Schools Safeguarding Officer - North

Witherslackgroup; Clays End; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading special education provider is seeking a Schools Safeguarding Officer to ensure robust safeguarding practices within schools. The role involves working closely with Designated Safeguarding Leads and Head Teachers, conducting audits, and providing training to support compliance with safeguarding legislation. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience in safeguarding and advisory roles, making a significant impact on the wellbeing of young people. This remote role requires travel across the North East and North West.

Benefits

Medical cover

7 weeks’ holiday including bank holidays

Flexible benefits package

Wellbeing tools and advice

Beautiful working environments

Recommend-a-friend scheme with £1,000 bonus

Qualifications

• At least 5 years experience as a DSL in a school or similar role.
• Experience in child protection and safeguarding training.
• Knowledge of national safeguarding policies.

Responsibilities

• Work with DSLs to ensure robust safeguarding practices.
• Conduct safeguarding audits in schools.
• Support in compliance with safeguarding legislation.

Skills

Extensive safeguarding expertise

Strong policy knowledge

Proven advisory and training skills

Ongoing professional development

Excellent interpersonal and organisational abilities

Job description

Schools Safeguarding Officer

Closing Date: 9th November. Interviews: 21st November.

Please note: This is a remote role, travel will be required across the North East and North West.

Those huge small victories

Are you currently working as a DSL in school or have wider DSL/Safeguarding responsibilities within a Multi Academy Trust? If so, are you ready to take the next step and join a team of like‑minded people who are passionate about safeguarding children? Or are you a Schools Safeguarding Officer or equivalent within a local authority already supporting DSLs in schools? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

We are the highest Ofsted-rated provider in the country for special education and care. Our teams are fulfilled by the idea of making even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate the little things.

For children with complex needs the level of care and education we provide must go above and beyond. That’s what drives us here at Witherslack Group. With our high staff‑to‑child ratio and in‑house clinical teams, we’re proud to have won a reputation for excellence and market‑leading OFSTED ratings.

Get out what you put in

The Schools Safeguarding Officer will work closely with the Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) and Head Teachers to ensure that practice is robust and defensible in relation to safeguarding within the school.

You will work with the Head of Safeguarding to support schools and ensure compliance with safeguarding and wider legislation and in the development and delivery of training for DSLs and school‑based staff. You will contribute to effective partnership working between different teams and departments within Witherslack Group.

You will undertake safeguarding audits in schools to ensure compliance within current frameworks and support schools in any action plans resulting from findings within safeguarding audits. You will also support DSLs in schools and give advice to ensure that safeguarding concerns are managed in line with Local Safeguarding Partnership procedures and thresholds. You will work with DSLs in schools to ensure that safeguarding record keeping is robust and in line with best practice and will give advice and guidance in relation to safeguarding cases.

The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years experience as a DSL in a school and has worked in a variety of different agencies. If in addition to that you have wider agency experience of working within, for example, early help or children’s social care, that would be even better. We are looking for someone who has experience of giving advice to and supporting DSLs/DDSL’s in their work, has experience of developing and delivering training and undertaking audits in relation to safeguarding.

If you would like to discuss the role further please contact Mary Aurens, Head of Safeguarding 07469143799.

What we need from you

• Extensive safeguarding expertise — significant experience (5+ years) managing safeguarding and child protection cases, ideally as a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or in a similar senior role.
• Strong policy knowledge — up‑to‑date understanding of Keeping Children Safe in Education, national safeguarding policy, wider education legislation, and partnership arrangements.
• Proven advisory and training skills — ability to provide expert safeguarding advice to schools, support the resolution of safeguarding deficits, and design and deliver effective training.
• Ongoing professional development — a comprehensive portfolio of CPD in safeguarding and child protection, with evidence of applying learning from reviews and developments into practice.
• Excellent interpersonal and organisational abilities — strong communication, problem‑solving, and report‑writing skills, with the flexibility to manage competing priorities and support schools in high‑pressure situations.

What we do for you

We know you’re going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the care sector. With us, you’ll get to make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people – plus you’ll get:

• Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an optician or dentist appointment and a host of high‑street discounts.
• Holiday: You’ll work hard at WG, so you’ll be rewarded with 7 weeks’ holiday (including bank holidays).
• Flexible benefits package: meaning you can increase/decrease your holiday allowance, pension and life insurance – check out our benefits here.
• Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance.
• Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities.
• A recommend‑a‑friend scheme that offers a £1,000 bonus every time.

Join the UK’s best special education and care provider

Our young people deserve the best possible future and we feel the same about our teams. You deserve to have the career you want, with a purpose‑led employer, in an environment that allows you to be yourself.

For a full job description please click here.

To view our ex‑offenders policy please click here.

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost). We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.