Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

How you'll make a difference

As the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), you will have the overall responsibility of management of safeguarding allegations against people who work with children and young people in either a paid or voluntary capacity throughout the area of South Gloucestershire. 

You will lead the investigation of some serious safeguarding allegations against those that are in positions of trust with our children and young people. You will need to show sensitivity, empathy and challenge, alongside clear thinking, to support the process for the child or young person, the employee and the organisation for which they work.

What will you be doing? 

• Providing advice and guidance in relation to potential LADO referrals.
• Chairing multi-agency Allegation Management meetings and the contemporaneous maintenance of case records, actions and outcomes.
• Liaising with external regulatory bodies in relation to complex allegations that may result in disciplinary or legal action ensuring that appropriate referrals to professional regulatory bodies are made.
• Providing professional consultation to organisations on complex suitability cases.
• Providing training to organisations in respect of your role and the organisations’ responsibilities and contributing to other training as required.
• Ensuring your role and associated safeguarding processes are understood by organisations/settings working with children within the South Gloucestershire boundaries including those who may not be affiliated to a governing body.
• Working alongside the Quality Assurance Manager in the quality assurance of all restraints at Vinney Green Secure Children’s Home.     
• Being an active member of the local and national LADO network.
• By promoting excellent practice and outcomes, you will maintain effective liaison and collaboration with senior officers, statutory/ voluntary agencies and the media in the form of forums, preparing reports, contributing to press statements and delivering seminars and other forms of public address.
• It will be your responsibility to manage the Education Safeguarding Adviser who provides support guidance and challenge to schools and education providers to ensure children are safeguarded and their welfare promoted.
• You will line manage the Business Support officer who supports the LADO function and provides some support to the Strategic Safeguarding Team.

What we need from you

• It is essential that you are educated to degree level and professionally qualified as a social worker with current Social Work England registration.
• You will have extensive relevant post qualification experience gained in the management of social workers, managers and safeguarding.
• You will have detailed knowledge of Child Care Law, guidance and practice in relation to Child Protection, together with an in depth understanding of Working Together 2018 and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023. You must provide evidence of continuous professional development to develop and maintain learning and development, sector and safeguarding expertise.
• You will have proven experience of working in a multi-disciplinary context, and of chairing complex muti agency safeguarding meetings and progressing plans.
• You will be able to think and act strategically, develop strategic plans, solve problems, and make decisions regarding children and young people’s safeguarding issues.
• Able to build effective relationships within and outside of the Department; an ability to influence decision makers and work collaboratively with stakeholders, to embed fit for purpose solutions and continually develop the LADO service.

Please note that due to the nature of this role it is a requirement of employment that an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is obtained for this post. 

How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different

We know our team work best when they have balance in their lives and we offer genuine flexibility to help them achieve that work/life balance.

What’s special here is the strength of the team ethos. We are a relatively small Local Authority, so managers know staff well. They can plan their services to ensure teams have manageable caseloads and have effective supervision so feel supported to make decisions which are right for the children and young people they work with. 

We invest in the careers of our people and we are recognised for the quality, breadth and depth of our training and development offer, which helps our people make the greatest long-term difference in their work.  

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Ensuring all our staff are given right skills, knowledge and support to recognise and respond effectively to potential abuse or neglect. 

As part of our benefits package you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata), employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities  

We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.   

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.  

• We're building and shaping communities which people are proud of  
• We're working with the most vulnerable in our community to help them achieve what they want in life  
• We're investing in our schools to ensure every child and young person in South Gloucestershire achieves their full potential.    

 We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.   

 We’re making a difference, be part of it!    

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Tina Wilson, LADO (tina.wilson@southglos.gov.uk) or Catherine Boyce, Service Director  (catherine.boyce@southglos.gov.uk)

This is a part time role with the hours worked across 5 days.  Salary will be pro rata to hours worked.

Job Description