Designated Safeguarding Lead

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is a member of the School’s Senior Leadership Team and takes lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection across the institution, supported by a safeguarding team comprised of two Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads, and four counselors. The role holder ensures that safeguarding is embedded into all aspects of school culture, leads on multi‑agency collaboration, manages child protection referrals, and provides strategicguidance to colleagues, trustees, and external agencies. The DSL has management oversight of a Safeguarding Administrative Assistant and the School Nursing team.

Summary of major responsibilities

Managing Referrals & Multi-Agency Working

• Act as the primary point of contact for local authority children’s social care, local safeguarding partners, and police (where the case leads to safeguarding/child protection

• Refer cases of suspected abuse, neglect, or harm immediately to Children’s Social Care, the Local Authority Designated Officer, Channel/Prevent, or the police, where required

• Lead and support early help assessments for children who require additionalsupport before reaching statutory intervention thresholds

• Attend and contribute actively to child protection conferences, core groups, and multi‑agency risk assessment conferences

Information Sharing and Record Keeping

• Maintain confidential, accurate, detailed, and up‑to‑date child protection records (separate from academic records), adhering to data protection (GDPR/Data Protection Act) standards

• Securely transfer child protection files to new educational settings when a student transfers, confirming receipt and ensuring seamless continuity of care

• In partnership with the Board of Trustees, monitor safeguarding trends within the school to inform local risk assessments and policy development

• Assist the Human Resources Department with maintaining a compliant, accurate and continuously updated Single Central Record, advising on and signing pre‑employment risk assessments where required and permissible

• Serve as the School’s Attendance Champion, works in partnership with the divisional attendance officers, monitoring and reporting attendance concerns to the local authority

Raising Awareness and Staff Guidance

• Ensure the school’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy is updated annually, publicly accessible, and aligned with statutory DfE guidance.

• Ensure all staff (including temporary and supply staff) receive safeguarding induction training and understand their duty to report concerns immediately

• Provide regular safeguarding updates, refresher training, and Level 2 training for employees and supply staff as appropriate, as well as arranging Level 3 training for the appropriate roleholders

• Promote a child‑centric environment where children feel heard, respected, and safe to disclose concerns

• Chair weekly meetings with divisional safeguarding teams, discussing safeguarding cases and advising on appropriate next steps

• Monitor and approve tutoring and enrichment arrangements

Training and Professional Development

• Complete formal DSL training at least every two years to maintain expertise in safeguarding policy, local multi‑agency procedures, and legal updates

• Update knowledge and skills regularly (at least annually) on emerging safeguarding issues, including online safety, peer‑on‑peer/child‑on‑child abuse, exploitation (CCE/CSE), radicalisation, domestic abuse, and filtering/monitoring systems

Online Safety, Filtering and Monitoring

• Oversee the online safety policy and collaborate with TILM leadership to ensure effective filtering and monitoring infrastructure

• Manage concerns relating to student cyberbullying, online harassment, cybercrime (e.g., Cyber Choices programme), and digital safety breaches

Working With Senior Leadership and Trustees

• Meet regularly with the Head of School and the Designated Safeguarding Trustees to report on safeguarding activity, staff training, and policy compliance

• Prepare abiannual safeguarding report, supported by contemporaneous data and evidence, to be presented to the Board of Trustees

Essential qualifications/experience

• Substantial experience working directly with children and young people in an educational or social care setting

• Certified Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) training (or willingness to complete prior to start date)

• Comprehensive working knowledge of KCSIE, Working Together to Safeguard Children, EYFS statutory framework, data protection laws, and local multi‑agency thresholds

• Strong analytical, record‑keeping, and crisis‑management skills under pressure.

• Ability to assimilate and communicate complex information succinctly and persuasively, both verbally and in writing

• Well‑developed interpersonal skills that inspire trust, confidence and credibility with all constituencies

• Evidence of a commitment to continuous professional development, demonstrated by appropriate professional memberships, conference attendance, and presentations

• Strong leadership, decision‑making, and a commitment to collaboration

• A proven commitment to support diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging and how it relates to safeguarding matters

Desirable qualifications/experience

• Experience managing multi‑agency referrals and attending child protection conferences

• Advanced qualifications in child welfare, social work, or educational leadership

• Experience managing digital safeguarding software (CPOMS, My Concern, etc)

The American School in London is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all trustees, employees and volunteers to share this commitment. All new appointments will be subject to appropriate checks: Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS enhanced), Disqualification by Association Self‑Declaration, Declaration of Criminal Record, checks against the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) Prohibition List (Teacher Status Checks) including Identity, Address, Date of Birth, a Full Employment History, Right to Work in the UK, overseas checks where applicable, at least 2 references (one with current or most recent employer, where appropriate) and original documentation of Qualifications (where appropriate). For positions into Senior Management a Prohibition from Management Check (s128 Directive) will also be undertaken.

All posts involving direct contact with children are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. However, amendments to the Exceptions Order & 2020) provide that certain spent convictions and cautions are 'protected'. These are not subject to disclosure to employers and cannot be taken into account. Guidance and criteria on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found on the Ministry of Justice website. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide details of all unspent convictions and those that would not be filtered, prior to the date of the interview. You may be asked for further information about your criminal history during the recruitment process. If your application is successful, this self-disclosure information will be checked against information from the Disclosure & Barring Service before your appointment is confirmed.

ASL is dedicated to fostering courageous global citizenship in a diverse and inclusive school environment. In our international community, we aspire for the cultures and backgrounds of our employees to mirror those of our families and student body, and we enthusiastically welcome applications from candidates who bring diverse life experiences, perspectives and skills. Educators with knowledge of global education and prospective applicants for any position who are committed to diversity and inclusion are particularly welcome to apply. The American School in London will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, maternity or parental status, or any other legally recognised protected basis under local law.

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