Head of Function Complex (HOFC): Safeguarding (Ref: 15100)

Job summary

This position is based Nationally

Job description

The Youth Custody Service are looking for two skilled and committed Social Work managers (or equivalent) with extensive experience of managing front line practice in a statutory role. These roles are available on a two-year fixed term basis and will require travel across all the YCS sites across England and Wales.

The Youth Custody Service exists to protect, support and empower some of the most vulnerable children in the justice system. Every young person in our care has the right to feel safe, to be treated with dignity, and to access services that meet their welfare, educational, health and rehabilitative needs. The Safeguarding Manager plays a central role in securing these rights and ensuring that practice across the secure estate reflects the highest standards of safeguarding and child protection.

This senior, non‑operational position provides specialist safeguarding leadership across YCS establishments. The role requires deep commitment to the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and an understanding that safety is the foundation upon which meaningful rehabilitation is built. You will work closely with the YCS Head of Safeguarding and act as a trusted advisor to Governors, Deputy Governors, and senior operational leaders. You will be a visible presence within establishments, strengthening safeguarding culture, improving practice, and offering advice and challenge where needed.

At the heart of the role is the responsibility to ensure that safeguarding systems across the secure estate are robust, legally compliant and centred on the experiences and rights of the children we look after. You will guide establishments in meeting the requirements of Section 11 of the Children Act, reviewing local safeguarding and child protection policies, and ensuring that these are multi‑agency, trauma‑informed and responsive to the complex vulnerabilities of children in custody. You will maintain oversight of child protection data and safeguarding logs, identifying patterns, risks and areas where additional support or intervention is needed. Partnerships are essential in youth justice, and the role involves building strong, collaborative relationships with Local Safeguarding Children Boards, Secure Children’s Homes, Secure Training Centres, local authorities and other statutory partners. You will help shape service level agreements with safeguarding boards and ensure that external scrutiny and multi‑agency involvement consistently contribute to improvements in practice.

The Safeguarding Manager also carries responsibility for the assurance of safeguarding performance across the secure estate. This includes supporting HMIP readiness assessments, completing written reports, supporting establishments with action plans, and ensuring that progress against recommendations is carefully monitored. You will contribute to the development of a safe, supportive and child‑centred environment by helping staff understand their safeguarding duties, encouraging reflective practice, and ensuring that learning from incidents and complaints leads to tangible improvements in care.

Success in this role requires resilience, compassion and an ability to influence confidently at all levels. You will be expected to challenge constructively, often in complex situations, and to provide steady, informed leadership in response to safeguarding concerns. Strong communication skills are essential, as is the ability to maintain positive relationships with a wide range of professionals working within and beyond the justice system.

Candidates should bring extensive experience in safeguarding and child protection within a custodial or comparably high‑risk environment, along with a solid understanding of relevant legislation and guidance. You should also have a proven ability to lead assurance activity, manage risk and support organisations undergoing change. Within your first year in post, you will be required to complete Level 4 Child Protection and Safeguarding training, and all candidates must meet the suitability criteria for working with children and hold an enhanced level DBS.

This is a rare opportunity to influence safeguarding practice on a national scale and to contribute directly to the safety, wellbeing and future prospects of children in custody. If you are motivated by the values of youth justice and committed to ensuring that the welfare of children remains at the forefront of everything we do, we welcome your application.

If you have any queries, please contact - YCS_HQSafeguarding@justice.gov.uk

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,457, HM Prison & Probation Service contributes £16,065 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5358

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/15100?entityId=15100