of England Diocese of Chester, and the mission and ministries of the bishops of the Diocese.

The DBF is part of the Church of England, the established Church of the land, which proclaims Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and aims to proclaim the Kingdom of God in an open way to all people, of all races, cultures and backgrounds.

For many posts within the Diocese those who are not members of the Church of England are welcome to apply. We respect their right to express different religious and philosophical opinions but require them, as employees of the Diocese, to respect our ethos as an Anglican Christian organisation and not to undermine it. These posts will require the post-holders to be in sympathy with the aims and objectives of the Church of England.

Some posts may include an Occupational Requirement for the post holder to be a practising Christian in accordance with the Equality Act, 2010. Where this applies the recruitment documentation will state this.

The Diocese of Chester is in the province of York in the Church of England, part of the global Anglican Communion. For more information about our life, ministry and work please visit our website www.chester.anglican.org We are linked with the Anglican Church of Melanesia in the Solomon Islands and the Dioceses of Aru and Boga in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Diocese covers an area of 1025 square miles, approximately the old Victorian County of Chester, including parts which subsequently became absorbed into Merseyside and Greater Manchester. The Rivers Mersey and Tame approximately delineate the boundary with Liverpool and Manchester. There are areas of dense urban population, mainly in the north, stretching from Birkenhead to East Manchester. There are prosperous suburban regions of West and South Wirral, Chester and south of Manchester, with a mainly rural heartland, bounded by the Derbyshire Pennines and the Welsh Border. The overall population is around 1.6 million.

The diocesan bishop is Mark Tanner. He is supported by two suffragan bishops: the Bishop of Birkenhead, Julie Conalty and the of Bishop of Stockport, Sam Corley.

The Cathedral for the Diocese is in Chester.

The Diocese is divided into two archdeaconries: Chester covering the western half and Macclesfield the eastern, each with nine deaneries. There are 273 parishes, about 100 of which can be described as rural. Compared with many dioceses, there are few teams, and few multi-parish benefices. There are approximately 231 stipendiary clergy. The ministry of Readers and Pastoral Workers is important, with over 400 licensed. The role of self-supporting ministers is increasing, with over 80 in post at present.

Roughly speaking, the Archdeaconry of Macclesfield covers that part of the diocese to the east of the M6, plus the area around Crewe and Nantwich. The Archdeaconry of Chester covers the rest of the diocese to the west of the M6. Each archdeaconry has a broad mix of urban and rural parishes. The Archdeacon of Chester lives in Chester, and the Archdeacon of Macclesfield lives in Congleton. Both now work from Church House, Daresbury.