Job Description:

Are you an experienced safeguarding professional who wants to make a real difference for the most vulnerable young people in your community? Do you want to work alongside a committed, values-driven team who go above and beyond for students in often difficult circumstances and take genuine pride in seeing them achieve against the odds? If so, we would love to hear from you.
 

As our Designated Safeguarding Officer, you will act as a key source of safeguarding expertise and advocacy across the College, working closely with the Designated Safeguarding and Prevent Lead, Student Services and wider teams to protect and promote the welfare of vulnerable students. You will lead on referrals and casework, develop and deliver staff training, build effective partnerships with external agencies and lead on a specialist safeguarding area, bringing both knowledge and leadership to a function that sits at the heart of college life.

This is a term-time post (38 weeks per year), based at our Borehamwood Campus with travel to other College sites as required.
 

About Barnet and Southgate College
We change lives, empower individuals and connect communities.
 

We are an ambitious, forward-thinking further education college in North London, proud to serve diverse communities across Barnet, Southgate and beyond. Our 2030 Vision is bold: to be a leading provider of learning and skills development, fostering exceptional educational experiences, driven by innovation, collaboration and excellence.
 

Our safeguarding and Student Services team is made up of people who are genuinely passionate about protecting and supporting the most vulnerable learners. Partnership working is central to everything they do, and the team has built strong, trusted relationships with a wide range of external agencies. You will be joining a group of professionals who take their responsibilities seriously, support each other without hesitation and find real meaning in the work they do.

What You'll Be Doing

• Safeguarding expertise and advocacy: Act as a key source of safeguarding knowledge across the College, advocating for students identified as vulnerable or at risk and demonstrating sound understanding of procedures and the complex issues they face.
• Referrals and casework: Lead on referrals, action queries appropriately and in line with KCSIE, GDPR and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, and lead on collaborative strategy meetings involving relevant professionals.
• Records and quality assurance: Maintain accurate, up-to-date safeguarding records that evidence how risks are identified and mitigated, supporting compliance, quality assurance and inspection readiness.
• Specialist area lead: Take ownership of a specialist safeguarding area such as CCE, CSE, VAWG, misogyny/misandry or online safety, developing expertise and sharing best practice across the College.
• Training and awareness: Lead on the planning and delivery of safeguarding training for staff and promote key safeguarding updates to staff and students across all campuses using College platforms.
• Partnership working: Develop and sustain effective relationships with internal teams and external agencies including social care, the police, health services and other statutory partners to ensure joined-up, effective safeguarding responses.
• Statutory compliance: Support the Designated Safeguarding and Prevent Lead to ensure Governors, Senior Management and staff fulfil their statutory obligations under relevant legislation and guidance.

What You'll Bring

Essential

• A relevant Level 3 qualification
• English and Maths at Grade 5-9 or equivalent
• Designated Safeguarding Officer training completed within the last 3 years
• Proven experience and understanding of child protection procedures, referral processes and legislation
• Proven experience of adult safeguarding and referral processes
• Proven experience of multi-agency working
• Experience of supporting and working with vulnerable students in mainstream and more complex needs settings (e.g. EHCP, LAC, YOT, CP, CiN)
• Experience of Serious Safeguarding Reviews
• Excellent report writing and record keeping skills with high attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trusted relationships with young people, families, staff and external professionals
• Ability to negotiate, manage conflict and work effectively under pressure
• High level of integrity, confidentiality and understanding of GDPR and information-sharing protocols
• IT literate with working knowledge of Microsoft Office and safeguarding-related systems
  Willingness to travel and work across all main College campuses
• Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and safeguarding

Even Better If You Have...

• A higher-level qualification in safeguarding, social work, education or a related field
• Experience delivering safeguarding training to staff
• Experience working in a further education or post-16 setting
• Specialist knowledge in areas such as CCE, CSE, VAWG, online safety or Prevent

Potential Interview Dates

Week commencing 22nd June 2026.

Our Employee Pledge

The College offers employees a generous holiday allowance of 31 days annual leave for our support staff plus bank holidays. Pro Rata'd for part time employees. We also offer an attractive package of optional benefits for employees to take advantage of - please see below a list of our current staff benefits available at the College. Benefits include:

- Annual Season Ticket Loans: We offer permanent or contract staff with a minimum of a 12 month contract the option to purchase an annual season ticket loan without the big financial hit in one go! A season ticket loan will spread the cost over the course of a year by using the salary sacrifice scheme, this helps with your finances and is paid back monthly through your salary.

- Cycle to Work Scheme: The scheme is an incentive for staff, offering tax free bikes through bike shops and is run by Cyclescheme Ltd. You can get a tax-free bike, which for most people means they save around 32% of the cost for a new bike!

- Employee Support Helpline: The Employee Assistance Helpline can be contacted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They provide you and your family with counselling and advice, covering a variety of personal or workplace issues. It is free to use and all calls are confidential.

- Eye Tests for DSE Users: The College will refund the cost of regular eye tests for staff that use Display Screen Equipment regularly as part of their duties.

- Flu vouchers: We offer established staff a free flu vaccination voucher to take to a large range of local high street pharmacies. 

- Gym Facilities: Our Sports Centre at Southgate Campus is available for all staff with cardio, strength and conditioning equipment. The 2-floor gym is free for members of staff to use Monday to Friday within term time.

- Hair Salon Services and Beauty Treatments: A range of competitively-priced hairdressing services are accessible at our Colindale Campus. Regularly providing special staff offers which is convenient during lunch hours or after work. 

- High Street Discounts: Discount for teachers is a shopping benefits website for staff which gives access to fantastic savings on leading retail brands, plus lots of great special offers! We also have staff discount available with local high street stores within walking distance of our three main campuses.