Cathedral Safeguarding Officer - #1743667

Main Duties And Responsibilities

The Cathedral Safeguarding Officer has operational authority within the Cathedral (subject to agreement with the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer with respect to responding to concerns and allegations against Church officers) for the following responsibilities, arranged according to the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Standards:

Standard 1: Organisational culture, leadership and capacity - The CSO will lead the Cathedral’s work on this standard by:

• Working with the Chapter, Dean, other senior clergy, the Chief Operating Officer, other senior staff, relevant Cathedral committees and structures, the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel and key diocesan staff to support, develop and improve the safeguarding practice and culture across the Cathedral.
• Cooperating with and supporting the work of the relevant Cathedral committees and structures and the Diocesan Safeguarding Team as required.
• Managing the Cathedral’s response to ongoing safeguarding quality assurance and audit processes.
• Escalating safeguarding concerns or issues to the appropriate body, such as the Diocesan Safeguarding Team, and/or the relevant statutory safeguarding agency, including the Charity Commission, and/or the National Safeguarding Team, as the situation requires.
• Ensuring that appropriate learning and reflective practice takes place across the Cathedral and contributing to learning within the Diocese arising from safeguarding casework, including, where required, commissioning or requesting safeguarding practice reviews.
  
  
  

Standard 2: Prevention - The CSO will lead the Cathedral’s work on this standard by:

• Co-ordinating the implementation of House of Bishop’s safeguarding policy and practice guidance in the cathedral.
• Giving advice, support, direction and challenge, as required, to the Dean, Chapter and other church officers across the Cathedral.
• Providing, or co-ordinating the provision of, safeguarding training across the Cathedral, according to the Church of England’s Safeguarding Learning and Development Framework.
  
  
  

Standard 3: Responding to and managing risk - The CSO will lead the Cathedral’s progress on this standard by:

• Ensuring that all allegations and concerns relating to Church Officers and members of the clergy are reported to, and a plan is agreed with, the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer (DSO) and/or relevant members of the National Safeguarding Team (NST).
• Leading and coordinating all aspects of safeguarding casework within the Cathedral, ensuring that all work is completed in line with House of Bishop’s safeguarding policy and guidance and all other relevant statutory guidance and legal responsibilities.
  
  
  

Standard 4: Victims and Survivors - The CSO will lead the Cathedral’s progress on this standard by:

• Coordinating the Cathedral’s response to those reporting abuse.
• Leading the ongoing implementation of the House of Bishop’s Responding Well to Victims and Survivors of Abuse guidance.
  
  
  

Standard 5: Learning, supervision and support - The CSO will lead the Cathedral’s progress on this standard by:

• Working collaboratively with the Diocesan and National Safeguarding Team and other Church of England Safeguarding Officers and attending national safeguarding events and activities as required.
• Engaging in professional supervision and quality assurance provided by the relevant Regional Safeguarding Lead, and in continual professional development, including ensuring that the requirements of the National Safeguarding Learning and Development Framework for Safeguarding Officers are met.
  
  
  

This role will contribute to any national audits of the Safeguarding function.

Please find further details and person specification in the attached job description.