Job Title: Designated Safeguarding and Wellbeing Lead
Post requires candidate to be entitled for work: Yes
Salary Range: £62,106.04 to £68,437.82
Shift Allowance:
Contract Type: Permanent
Full time/Part Time: Full Time
Term Time only post: No
Advert Closing Date: 01/08/2025
Job Overview
Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of young people?
Highlands College is seeking a dynamic and dedicated Safeguarding and Student Wellbeing Lead to champion the safety, and welfare, of our diverse student community.
In this pivotal role, you will lead on all aspects of safeguarding and student wellbeing, ensuring compliance with statutory responsibilities under the Children (Jersey) Law 2002 and UK safeguarding guidance. You'll be the college's Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), working closely with staff, students, families, and external agencies to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment where every learner can thrive.
You will also lead the wellbeing team, promoting mental health awareness, early intervention, and resilience-building initiatives that empower students to succeed both academically and personally.
We're looking for someone with strong leadership skills, a deep understanding of safeguarding legislation, and a genuine commitment to student welfare. If you're ready to lead with compassion, integrity, and impact, this is your opportunity.
Be the difference. Be the safeguard. Be the support.
For an informal discussion, please contact James Bennett - james.bennett@highlands.ac.uk
Job Purpose
Highlands College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adult learners and expects all staff to share this commitment.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) will take lead responsibility for all child protection/safeguarding matters arising in College and will support all other members of staff in relation to any safeguarding or child protection issues.
The post holder will provide leadership and development to the well-being team and ensure an outstanding service for students, staff and external stakeholders.
Appointees to this role will be required to adhere to and perform their duties in line with the standards identified in the States of Jersey tier 5 core accountabilities attributes and behaviour indicators.
Job Specific Outcomes 1 of 2
- The post holder has delegated authority within the College; committing resources, leading training, supporting and directing other staff to safeguard and promote the welfare of students.
- To be responsible for maintaining an overview of safeguarding within the college to maintain open channels of communication with local statutory agencies and to monitor the effectiveness of policies and procedures in place.
- The post holder will also be the Digital Safety Officer and be responsible for policies surrounding Online Safety.
- To be responsible for receiving and reviewing child protection files from the schools of all students transferring to Highlands College, and for liaising with key staff/DSL/Deputy Head/Headteachers from those schools, when appropriate, to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of care.
- To be responsible for keeping detailed, accurate, secure records of concerns, allegations and referrals for any Child Protection issues.
- To lead on Early Help assessments for students and their families and act as lead professional where appropriate
- To line manage the well-being team to ensure that students are well supported and that relevant information is shared to keep all students safe
- To take lead responsibility for identifying thresholds of risk, develop support plans and record a rational for college decision making.
- To communicate regularly with the Board of Governors sub-committee for safeguarding, along with the Principal / Assistant Principle and discuss (anonymously) any cases/themes of concern. They will meet termly for a formal review of Safeguarding.
- To lead on and be responsible for annual Safeguarding Audits and reviews
- To be the Colleges lead for preventing radicalization and coordinating Prevent Duty procedures in college
- To attend Senior Leadership meetings to discuss Safeguarding practice in the college.
- To keep the Principal / Assistant Principle informed of all concerns and allegations relating to Safeguarding and Child Protection.
- To lead, manage and coordinate promotional campaigns surrounding Safeguarding and Child Protection
Job Specific Outcomes 2 of 2
- To take lead responsibility for making Children and Family Hub enquiries and liaising with and making referrals to appropriate external agencies and refer all cases of suspected abuse or risk of significant harm promptly to the Children and Families Hub.
- To be responsible for referring to the Education Department’s Designated Safeguarding Officer, all child protection concerns, which involve a member of staff and liaise with the Head/Deputy Headteacher to ensure relevant procedures are followed with any member of staff is the subject of an allegation.
- To be responsible for liaising with the Head/Deputy Headteacher in making prompt referrals to the police where a crime may have been committed which involves a student and any police investigations which involve the college.
- To act as a source of support, advice and expertise to staff on matters of safety and safeguarding and when to make a referral by liaising with the relevant agencies.
- Ensure that there is a dedicated area on the College network regarding safeguarding procedures (i.e. how to do a Children and Families Hub referral).
- Assist in ensuring that students who are victims of abuse or neglect, are supported appropriately and sensitively and to offer continuing support to those students on the Child Protection Register or with Child in Need Plans.
- To develop and lead training for all new members of staff and ensure that they receive appropriate Induction, in relation to the college’s Safeguarding and Child Protection policy and procedures.
- To be responsible for arranging and leading whole college staff training in Child Protection on a regular basis – at least every three years and maintaining a record of staff Safeguarding and Child Protection training.
- Provide staff and Governors with regular updates on Safeguarding and Child Protection and training as appropriate.
- Oversee information provided for staff, parents and pupils relating to Online Safety and ensure timely clarification and resolution on any student "suspicious search" alerts.
- Liaise with the SENDCO where there is an overlap between learning needs and safeguarding needs under the direction of the Principal / Assistant Principle
- To draft and launch termly safeguarding newsletters for parents.
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE (or equivalent) in English and maths.
- Degree or equivalent experience
- Level 3 Certificate – Jersey Safeguarding Partnership Board or equivalent
- Child Protection Designated training and experience
Desirable
- Level 4 Jersey Children’s First Training (Roles and Responsibilities of Lead Worker)
Knowledge
Essential
- Well developed ICT skills to support all areas of record keeping.
- Good organisational skills to deliver training for staff ensuring resources and appropriate training activities.
- A thorough and demonstrable knowledge of safeguarding and child protection legislation, policy/procedure and systems. This includes a detailed knowledge of local inter-agency child protection procedures and systems. DFE – Working Together to Safeguard Children and Young People (2022)
- A track record of strong leadership with the ability to inform and lead on change within the organisation
Desirable
- A thorough understanding of the Safeguarding Platform, MYCONCERN
General Skills/Attributes
Essential
- Plan time effectively and to meet deadlines.
- Ability to contribute to the design of up to date training materials
- Prioritise to meet the needs of the students.
- Ability to demonstrate understanding of complex problems and apply in depth knowledge to address them.
- Ability to develop original techniques, methods and solutions
- Be a team player and have experience of this attribute
Experience
Essential
- 5 years’ experience of working in a school or similar environment
- Experience of managing staff
Desirable
- Manage and deliver Early Help assessments and Interventions
Jersey Public Service Careers
Across the Jersey Public Service, the scope of our work means our people enjoy a wide range of opportunities—working with recognised experts across teams, learning new skills, and developing their careers. We actively seek to recruit people from different backgrounds with diverse perspectives, creating a richer, more varied environment where you’re exposed to new ideas, new ways of thinking, and new opportunities to build an exciting and rewarding career.
To maintain the highest standards of public service, we have a rigorous screening process, to ensure candidates align with our values, skills, and professional requirements. This helps us create a trusted, capable workforce that can deliver excellence and safeguard our community.
For regulated activity roles (working with children and adults at risk of harm), an enhanced level of screening will be conducted to include enhanced DBS checks.
Extraordinary, every day.
