Designated Safeguarding Officer Role Description
Main Purpose
Introduction
StreetGames will ensure Safeguarding is led in the organisation by the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO). This individual will take a lead in relation to safeguarding/child protection issues, with StreetGames and its delivery chain. The DSO will be expected to attend a basic child protection awareness course (e.g. SCUK Good Practice & Child Protection, LSCB course, or equivalent), designated officer training (CPSU Time to Listen) and are subject to a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.
Details of StreetGames’ Designated Safeguarding Officer are provided at the bottom of this Appendix.
Responsibilities of the DSO:
- Be the lead for StreetGames work on the welfare and safety of young people across the organisation. This includes the promotion of a child or young person centred approach to the development and delivery of programmes, activities, events and residential experiences.
- Coordinate the internal StreetGames Safeguarding Working group;
- Be a regular member of the Safeguarding Case management group;
- Receiving notification of any information relating to safeguarding/child protection issues.
- Making any immediate enquiries necessary to clarify the nature of the concern, and identifying which other organisations should be contacted.
- Deciding on an appropriate response (when necessary having sought advice and support from CPSU or other statutory child care agency e.g. Children’s Social Care (formerly Social Services), Police, Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership).
- Responses could include consulting with or referring the matter to another sports organisation’s safeguarding officer (e.g. CSP, NGB or LA Leisure Services), or contacting a statutory agency such as Children’s Social Care (formerly Social Services), Police or the Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.
- If the concerns relate to the behaviour of a member of staff or volunteer (poor practice or suspected abuse), consulting with the relevant manager/HR so appropriate disciplinary processes can be initiated.
- Recording all actions (including those actions agreed by other organisations or individuals) and establishing a record, which is stored securely in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
- Providing advice to staff on safeguarding matters.
- Acting as the organisational link with other agencies or organisations involved in dealing with safeguarding issues, which arise.
- Ensuring all office staff are aware of and understand these procedures.
The Designated Safeguarding Officer role is to be carried out by the Head of Youth and Sport. In his/her absence, this is to be deputised by the Chief Executive
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer
Key role and responsibilities
- Support DSL in managing and delivery StreetGames safeguarding action plan
- Support DSL in managing safeguarding incidences and cases
- Support the DSL in ensuring StreetGames staff can access and understand the organisation’s child protection and safeguarding policy and procedures (especially new and part time staff).
- Act as a source of support, advice for staff in particular in the support of the regional safeguarding leads.
- Coordinate and organise safeguarding training for StreetGames staff
- Ensure that all staff undergo the correct recruitment and induction process in relation to safeguarding and where working with young people forms a significant part of their role.
- Provide information/articles for StreetGames newsletter ‘word on the street’ to provide up to date information for the StreetGames network on safeguarding.
- Working with regional safeguarding leads provide support and information to the StreetGames network which may mean attending StreetGames network meetings.
- Be responsible for the inclusion and monitoring of Safeguarding within and StreetGames grant/programme application process;
- Oversee the DBS process for StreetGames ensuring the DBS check is part of inductions for relevant staff and reviewing staff lists on a regular basis.
- Manage the usage of the Tootoot online case management system across StreetGames including staff training on the use of the system.
Board Safeguarding lead
Key roles and responsibilities
The lead trustee for safeguarding takes on three main sets of duties related to safeguarding in addition to their wider responsibilities as a trustee.
Strategic
- Ensure the organisations plans reflect safeguarding legislation, regulations specific to your activities, statutory guidance, and the safeguarding expectations of the Charities Commission.
- Work with the CEO and designated safeguarding lead regularly to review whether the things the organisation has put in place are creating a safer culture and keeping people safe.
- Check the organisation’s risk register reflects safeguarding risks properly and plans sensible measures to take, including relevant insurance for trustees liability.
- Make sure there is space on the agenda for safeguarding reports and help trustees understand and challenge those reports.
Effective policy and practice
- Make sure there is an annual review of safeguarding policies and procedures and that this is reported to trustees.
- Understand the monitoring StreetGames does to see whether policies and procedures are effective.
- Lead regular audits of StreetGames safeguarding work which include both qualitative an quantitative data.
- Learn from case reviews locally and nationally, to improve your organisation’s policies, procedures and practices.
- Oversee safeguarding allegations against staff or volunteers, together with CEO and designated safeguarding lead.
- Be a point of contact for staff or volunteers if someone wishes to complain about a lack of action in relation to safeguarding concerns.
Creating the right culture
- Champion safeguarding throughout StreetGames.
- Support the trustees in developing their individual and collective understanding of safeguarding.
- Attend meetings, activities, projects to engage with staff, volunteers and beneficiaries to understand safeguarding on the ground.
- Work with the chair, CEO, designated safeguarding lead and communications team in order to manage all serious safeguarding cases.
- Ensure there are ways of gathering the views of staff and volunteers in relation to safeguarding and sharing these with the board.
The role of Board safeguarding lead is also required to be a member of case management groups as and when this is deemed necessary.
Current Designated Safeguarding Role holders at StreetGames:
John Downes
Designated Safeguarding Officer
Feb 2017
Currently open for recruitment
Deputy Safeguarding Officer
John Cove
Board Safeguarding Lead
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