Safeguarding Officer | Secondary School in Redbridge

School Safeguarding Officer & Student Welfare Lead Location: Redbridge, East/Outer London Contract: Full-Time, Permanent (37 hours per week, Term-Time + 1 or 2 Weeks) Start Date: Immediate / ASAP or January Start An exceptional, high-achieving secondary school and Sixth Form in the London Borough of Redbridge is seeking a dedicated, compassionate, and highly organized School Safeguarding Officer to join their pastoral and child protection team. Operating in a key student-welfare capacity, this position is ideal for an experienced safeguarding caseworker, pastoral manager, social care professional, or school DSL/DDSL looking to drive child protection best practices, coordinate early help intervention, and ensure every student learns in a safe, supportive environment. About the Role As the Safeguarding Officer, you will serve as a core practitioner within the school’s Designated Safeguarding Team. Reporting directly to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Senior Leadership Team, you will manage day-to-day child protection concerns, liaise with local authority children's services (Redbridge MASH), manage statutory record-keeping, and coordinate multi-agency support plans to champion pupil safety, mental health, and wellbeing. Environment: A welcoming Outer London secondary school with robust pastoral frameworks, modern safeguarding management software (e.g., CPOMS, MyConcern), and established multi-agency partnerships Culture: A child-centered, vigilant, and supportive community where pupil safety, early intervention, mental health awareness, and inclusive pastoral care are paramount Key Responsibilities Case Management & Record Keeping: Respond promptly to safeguarding disclosures, manage daily child protection concerns, and maintain rigorous, confidential digital case records using CPOMS in compliance with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) standards. Multi-Agency Collaboration: Serve as a key operational liaison between the school, Redbridge Children’s Social Care (MASH), CAMHS, police teams, and third-sector support agencies; attend and contribute to Child Protection (CP), Child in Need (CIN), and Team Around the Family (TAF) conferences. Early Help & Pastoral Support: Identify vulnerable students early, design structured early help packages, and deliver targeted pastoral interventions to address attendance, emotional wellbeing, online safety, and home challenges. Staff Guidance & Training Support: Assist the DSL in delivering staff safeguarding inductions, refreshing annual KCSIE training, and providing day-to-day advice to teachers and support staff regarding child protection protocols. Policy & Audit Compliance: Help audit safeguarding procedures, monitor vulnerable student registers, track trend data, and ensure robust compliance across statutory reporting guidelines. Requirements Relevant professional qualification in Child Protection, Social Work, Youth Work, Pastoral Care, Counseling, or Education (Level 3 or higher Designated Safeguarding Lead / Officer certification is essential). Substantial, practical experience handling safeguarding cases, child protection disclosures, and multi-agency procedures within a school, local authority, youth service, or social care setting. Deep operational understanding of statutory safeguarding frameworks ( Keeping Children Safe in Education , Working Together to Safeguard Children , and regional MASH protocols). Exceptional interpersonal skills, emotional resilience, and the ability to build trust with young people and families while maintaining absolute confidentiality and professional boundaries. Strong digital proficiency with school safeguarding software (e.g., CPOMS, MyConcern) and MS Office suite for precise record-keeping and case management. Salary & Benefits Pay Scale: Outer London Support Staff Scale (commensurate with safeguarding qualifications and pastoral experience). Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), generous holiday entitlement, funded advanced safeguarding/mental health first aid training, and access to staff health and wellbeing services. How to Apply If you are a passionate safeguarding practitioner dedicated to protecting and empowering young people at a thriving secondary school in Redbridge, we encourage you to apply. Please submit your application and CV as soon as possible for consideration.