Head of Safeguarding – Family Operations Salary £60,628 – £64,799 per annum; REF: CAFHE00968 Permanent or temporary or on a secondment basis for a serving police officer or member of police staff

Full time, 37 hours per week Location: County Hall, Chichester With you, with the child…Every step of the way Please note that this post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

We’re working together as one professional team, in an environment based on high challenge and high support, creating more positive outcomes for the children and families in our care.

Our Directorate provides crucial services to the children and families of West Sussex with the goal of achieving the best outcomes for our children by putting them at the forefront of everything we do – this means listening, being open, being agile and being flexible in our response.   It also means streamlining access for children and families seeking help and support, providing easy access for professionals with concerns about a child, and providing easy pathways to services at all levels.

We were rated as “Requiring improvement” in our 2015 Ofsted inspection, this is not where we want to be. We are looking for someone who shares our ambition to be the very best we can be to join us to make a real and positive difference for the children in our county.  This role and you will play a key part in our success.    

The role supports both the Council partners across West Sussex and the South East region providing independent oversight and assurance that the council and its West Sussex partners meet their safeguarding, child protection, and children in care responsibilities.  It also has responsibility for managing the business unit of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) and is the lead officer for WSCC in developing multi-agency working arrangements.

This role will be crucial in driving culture and change through scrutiny and challenge. Working with the Head of Children’s Social Care and the Head of Quality Assurance, this presents a unique opportunity to operate as part of a supportive and collaborative leadership team to drive improvement and target improved outcomes across West Sussex.

You will have significant experience in safeguarding and complex case resolution which you may have gained in a social services or a policing role. You will be forward thinking, have innovative ideas, be able to make bold decisions and demonstrate that you can build effective partnership relationships to effect positive change.  Above all you will bring energy, drive and passion to this crucial role.  

If you are currently serving in the Police we will consider this on a 12 month secondment basis.

Relocation assistance may be available with this role (subject to meeting eligibility criteria).

To apply for this role, please upload your CV and provide a written supporting statement OR, if you are serving in the Police and are interested in this as a secondment opportunity, please complete the application form and provide a written supporting statement. It is assumed that you will already have approval from your manager to proceed with the secondment opportunity and be able to be released within a reasonable timeframe should you be successful. 

To discuss this opportunity in more detail, or to obtain an information pack, please contact Debbie Apperley at West Sussex County Council

Panel interviews will be held Monday 16th October at County Hall, Chichester.