Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

**Summary**

**About Us**
Our vision is simple - **_‘To develop aspirational young people who thrive in a changing world’_**. Students are at the centre of everything we do and we aim to give all the necessary foundations for success by helping students develop the skills and attributes that will provide them with real life-chances. Students are expected to work hard and to achieve their individual best academically, to develop skills relevant to the 21st Century and to develop the self-confidence and sense of purpose necessary for them to successfully thrive in a highly competitive global society. Harris Academy Battersea provides a safe, yet challenging environment where students can succeed and excel, and by having the highest of expectations.

Harris Academy Battersea is an ‘outstanding’ academy (Ofsted 2018) with national achievements, and we pride ourselves on the educational experience we give our students. Harris Academy Battersea has an enviable reputation for academic success and each summer we celebrate impressive examination results both at GCSE and A Level. Our success is down to the hard work of our students, our excellent teachers, a broad and varied academic curriculum and an educational environment emphasising our core values of **_knowledge, integrity and resilience_**.

**Main Areas of Responsibility**
The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is expected to:
**Manage Referrals**
- Refer cases of suspected abuse to the local authority children’s social care as required;
- Support staff who make referrals to local authority children’s social care;
- Refer cases to the Channel programme where there is a radicalisation concern as required;
- Support staff who make referrals to the Channel programme;
- Refer cases where a person is dismissed or left due to risk/harm to a child to the Disclosure and Barring Service as required;
**Training**

The Deputy designated safeguarding lead (and any deputies) should undergo training to provide them with the knowledge and skills required to carry out the role. This training should be updated at least **every two years**.

The Deputy designated safeguarding lead should undertake **Prevent awareness training**.

Training should provide Deputy designated safeguarding leads with a good understanding of their own role, and the processes, procedures and responsibilities of other agencies, particularly children’s social care, so they:

- understand the assessment process for providing early help and statutory intervention, including local criteria for action and local authority children’s social care referral arrangements _(full details in Chapter one of ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’)_;
**Reporting to**: The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) - will provide support, guidance and debrief sessions

regarding complex and/or sensitive casework.

**Raise Awareness**
- ensure the school or college’s child protection policies are known, understood and used appropriately;
- ensure the school or college’s child protection policy is reviewed annually (as a minimum) and the procedures and implementation are updated and reviewed regularly, and work with governing bodies or proprietors regarding this;
**Child Protection Files**
- Where children leave the school or college (including for in-year transfers) the Deputy designated safeguarding lead should ensure their child protection file is transferred to the new school or college as soon as possible. This should be transferred separately from the main pupil file, ensuring secure transit, and **confirmation of receipt **should be obtained. Receiving schools and colleges should ensure key staff such as Deputy designated safeguarding leads and SENCOs or the named person with oversight for SEN in colleges, are aware as required.

**Availability**
- During term time the Deputy designated safeguarding lead (or a deputy) should always be available (during school or college hours) for staff in the school or college to discuss any safeguarding concerns. Whilst generally speaking the Deputy designated safeguarding lead (or deputy) would be expected to be available in person, it is a matter for individual schools and colleges, working with the Deputy designated safeguarding lead, to define what “available” means and whether in exceptional circumstances availability via phone and or Skype or other such media is acceptable.

**Other Duties**
- To undertake such other duties as may be required, commensurate with the level of responsibility of the post.
- To maintain a tidy, organised and professional working environment at all times.
- To be trained as a First Aider to support the Medical Room.

**Qualifications & Experience**
- A university qualification (Good Honours degree) or equivalent
- A clear and good understanding of safeguarding issues, theory and practice, with particular regard to:

- refer cases of suspected abuse to the local authority children’s social care as required;
- support staff