Designated Safeguarding Lead

Overview

As a Designated Safeguarding Lead within Manchester’s MACPTs, you will shape safeguarding outcomes city-wide by translating school-based expertise into multi-agency child protection decisions. You’ll work with Education, Social Care, Health and Police to ensure education is central to safeguarding, attendance and inclusion data inform decisions, and the education voice is embedded in practice. This role sits at the heart of city-wide safeguarding reform and requires strong leadership in a dynamic, multi-agency environment. You will influence strategy, share expert guidance, and help improve outcomes for vulnerable children.

Pay / Benefits

• Up to 26 days’ annual leave
• Buy up to two extra weeks’ leave
• Up to 3 days’ volunteering leave
• 35-hour work week
• Defined benefit pension scheme
• Enhanced parental and carers leave

Responsibilities

• Provide expert safeguarding advice and consultation to schools and partner agencies
• Act as the conduit for safeguarding information sharing between schools, education services and MACPT
• Review and analyse safeguarding concerns, education intelligence, attendance information and inclusion data
• Contribute to multi-agency child protection decision-making where there are significant harm concerns
• Liaise with schools, academies, colleges, alternative provision, SEND, Attendance, CME and EHE services
• Support strategy discussions, child protection conferences and safeguarding planning
• Identify patterns, risks and emerging safeguarding issues affecting children and communities
• Strengthen relationships between schools and safeguarding partners across Manchester
• Contribute to safeguarding quality assurance, audits, learning reviews and inspection readiness

Key requirements

• Significant experience as a school Designated Safeguarding Lead
• Extensive safeguarding expertise and track record of working with children, young people and families
• Experience of attending and contributing to Child Protection Conferences and multi-agency decision-making
• Excellent knowledge of safeguarding legislation and guidance (Keeping Children Safe in Education; Working Together to Safeguard Children)
• Strong analytical skills, professional curiosity and sound judgement
• Credibility and confidence to work with senior leaders, social care, health and police colleagues

• Strong analytical skills
• Professional curiosity
• Sound judgement
• Analysis of safeguarding concerns, education intelligence, attendance and inclusion data
• Multi-agency information sharing
• Knowledge of safeguarding legislation and guidance

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