Job Introduction
We’re recruiting a Local Authority Designated Officer to join our Safeguarding team in Children’s Services.
You’ll play a key role in helping us keep children and young people safe across Milton Keynes by guiding colleagues, employers and partner organisations through safeguarding concerns.
This is a rewarding role where you’ll support the city’s children by helping others work safely and confidently.
You’ll be part of a service that works closely with Milton Keynes City Council’s wider Children’s Services, all committed to doing the right thing, acting as one council and making a difference every day.
This is a site-based role
Interviews for this role will be held on 29 April
At Milton Keynes City Council, we aim to make a difference every day. We’re dedicated, respectful and collaborative. We act as one council, and we work hard to create cleaner, safer and healthier communities while tackling inequalities and supporting people to thrive.
Find out more about working with us here: www.mkcounciljobs.org.uk
Main Responsibility
- Manage safeguarding allegations involving people who work or volunteer with children.
- Lead the review and development of allegations management policies and practice.
- Provide a professional consultation service to employers and partner agencies on safer recruitment, risk assessment and safeguarding processes.
- Build strong relationships with partner organisations to ensure information is shared appropriately and risks are understood.
- Ensure the voice of the child is central to all assessments, balancing duty of care and ensuring families are informed and involved.
- Contribute your expert knowledge to training, service development and wider safeguarding work across Milton Keynes.
The Ideal Candidate
- A qualified social worker with registration through Social Work England, holding a DipSW, CQSW or equivalent.
- Experienced in safeguarding practice, including chairing complex meetings and making clear, evidence based recommendations.
- Skilled at delivering training for a range of professionals, such as police, youth justice and health colleagues.
- Confident in your written and verbal communication, able to challenge, problem solve and work within varying timeframes.
- Motivated, organised and capable of making difficult decisions while supporting others in complex work.
- Someone who works in line with our workplace values: dedicated, respectful and collaborative.
- To be successful in this role, you’ll need a full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle. If you’re offered the position, we’ll ask for proof of your licence and vehicle insurance, including business use cover. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to confirm your appointment without these documents.
- If you’re offered the role, we’ll arrange an Enhanced DBS check as part of our pre-employment process (unless you’re already registered with the DBS Update Service).
Package Description
In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:
- Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
- Excellent pension – everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
- A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support and a childcare subsidy.
- Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
- Salary sacrifice car scheme – low-cost leasing of electric and low emission vehicles.
- Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.
Why join us? Along with more on our Benefits, discover why Working at the City Council could be the right move for you here Working at the Council | Milton Keynes
Our roles are either designated ‘site based’ or ‘home based’. ‘Site based’ roles can include up to two days a week working from home whilst ‘home based’ roles are based at home four days a week. Of course, managers designate which category roles are in based on the needs of the service and the circumstances.
About The Organisation
Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.
We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.
We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.
We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.
If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.
