About this role
Job summary
We are seeking a compassionate and dedicated Safeguarding Children Advisor to join our team. In this vital role, you will be responsible for ensuring the organisation meets its safeguarding obligations, advising on safeguarding best practices, and supporting staff in handling complex safeguarding situations in a confident and informed manner. As the Safeguarding Children Advisor, you will respond effectively to safeguarding concerns while championing best practices and promoting inclusion for individuals with mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity across all our service lines both community and inpatient.
We can offer working in a supportive, dynamic team with opportunities to develop safeguarding knowledge and skills and further your career in safeguarding. We are looking for an individual who is passionate, enthusiastic and highly motivated to ensure the safeguarding obligations are met within a busy mental health trust.
Main duties of the job
This role involves leading and supporting high-quality safeguarding practice across the Trust, ensuring staff are equipped to identify and respond to risks to children and young people. Working closely with safeguarding leads, the post holder will provide expert advice, contribute to the management of complex cases, and collaborate with partner agencies to ensure effective, coordinated responses.
The role also focuses on improving standards through training, audits, and implementing learning from reviews, while contributing to reporting and governance processes. It requires strong safeguarding expertise, excellent communication and influencing skills, sound judgement under pressure, and the ability to build effective working relationships. The ideal candidate will be organised, resilient, and able to work both independently and as part of a team to drive continuous improvement in safeguarding practice.
About us
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.
We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.
This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.
We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.
We offer flexible working, career development and a variety ofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.
About our location:
This post will be based at Springfield Hospital
Unless expressly stated in the job advert this role is not subject to sponsorship, please be advised that all offers of employment are subject to evidence of right to work in the UK.
Job description Job responsibilities
To work in close collaboration with Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children & other Safeguarding Leads to ensure that promote safe, effective, person centred safeguarding practices across the Trust, including assurance that duties are met in accordance with Children Act 1989, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026, Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and Care Act 2014.
To support Trust Executive Safeguarding Meeting to meet all statutory, mandatory and best practice standards in conjunction with Safeguarding Leads.
To support Trust Named Nurse/Safeguarding Leads with audits and training.
To support Quality Improvement initiatives and service developments in relation to safeguarding children.
To contribute to internal and external assurance reports.
To provide Trust wide specialist advice, training and support service regarding safeguarding children.
Contribute to management of high-risk cases through Virtual Risk Team and other multi-agency panels where safeguarding has been identified as contributory factor.
To provide specialist safeguarding children advice across partner agencies.
To be able to work both autonomously and under guidance to agreed deadlines.
To deputise for the Trust Safeguarding Leads as appropriate.
Person Specification
Training & Qualifications Essential
Educated to degree level in relevant discipline e.g. Registered Social Work qualification, RGN, RMN, OT, psychology Current professional registration in relevant clinical subject/practice e.g. RMN, OT, Social Work, psychology Evidence of continuing professional and personal development Competent IT skills
Desirable
Professional management or leadership qualification at diploma level or above Project Management qualification e.g. PRINCE2 foundation level
Experience Essential
Demonstrable post registration experience of working in a role involving safeguarding children's responsibilities Experience of taking a lead on safeguarding children's issues in a service or team Experience of working in or with a health provider. Experience of working alongside a range of providers, commissioners and Local Authorities. Experience of working independently and as part of a team Experience of being involved in safeguarding children investigations
Desirable
Experience of working in Mental Health setting within the NHS Experience of writing reports Experience of contributing to policy and procedure development and implementation Experience of involvement in relevant audit projects Experience of developing and delivering teaching and training courses. Experience of monitoring and evaluating services. Experience of chairing meetings and following up agreed actions.
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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 South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust
Address Springfield Hospital
15 Springfield Drive
London
SW17 0YF
Employer's website https://www.swlstg.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)