Director of Student Support & Welfare - based at Preston

Are you a dedicated leader passionate about championing safeguarding and creating a safe, inclusive, and protective environment for students?

We are seeking an exceptional Director of Student Safeguarding & Support to lead and embed a culture of safety and well-being at Myerscough College. This pivotal role ensures every student thrives in a secure, inclusive, and supportive setting while overseeing the management of the residential provision and acting as the SCCIF (Social Care Common Inspection Framework) nominee to uphold the highest standards of care.

About Our College:

At Myerscough College, safeguarding is our highest priority. We are committed to protecting students, fostering inclusivity, and ensuring well-being. Our safeguarding ethos is embedded in everything we do, ensuring a proactive and protective environment for all learners.

The Role:

As Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), you will drive safeguarding strategy and operational leadership. You will oversee child protection, residential welfare standards, SCCIF & Prevent compliance, and welfare initiatives, ensuring full adherence to statutory safeguarding standards while creating a culture where student safety and inclusivity come first.

Key Responsibilities:

• Champion and embed a safeguarding-first culture, ensuring student safety is integrated into every aspect of college life.
• Act as DSL, overseeing child protection, risk assessments, intervention strategies, and compliance with safeguarding legislation.
• Lead the management of residential provision, ensuring a high standard of pastoral care and compliance with residential welfare requirements.
• Act as SCCIF nominee, liaising with regulatory bodies, ensuring compliance with inspection frameworks, and leading continuous improvement in residential care.
• Lead safeguarding training to empower staff with the knowledge and confidence to identify and respond to concerns effectively.
• Develop proactive interventions that identify and support vulnerable students before risks escalate.
• Oversee and manage safeguarding investigations, ensuring swift, thorough, and sensitive responses.
• Strengthen partnerships with external agencies, including social services, police, and mental health organisations, to ensure a coordinated approach to safeguarding.
• Provide expert guidance to senior leaders and governors, ensuring safeguarding remains central to all decision-making.

About You:

• Extensive safeguarding leadership experience, ideally in education, with a proven ability to drive a strong safeguarding culture.
• Deep knowledge of safeguarding laws, residential welfare regulations, child protection policies, and statutory requirements.
• Experience leading residential care provision, ensuring compliance with SCCIF and best practices in student welfare.
• Experience leading safeguarding investigations, managing risk, and working collaboratively with external agencies.
• Passion for student welfare, inclusivity, and ensuring a safe environment for all learners.
• Strong leadership and communication skills, able to influence, inspire, and drive safeguarding excellence.

Benefits:

By choosing to work with us, you'll enjoy a wide range of benefits. You’ll receive a holiday package of 38 days annual leave (full time equivalent) as well as an enhanced employer pension contribution. Based at our rural campus in Lancashire, you will enjoy working in a bespoke and sector leading facility with a passionate and supportive team of colleagues who are committed to inspiring excellence.

How To Apply:

For more details, please go to our jobs page where you can view the full job summary and apply: www.myerscough.ac.uk/why-myerscough/job-vacancies/

Please don't hesitate to get in contact with our team to arrange an informal discussion with the hiring manager: recruitment@myerscough.ac.uk or 01995 642289.

Safeguarding:

Please note that as part of our commitment to safeguarding our students, our background screening checks include limited online searches. Online searches will only be undertaken in respect of the successful candidate, as a pre-conditional term of our job offer.

Safeguarding our students is of paramount importance. Our recruitment process has been designed to keep students safe and to ensure that we appoint safe and suitable people.

All successful applicants will be required to undertake pre-employment background and safeguarding checks.

The successful applicant will be responsible for complying with all safeguarding policies and practices, and for ensuring student safety and wellbeing is at the forefront of everything they do.

This post is not exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

We are an equal opportunity employer; we want all our candidates to have a fair and equal opportunity to secure employment with us. We encourage applications from all underrepresented groups: BAME applicants, disabled applicants, and LGBT+ applicants.

If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, due to a disability, then please speak with a member of the People team.

As a disability confident employer, we commit to guaranteeing an interview for any disabled applicant who meets all of the essential criteria.

Hours

37 Hours per week

Department

Student Support, Safeguarding & Welfare

Location

Myerscough College (Preston)

Reference No

DSSW-84

Closing Date

Tuesday 8 April 2025