Head of Safeguarding

Are you an experienced, outstanding qualified Social Work professional with substantial experience of vulnerable young people with complex needs?

Have you been successful in running a best practice network where safeguarding is a golden thread and delivered with utmost care and professionalism?

We are seeking an experienced & qualified Social Worker, with a background working with vulnerable young people with tier 3 or 4 traumas, at high risk of aggressive or sexualised behaviour, complex offending, gang affiliation, attachment disorders, complex physical, psychological and healthcare needs.

Collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams, you will be the Company's Designated Safeguarding Lead, prioritising high quality safeguarding best practices, and group & direct family work as part of our Families and Schools working Together (FAST) programme. Your background will allow you to cascade expert knowledge to staff, guiding them in supporting pupils and their families in the best way possible, navigating complex casework, as well as manage complaints or allegations.

Due to the nature of the company's work and our pupil cohorts, the individual will play a key role in overseeing and ensuring positive changes for vulnerable and complex young people, providing the opportunity and resources to thrive, supporting strategically in schools and services to improve and maintain pupils' attendance and engagement with learning.

The Complete Education Solution (TCES) is a long-established provider of therapeutic education, supporting neurodiverse children and young people up and down the UK. Our multi-disciplinary teams work together to provide child-centric support, engaging with clinical, educational and social work experts, as well as partnering with our pupils’ families.

Starting Salary: £56,770 to £66,331 per annum (TCES Salary Band 3)

Location: TCES Central Services, Wimbledon (with up to 2 days working from home) and travel required to all TCES sites across London.

Contract: Permanent, Full-time

The Complete Education Solution (TCES)

TCES is an independent social enterprise, providing specialist therapeutic education based in London supporting exceptional neurodiverse children and young people aged 7 to 19 who have special educational needs and disabilities typically associated with autism, social emotional and mental health needs and associated disorders. Most of them will have experienced multiple placement breakdowns and significant trauma, often resulting in behaviour that challenges. On average pupils will have been excluded from other provisions up to three times before reaching us and had significant periods out of education. 

TCES pupils learn at one of our two schools, at our Create Learning Primary, through our Create in the Community service or within our National Online School; our Create services support our most complex and vulnerable pupils, with highly differentiated and personalised holistic therapeutic education programmes developed for each pupil focusing on development milestones. When they are ready, we aim for pupils to step down from Create into one of our main school, our Sixth Form, or into mainstream provisions.

Essential requirements to be successful in the role are:  

• A champion of social work with similar values to ours: Expect the very best from each other; Develop a strong work ethic; Respect and appreciate all difference; Include everyone and exclude no one; Listen to and involve everyone; Never give up on each other!
• Resilient and robust, role modelling outstanding professionalism.
• Be a Qualified Social Worker (with current SWE registration) ideally with senior service management experience within paediatric social work, MASH Teams, therapeutic or mental health sectors, or as a LADO or Trust-wide Head of Safeguarding.
• Experience of driving high quality safeguarding processes  and initiatives to support best practice with vulnerable and complex groups.
• Proven skills in data analysis to inform strategic planning and solution focussed work.
• Experience supporting families and carer networks to provide appropriate and safe environments for neurodiverse young people, especially in improving attendance & engagement.
• Proactive and innovative, mentoring team members in other disciplines, whilst also with the ability to work flexibly and independently.
• Experience of coaching staff to improve their practice.

In return we offer:

• Competitive salary & commission, and terms and conditions.
• An opportunity to join a leading provider of specialist education in one of the most rewarding sectors whilst directly contributing to the positive outcomes for pupils with SEMH and ASC.
• Comprehensive induction process, and excellent CPD opportunities with all staff provided an individual Learning & Development Plan to support career development. Regular half termly staff wellbeing days.
• A range of employee support and wellbeing benefits including our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), counselling and contributions towards medical costs and an exclusive rewards platform.
• Gym & Active Health discounts.
• Private Healthcare Insurance

Closing Date:   11 October 2024

Interviews to be held: w/b 21 October 2024

To apply

Please complete the formal application form online.

For more information contact recruitment@tces.org.uk  

TCES is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of pupils and expects all staff to share this commitment. The appointment is subject to all relevant checks such as references, medical clearance and a satisfactory enhanced DBS disclosure.