Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
Salary Range: £59,328 - £62,748
Location: Twickenham (covering Kingston & Richmond)
Contract: Permanent, Full-time
Achieving for Children is seeking an experienced and passionate Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) to join our Quality Assurance and Review Service. This role is essential in safeguarding children and ensuring high standards of practice across Kingston & Richmond.
About the Service
The Quality Assurance and Review Service is pivotal in delivering independent safeguarding functions within Achieving for Children. Our services include:
- Child protection conferences
- Independent reviewing officer services
- Local authority designated officer services
- Education safeguarding advisory
- Practice learning
- Principal social worker roles
We emphasize professional development, offering flexibility for team members to transition between roles as capacity allows, fostering an environment of continuous growth and excellence.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage and provide professional advice on allegations against individuals working with children, in accordance with Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023), Keeping Children Safe in Education (2022), and local protocols.
- Ensure effective mechanisms for timely and appropriate progression of allegations to protect children from harm.
- Provide consultation and decision-making on thresholds and interventions to ensure high-quality and safe services for children.
- Chair complex multi-agency and multi-professional meetings.
- Represent the Local Authority in multi-partnership meetings.
- Conduct performance management, audit cases, allocate cases, and manage resources effectively.
- Manage the Duty System, hold strategy discussions with police, and progress cases appropriately.
Qualifications:
- Qualified Social Worker with a recognized professional qualification (e.g., BA Social Work, MA Social Work, DipSW).
- Current registration with Social Work England.
Experience:
- Significant experience working as a Qualified Social Worker ideally as a Team Manager.
- Extensive experience chairing child protection conferences and reviews.
- Thorough understanding of relevant legislation, policies, and procedures.
- Experience in multi-agency collaboration and partnership working.
Join us at Achieving for Children and contribute to our mission of supporting children and young people to live safe, happy, healthy, and successful lives.
For more info on this, or any other social work opportunity in London, please contact Callum Parr at Ackerman Pierce recruitment agency on