Job title: Academy Safeguarding Officer
Department: Safeguarding
Location: BRFC Academy, Brockhall Village, Blackburn, BB6 8BA. Flexibility on location may
be required.
Reports to: Club Safeguarding Manager
Responsible for: N/A
Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week plus any additional hours necessary for the performance of
duties. This may include evening and weekend work.
Contractual status: Permanent
Job purpose: To promote and protect the safety and welfare of children and adults at risk of
harm, recognising the Club commitment to safeguarding and assist in the delivery
of its safeguarding strategy, vision, values and meets League Safeguarding
Standards.
Duties and
responsibilities:
• To be committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of all children and adults
at risk of harm, promoting their well-being needs and providing a safe
environment;
• To ensure safeguarding is embedded within the Academy provision and
culture;
• To work closely with and report on a regular basis to the Club Safeguarding
(CSM) Manager/Senior Safeguarding Manager (SSM) and provide regular
safeguarding updates and reports to provide to the Board of Directors;
• To maintain and promote a culture of trust, inclusion, transparency, listening
and respect;
• To attend regular safeguarding training and maintain an up to date knowledge
base of relevant legislation, regulations and best practice;
• Ensure all concerns and complaints are taken seriously and responded to
swiftly and appropriately, recording all concerns, incidents and allegations
including poor practice and low-level concerns in an accurate and timely
manner;
• To represent ED&I for the Academy by attending meetings and being
responsible for ED&I within the Academy;
• To work closely with the Academy Psychologist and Player Care to manage the
Academy’s Mental & Emotional Wellbeing pathway strategy;
• To complete relevant CPD specific to the job roles and responsibilities; and
• Ensure familiarity and compliance with and commitment to Policies and
Procedures and other safeguarding documentation as appropriate; seeking
feedback from internal stakeholders;
• Raise awareness of safeguarding practices in your area of responsibility and
create a culture of trust and inclusion;
• Ensure robust governance arrangements, policies and procedures are in place
for care and accommodation providers and multi-occupancy Club boarding
accommodation;
• Ensure physical and on-line environments – including social media, promote
safety and well-being, minimising the opportunity for children and adults at
risk to be harmed or exposed to inappropriate or explicit behaviour, materials
and on-line content including e-sports competitions/activities;
• To ensure Safeguarding is considered in all activities for or to be attended by
children/adults at risk;
• Management of the Academy Safeguarding & Player Care Risk Register
ensuring Health & Safety Prevent and Safeguarding Risks are identified and
mitigated when planning and delivering activities, and that they are recorded
and shared with those who require it to support safe activity planning and/or
delivery;
• To ensure there is an understanding of, commitment to and compliance with
the Prevent Duty at the Academy;
• Robust mental health governance arrangements, policies procedures and
training in place at the Academy;
• To ensure that children and adults at risk are informed about their rights to
protection from abuse, mistreatment and exploitation and that reporting lines
are clearly promoted and accessible;
• To ensure safeguarding forms part of a multi-disciplinary approach to
supporting Academy players’ transition including sharing of information to
support and protect children;
Skills required:
• Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team;
• Ability to work independently;
• Good communication with key internal and external stakeholders;
• Ability to meet deadlines;
• Good listening skills (particularly pastorally for players);
• Good level of analytical skills;
• Competent use of key IT programmes incl. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint
as well as key online systems;
• Ability to solve problems;
• Be innovative in thinking and moving the department forward;
• A “think outside the box” approach to planning and maintaining personal
development programmes; and
• Confidentiality.
Knowledge
required:
• Good knowledge of Safeguarding/child protection policies and procedures;
• Good knowledge and understanding of current issues and trends within
safeguarding and working with children and vulnerable groups;