Safeguarding Support Officer

Safeguarding Support Officer (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead)

Agency: Supportive Bridge Staffing

Client: Lift Four Dwellings Secondary (Part of Lift Schools)

Location: Dwellings Lane, Birmingham, West Midlands, B32 1RJ

Position Type: Fixed-Term (until 31 August 2027) | Part-Time (20 Hours/Week, 39 Weeks/Year – Term Time Only)

Salary: £15,329.60 – £16,464.08 per annum (Actual Salary) + Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) & Lift Schools Benefits

Key Dates: Closing Date: 12 October 2026

About the Role

Supportive Bridge Staffing is proud to represent Lift Four Dwellings Secondary in hiring a compassionate, resilient, and proactive Safeguarding Support Officer.

In this critical role, you will act as a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL), working closely alongside the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to champion child protection, safety, and student welfare. You will work directly with students and families to help overcome barriers to education, coordinate early intervention, and liaise with multi-agency partners to ensure every child gets the right support at the right time.

Key Responsibilities

• Deputy DSL Leadership: Assist the DSL in responding to child protection and safeguarding concerns, upholding school-wide compliance and best practices.

• Family & Student Support: Coordinate Early Help cases, offering practical guidance to help families overcome barriers to learning and school engagement.

• Agency Liaison: Collaborate directly with children's social care, police, health professionals, and external support agencies; represent the school at multi-agency meetings.

• Compliance & Safeguarding Duties: Maintain accurate, secure CP records; support school responsibilities surrounding Prevent initiatives, FGM awareness, and secure child protection file transfers.

• Lead First Aid & Student Mentoring: Serve as the lead first aider (overseeing care plans and medication checks) while providing pastoral support and mentoring for Looked After Children (LAC).

What We Are Looking For

• Essential Qualifications & Experience:

  • GCSE Mathematics and English (Grade 4/C or above, or equivalent).

  • Minimum of 2 years' direct experience working with children, young people, and families.

  • Strong working knowledge of safeguarding legislation, child protection procedures, and Early Help frameworks.

  • Level 3 DSL certification and First Aid qualification (or willingness to complete upon appointment).

• Core Qualities & Skills:

  • Empathetic, calm, non-judgmental approach with excellent communication skills for sensitive situations.

  • Strong organizational and initiative-driven skills to manage competing case priorities.

  • Desirable: Experience in a secondary education setting, agency partnership work, and Google Workspace proficiency.

About the School & Network

• Lift Four Dwellings Secondary: Known affectionately as a "small school with a big heart," Lift Four Dwellings is led by Principal Claire Stoneman. The school has undergone a remarkable transformation—earning a Good Ofsted rating, achieving its highest-ever GCSE results, and standing out as the most improved school in South Birmingham for student progress in 2024. Its ethos is grounded in three core values: Respect, Resilience, and Responsibility.

• Lift Schools Network: A national network of 62 primary, secondary, and special schools educating over 35,000 pupils across the UK (including 10 in the Midlands).