Trustee with safeguarding expertise | School-Home Support

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Trustee with safeguarding expertise - School-Home Support

Become a Trustee with School-Home Support and make a difference where it is needed most.

• Location: Remote/London

School-Home Support (SHS) is seeking a Trustee with safeguarding expertise to help us protect and empower young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, ensuring they have the opportunity to succeed in school and life.

Join our Board and make a transformative impact on the lives of children across the UK.

Who we are

School-Home Support is a national charity that exists to close the education disadvantage gap by delivering and advocating for a support-led approach to tackling school absence. Since 1984, we have used early intervention and a whole family support approach to break intergenerational cycles of deprivation and low aspiration. Partnering with families, schools, local authorities and communities, we look beyond the classroom to tackle the underlying causes of school absence, such as poverty, domestic violence or mental health challenges, using bespoke support strategies to overcome barriers to learning and ensure children can achieve their potential.

About the role

Your opportunity to make a difference

We are looking for a Trustee with significant safeguarding experience to join our Board. As a Trustee with safeguarding expertise, you will be instrumental in guiding SHS’s policies and practices to ensure the safety and well-being of children and families across our services.

Key responsibilities

• Safeguarding oversight: Provide strategic oversight and advice on safeguarding practices to ensure that all SHS programs meet the highest standards.
• Guidance and compliance: Work with SHS leadership to strengthen safeguarding frameworks, ensuring compliance with the latest policies and best practices.
• Advocacy: Champion safeguarding and the protection of young people within SHS and in broader conversations with stakeholders and policymakers.
• Support: Provide guidance and support to the board in fulfilling their safeguarding responsibilities, ensuring best practices are met and maintained across all trust activities.

Time commitment

On average, the time commitment as a Trustee will be approximately half a day per month, which is six days per annum.

Who we are looking for

You will bring a deep understanding of safeguarding and child protection, especially within education or charitable contexts, ensuring that SHS continues to provide safe, impactful and trusted services across the country.

This includes:

• Depth of knowledge: You bring a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding protocols and have experience overseeing, implementing, or advising on safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Guidance and best practice: You will play a key role in advising SHS on safeguarding approaches that align with national standards, helping us stay updated with emerging practices and legislation.

Passion for education and social impact

We are looking for a Trustee who shares our commitment to creating educational equity and has a genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. You will:

• Support our vision: Believe in our ambitious goal of ensuring every child is in school every day, ready to learn, by 2050.
• Advocate for families: Recognise that addressing safeguarding challenges requires understanding the wider socio-economic issues affecting attendance, including poverty, mental health, and family dynamics.

Strategic insight and oversight

We’re looking for a Trustee who brings not only safeguarding expertise but also a strategic mindset, capable of helping guide SHS through its current phase of growth and impact expansion. This includes:

• Governance and policy direction: As a Trustee, you will provide governance support, contributing to key decisions regarding SHS’s strategic initiatives.
• Monitoring and evaluation: You will work with SHS’s leadership to assess our safeguarding frameworks, advise on areas for improvement, and support us in creating robust policies.

Collaborative spirit and advocacy

A collaborative approach is essential for this role, as you will work closely with other Trustees, SHS’s senior leadership, practitioners, and our partners to strengthen safeguarding practices and influence wider educational policies. We’re looking for a Trustee who:

• Engages with stakeholders: Your role involves engaging with SHS leadership, other Trustees, and occasionally external stakeholders.
• Supports a shared mission: You will champion safeguarding within our broader mission, helping SHS remain a trusted, supportive presence for families and schools.

Peridot Partners and School-Home Support are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references before any final offer can be made.