Designated Safeguarding Lead Officer

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) will take responsibility for the safeguarding and welfare of children and adults in their designated locality and will work collaboratively with the DSL responsible for a second locality to ensure that at all times Safer Places has a DSL on duty and that there is consistent delivery across the organisation and that our policies procedures and training reflect best practice. The DSL will work closely with the Assistant Director of Operations for the designated locality to ensure the service is meeting its legal and statutory requirements (including training requirements).

**Key Responsibilities**

**Corporate**

1. To maintain and demonstrate a commitment to the Organisation’s vision and values and strategic aims and objectives.

2. To maintain high standards of professionalism and keep abreast of current legislation, standards, best practice and maintain a focus of continuous improvement.

3. To maintain knowledge of the Organisation’s operating environment.

**Main Responsibilities**:
**Policy and practice**

1. Working collaboratively with the DSL for the second designated locality take responsibility for developing and reviewing policies and procedures for safeguarding children and young people and adults with care and support needs

2. Within your designated locality take a lead role in implementing all safeguarding policies and procedures within our Hertfordshire services ensuring that all safeguarding and child protection concerns are responded to appropriately

3. Work collaboratively with the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the second designated locality planning leave and other absence and covering each other’s responsibilities so that at all times there is a safeguarding lead officer available to both designated areas.

4. Keep up to date with changes in policy and best practice in safeguarding through membership of professional groups and networks such as CASPAR and the SAFE network and ensure that all relevant information is disseminated to the board, SMT and others and working collaboratively with your DSL colleague provide regular updates and briefings to staff

**Staff and volunteers**

1. Provide support, advice and guidance to staff on an on-going basis and on any specified safeguarding issue as required.

2. Take the lead in ensuring that appropriate arrangements for keeping children and young people and adults who have care and safe are in place and that these are implemented effectively.

3. Ensure that the Safe Recruitment Policy and Procedure are followed and that all pre-employment checks and risk assessments are conducted appropriately and are documented

4. Ensure that all staff and volunteers have an up-to-date DBS status at all times

5. Participate in recruitment for staff and volunteers.

6. Take the lead on responding to information that may constitute a child protection or adult safeguarding concern, including a concern that any person involved with the organisation or not may present a risk to children or young people or adults with care and support needs. This includes:

- assessing and clarifying information
- making referrals to statutory organisations as appropriate
- consulting with and informing the relevant members of the organisation’s

management
- following the organisation’s safeguarding policy and procedures

7. Where issues arise involving a member of staff either on or off duty ensure that our policies and procedures are implemented and liaise with the LADO (Local Authority Disclosure Officer) as appropriate including informing the LADO if a member of staff should be dismissed or leave the organisation following a safeguarding incident

8. Ensure that all staff complete the standard suite of safeguarding training in line with our policy (currently every 2 years)

9. Liaise with the Assistant Director of Operations to identify additional training needs for the staff team or individuals and liaise with the training department regarding the provision of additional specialist training and provide coaching as required for individuals to strengthen their performancein this area

**Working with partners to safeguard children, young people, adults with care and support needs**

1. To liaise with local statutory children’s and adult service agencies and with the Local Safeguarding Children’s and Adults Board and where needed challenge decisions accordingly.

2. Liaise with, pass on information to and receive information from statutory child protection and adult safeguarding agencies such as:

- The local authority child protection services
- The police.
- Those charged with conducting official enquiries including Domestic Homicide Reviews and Section 17 enquiries and ensure that these agencies receive a swift and accurate response

3. Participate in multiagency safeguarding meetings held at county or district level as Safer Places representative

4. Work closely and collaboratively with multiagency partners around sa