Head of Children's Safeguarding (NHS AfC: Band 8c) - Safeguarding - Whittington Health NHS Trust

Employer: Whittington Health NHS Trust

Employer type: NHS

Site: Whittington Health

Town: London

Salary: £82,462 - £93,773 per annum inclusive of HCAs

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 28/02/2025 23:59

Getting vaccinated, and getting a booster, remains the best defence against COVID-19. We encourage and support staff to get COVID-19 vaccine and a booster dose as and when they are eligible.

Please note: In order to progress your application, your data will be processed by our 3rd party recruitment providers – North London Partners Shared Service, who conduct recruitment activities on behalf of Whittington Health NHS Trust.

By applying for this role, you accept that in the event you are successful, your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS.

Job Overview

• Lead and work as a member of the Safeguarding Children Team across Whittington Health.
• Lead and support all activities necessary to ensure that Whittington Health is meeting its statutory responsibility to safeguarding and protect children and young adults.
• To work in collaboration with the Head of Vulnerable Adults to ensure that there is good communication and joint working regarding robust safeguarding practice.

Main Duties of the Job

• To produce an Annual Report and regular assurance bulletins to Whittington Health Trust Board and to the Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnerships as required.
• To provide assurance to the Trust Board and ICB with regards to demonstrating full compliance with CQC requirements and all relevant legislation.
• To oversee the investigation of incidents in relation to child safeguarding, working with service and safeguarding leads to ensure that investigations are completed on time and in line with policy, that appropriate actions are identified, completed and audited.
• To lead on behalf of the Organisation on the planning and development of policies, procedures and guidelines needed to support safeguarding children work within Whittington Health.
• To ensure policies, procedures and guidelines are updated to reflect best practice.
• To work with managers to ensure implementation of learning across the ICO including the development of governance processes which ensure that recommendations, opportunities for learning and service improvements are implemented.
• To work with the Chief Nurse and Head of Vulnerable Adults to ensure that the agenda for the Safeguarding Children Committee is current and appropriate.
• Provide regular safeguarding reports to Governance Committees, including Division Boards and quality & safety meetings and external agencies as required.

Working for Our Organisation

Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief.

Detailed Job Description and Main Responsibilities

• At all times, and in relation to the roles and responsibilities listed, lead and work as a member of the Safeguarding Children Team across Whittington Health.
• To provide line management and leadership for the Named professionals for safeguarding children.
• To develop and implement a safeguarding strategy for Whittington Health.
• To provide senior management leadership in the arrangements and services for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
• To ensure the delivery of safe services across the Whittington Health, working effectively with Heads of Services.
• To ensure collaborative working with the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and partner agencies to foster and facilitate effective inter-agency working.
• To lead on behalf of Whittington Health regarding implementation of national safeguarding legislation, policies and guidance, using the latest evidence-based advice and carrying out literature research as appropriate.
• To lead on the development of services in line with national and local policy directives.
• To fulfil the role of designated lead for allegations against staff, working with the Local Authority Designated Officer.
• To lead the coordination of case reviews and formal Internal Management Reviews on behalf of the Trust.
• To ensure the implementation of, and compliance with, Safeguarding Policies and Protocols including but not exclusively Safeguarding Training Policy and Safeguarding Supervision Policy.
• To oversee organisational participation in the review of the death of adults with dependent children where Domestic Abuse is a factor in the death and contribute to recommendations where changes in policy and practice are indicated to promote safer practice.
• To ensure that there is ongoing monitoring, reporting, evaluation and review of child protection arrangements as part of the Board Assurance Framework.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

• Registered General Nurse
• Evidence of further qualification relating to Safeguarding Children
• Management Qualification

Skills & Abilities

• Previous experience as Named Nurse / Nurse Specialist Child Protection
• Significant experience in leading and managing services
• Experience of managing staff LSCB / multi-Agency work

Personal Qualities

• Able to lead in own area of clinical specialty, and to work both as part of the Child Protection and autonomously
• Ability to manage complex and challenging clinical and professional relationships
• Experience of and ability to manage change in complex professional networks

Safeguarding Children and Adults

To comply with the Trust’s Safeguarding Children and Adults policies, procedures and protocols. All individual members of staff (paid or unpaid) have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This will require you to:

• Ensure you are familiar with and comply with the London Child Protection Procedures and protocols for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people.
• Ensure you are familiar and comply with the London Multi Agency Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Pan London Procedures.
• Ensure you are familiar and comply with local protocols and systems for information sharing.
• Know the appropriate contact numbers and required reporting lines.
• Participate in required training and supervision.
• Comply with required professional boundaries and codes of conduct.

Whittington Health is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Your Application Form

• Provide only business email address for your referees – we are unable to request references from yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail accounts.
• Make sure you include all evidence of where you meet the essential requirement on the job description as this forms the base of our shortlisting criteria.

Our Processes

• Closing dates are given as a guide; we are within our right to close adverts early so please ensure you submit your application as soon as possible to avoid delay.
• If you do not hear from us up to 3 weeks after the closing date of the job, unfortunately, this means you have not been successfully shortlisted for interview. If you require feedback on your application please contact the appointing manager detailed in the body of the advert.
• Please check your emails regularly as all correspondence from us will be via trac.systems – occasionally these emails will go into your Junk folder.
• Employment at Whittington Health is offered subject to successful completion of a 6 month probationary period for all staff with the exception of GMC Registered Doctors.

Other Important Information

• Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• Applications are welcome from people wishing to job share or work flexible patterns. We are committed to equal opportunities.
• In submitting an application form, you authorise Whittington Health NHS Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process should you be appointed to the post.

If you are offered a role with one of the NLPSS partner trusts, as part of pre-employment checks your identity and right to work documentation will be verified remotely (in most circumstances), using a certified identity verification service provider TrustID.

We would welcome applications from individuals who are from underrepresented groups in the organisation.

Employer Certification / Accreditation Badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application Numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Name: Sarah Wilding

Job title: Chief Nurse

Email address: Carolyn.stewart2@nhs.net

If You Have Problems Applying, Contact

Address: WHT

Telephone: If you have any queries, please contact NLPSS Recruitment Helpdesk tel. 020 3758 2060