Safeguarding Manager

Safeguarding Manager, British Forces Social Work Service (BFSWS) 

Location: City of Westminster, Central London

Base Location: MOD Main Building

Contract: Full time, 12- month FTC (flexible remote working/will require travel to sites across the UK as required and overnight stays)

Salary: £45,000- £50,000 per annum depending on experience plus on-call payments

Specific Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Reporting to: Head of Service, British Forces Social Work Service

Benefits: 30 Days Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays as normally observed in UK, Life Insurance x 2, Employee Discount

About Us:

Polaris Children’s Services is part of the Polaris Community of companies and delivers statutory and non-statutory social care services in the UK and to military communities overseas.

Since 2014, Polaris Children’s Services, through the British Forces Social Work Service, (BFSWS) have extensive experience of delivering statutory and non-statutory social work services for military communities across the world and are signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant. We are proud to serve and support military communities worldwide, with an overarching vision that children, families, individuals, and adults at risk will receive the best and most effective evidence-based help and support at the earliest possible opportunity.

British Forces Social Work Service (BFSWS) have a new exciting opportunity for a Safeguarding Manager to join a brand-new initiative based within the MOD Op Lazurite Team.  The MOD initiative focusses on the provision of support to eligible Afghans, who worked alongside the UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan.  Part of the role will be to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Afghan families, and individuals from the beginning to end of their journeys over from Afghanistan and into the UK, following all Military legislation and agreements, UK Home Office, Local Authority, and Immigration policies and procedures.  

As a Safeguarding Manager, reporting to the Head of Service within Polaris, and the Chain of Command within the MOD, you will have an opportunity to work and build a framework for the new initiative whose outcomes are to ensure safe transitions to the UK, promote the safety and wellbeing of the Afghan families and individuals, from the beginning to the end of their journeys, including signposting to onward supports. 

Responsibilities:

• Cohering the social worker’s activities and feedback into the single point of contact into
• the General for safeguarding Operational level detail

• The safeguarding manager to be the point of contact and attend the Serious Incident Reviews at manager level. Replacing the current Safeguarding Lead’s role from March 2025
• Represent Defence Afghan Relocation & Resettlement (DARR) and Op Lazurite at safeguarding meetings
• Lead on the review of the safeguarding approach and processes, identifying and implementing areas for improvement
• Lead on developing/refining safeguarding policy and guidance that supports staff to develop their safeguarding confidence, skills, knowledge and experience
• Work in partnership with all staff to create a consistent safeguarding approach across the whole organisation, to help to embed safeguarding processes in all areas
• Be the initial point of contact for safeguarding concerns and referring to local authorities
• Promote and support effective team working through providing good management and leadership to social workers, including the provision of informal/formal advice/guidance and supervision
• Ensure regular planning and reviews are carried out for all individuals and families supported
• Ensure effective representation and joint working with key agencies, families and individuals
• Establish and maintain processes for facilitating referrals.
• Undertake administrative tasks as required e.g. in relation to maintaining records, staff records etc. as required
• Effectively identify and contribute to learning and development activities
• Participate in the delivery of training
• Supervision of social workers on a monthly basis
• Report to the Polaris Head of Service and QA manager to ensure that all statement of requirements are being met across the service, reports provided as the contractor. and quality assurance frameworks are developed, fit for purpose, and fully adhered to 

Outcomes:

• Provide positive outcomes for Children, families, and individuals from beginning to end of their journey transitions with appropriate supports implemented
• Support social work professional practice and development
• Accountability, social workers have clarity of objectives, outcomes, and accountability
• Oversight of performance, and standards
• Improved management oversight of social work practice, processes, safeguarding etc.
• Management oversight fosters open communication, ensuring issues/progress are dealt with/informed about quickly to stakeholders
• Enhanced efficiency and effectiveness, in that the social work manager can allocate resources more effectively
• Problems/operational challenges are identified and resolved more quickly, therefore, enabling timely solutions
• Processes/practice is standardised and more consistent as the social work manager can implement best practices across the operation, reducing risks and improving outcomes
• Management oversight can ensure the early identification/addressing of risks e.g. resource shortages. Safeguarding failures, legal non-compliance
• Management oversight ensures adherence to legal, ethical and organisational policies, reducing risks of reputational damage
• Management oversight can ensure the development of contingency planning/strategies to mitigate risks
• Social work manager to drive continuous development and improve stakeholder confidence
• Social work manager ensures consistent quality of service, tailored interventions, measurable impact 

Requirements:

Essential:

• A Professional Social Work qualification (BA (Hons), DIP SW, CQSW, CSS)/ equivalent and must be registered with Social Work England or equivalent.
• Successful completion of a Post Qualifying Award in Social Work
• 3 years post qualification experience working as a qualified and registered Social Worker within a child and family’s team.
• Experience in a broad range of social work roles as well as complex children and family assessment / case management
• Experience of report writing and a good command of the English language
• A comprehensive working knowledge of relevant legislation and child /adult safeguarding procedures
• The willingness and ability to work flexibly, work will include overnight stays within the UK for site visits. This may include some weekend and evening working.
• Full driving licence
• Participate in the Out of Hours - essential.

Desirable:

• Computer literacy skills
• Military knowledge / experience desirable

This is a new initiative; therefore, requirements are subject to change as the contract develops.

Polaris Children’s Services is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. We expect all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to complete an enhanced DBS Check, and local Police check if recruited from outside of the UK, the cost of which will be met by Polaris Children’s Services. Polaris Children’s Services is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.