About this role
Job summary
Do you have the experience, expertise and professional judgement to lead on complex safeguarding concerns and allegations involving those who work with children?
As Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), you will provide independent oversight, authoritative challenge and effective multi-agency coordination, keeping childrens welfare, wishes and feelings at the heart of decision-making. You will also shape and quality assure the LADO service, strengthen practice and turn learning into continuous improvement.
At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a variety of flexible working practices, including options for remote working and arrangements that allow you to work from home, dependent on the needs of the service.
This role includes an expectation to work from our Time Square office two days per week, alongside flexible working arrangements.
Main duties of the job
As a LADO you will be a SWE registered social worker with substantial management experience in childrens social care, child protection and multi-agency safeguarding.
You will have detailed, current knowledge of safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance, together with experience of coordinating complex allegation-management processes, applying the harm threshold and providing independent advice and challenge.
As a LADO you will chair complex multi-agency meetings, assess risk, manage professional disagreement and secure timely outcomes.
Your strong analytical, communication and report-writing skills are essential, alongside resilience, sound judgement and the confidence to influence senior professionals. Experience of child protection conference chairing, multi-agency training, organisational safeguarding or safer recruitment would be an advantage.
About us
The LADO is based within the Quality Assurance service and works closely with Childrens Social Care, the police, employers, education, early years, health, Ofsted, the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and other safeguarding partners.
We are a small, experienced and supportive team that values professional independence, constructive challenge, strong partnership working and a clear focus on safeguarding children.
You will have the opportunity to influence practice across the local safeguarding system, advise senior leaders and help organisations understand and meet their responsibilities.
Please note: Children's services are currently progressing its Families First transformation programme. This role may be subject to changes to its responsibilities, reporting arrangements and/or job description. Any proposed changes would be managed in accordance with the Councils relevant consultation processes and policies.
Job description Job responsibilities
Please see the job description and person specification attached to this advert giving full details.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Social work qualification and registration with Social Work England (SWE). Detailed, current knowledge of legislation, statutory guidance and local procedures for safeguarding children and managing concerns or allegations about people who work with children. Substantial management experience in childrens social care, child protection and multi-agency safeguarding.
Desirable
Experience of chairing child protection conferences. Relevant post-qualifying, management or supervision qualification.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Bracknell Forest Council
Address Time Square
Market Street
Bracknell
Berkshire
RG12 1JD
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)