St Helens Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership is proud of its work and the huge levels of commitment from all members. The independent scrutiny function is critical to provide assurance in judging the strength and effectiveness of the St Helens Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (SHSCP) multi agency arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and young people across the borough.
We are looking for an exceptional person, who shares our passion and commitment, to build on our strong foundations and continue to provide robust and positive challenge across the partnership to improve outcomes for children and young people in St Helens.
As Independent Scrutiny Officer you will support the Partnership in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities, by providing independent and objective scrutiny of the multi-agency safeguarding arrangements. You will act as a constructive critical friend to the Partnership by offering high support and high challenge, and to advocate reflection to help strengthen a learning culture, promote continuous improvement, and achieve positive outcomes for children, young people, and families.
Your experience will bring depth of working knowledge of operational and strategic safeguarding and familiarity with multi agency safeguarding arrangements. Critical to your success will be your ability and enthusiasm for engaging with children, young people and families to ensure the voice and lived experience of children and their families is at the heart of our safeguarding arrangements. Your experience will be underpinned by high level knowledge of legislation, guidance, policy and inspection frameworks
The role will initially involve Chairing of the Partnership Forum meetings so you must be able to build effective partnership relationships and chair complex multi-agency discussions that lead to assurances and improvements to policy and practice.
You will be accountable to the 3 Strategic Partners and will have the support of the partnership business manager.
Engagement will be on a contract for services basis and subject to an IR35 assessment. The contract will be for an initial one year, with an ability to extend for a further year, with agreement from all parties and subject to achieving all of the required outcomes of the role.
For an informal discussion please contact Jan Higgins Head of Children & Partnership Work
Safeguarding Unit on Tel: 01744 671708