Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

Job Introduction

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

Salary: £53,317 - £56,551 includes market factor

Contract Type: Full Time, Permanent

Would you like to work for an 'Outstanding' local authority, with an established management team committed to developing excellent practice and ensuring that our staff receive the best support we can offer?

We recognise that to achieve our ambitions, we need the best, most talented, experienced, innovative and committed people to join us. In doing so, you will join a passionate and vibrant team who are outcomes focused and operate with a strong team ethos.

We value our staff and offer excellent benefits, opportunities for career progression and professional development, and the opportunity to work in Telford & Wrekin, with its excellent transport links and beautiful countryside.

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

We are seeking an experienced safeguarding professional to undertake the role of Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within our IRO, Performance and Quality Assurance Service.

This is a pivotal role responsible for managing allegations and concerns relating to individuals who work or volunteer with children. The successful candidate will provide expert advice, guidance and challenge to employers, agencies and professionals, ensuring allegations are managed robustly, fairly and in accordance with statutory guidance and local safeguarding procedures.

The LADO plays a key role in safeguarding children and maintaining public confidence by ensuring concerns regarding people in positions of trust are progressed effectively, proportionately and without delay. The role requires close partnership working with schools, early years settings, health services, police, social care and other partner agencies.

You will chair complex allegation management meetings, provide specialist safeguarding consultation, contribute to quality assurance activity and support the continued development of safeguarding policy and practice across the partnership.

About You

You will be an experienced safeguarding practitioner with substantial knowledge of child protection legislation, statutory guidance and multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.

You will possess:

• Significant experience of working within children's safeguarding services.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, child protection and allegations management processes.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills.
• The ability to analyse complex information and make sound professional decisions.
• Experience of chairing complex multi-agency meetings and managing professional challenge.
• A commitment to achieving positive outcomes for children and young people.

Why Telford & Wrekin?

Our recent success is built on the quality, commitment and stability of our workforce. We are proud to have created an environment where practitioners are supported, valued and able to deliver excellent outcomes for children and families.

We offer:

• Flexible working arrangements.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Ongoing professional development opportunities.
• Access to a comprehensive employee benefits package.

If you are passionate about safeguarding children and want to make a real difference across the partnership, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion regarding this post, please Caitlin Claytor on Caitlin.Claytor1@telford.gov.uk

Please click on the links below to view the job description and person specification.

We believe great services start with great people — and that means building a workforce that reflects our community. At Telford & Wrekin Council, everyone belongs, and every voice matters.

Telford and Wrekin Council takes seriously the responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all the children and young people entrusted to our care and it is our expectation that all staff will share this commitment. We will ensure continuous development and improvement of robust recruitment processes and procedures that promote a culture of safeguarding amongst our workforce. As part of our safer recruitment practices, references will be obtained and scrutinised prior to interview wherever possible. Completion of an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is a requirement for working with children and young people. It is an offence to apply for a role that involves engaging in regulated activity with children and adults in vulnerable circumstances if you are barred from working with one or both of these groups.

Please note: We do not hold a sponsorship licence for visas.