Army - Cadet Safeguarding Support Worker

Job summary

The Army Cadets is a national uniformed youth organisation comprising approximately 68,000 cadets and 11,000 adult volunteers across the community-based Army Cadet Force (ACF) and school-based Combined Cadet Force (CCF). Through a wide range of activities and experiences, the organisation helps young people develop confidence, resilience, leadership skills and a sense of responsibility.

The Army Cadet Safeguarding Hub is responsible for managing safeguarding concerns, providing advice and guidance, and ensuring appropriate action is taken to protect children and young people. The Hub also develops safeguarding policy, training and procedures, working closely with the Ministry of Defence and external statutory agencies to ensure safeguarding standards are maintained across the organisation.

As a Cadet Safeguarding Support Worker, you will play an important role in supporting the effective management of safeguarding concerns. Working within a dedicated team, you will help ensure that referrals are received, assessed, recorded and progressed appropriately, while providing support and advice to volunteers, staff and partner agencies.

You will act as an initial point of contact for safeguarding concerns and allegations, gathering information, communicating with referrers and liaising with agencies such as the Police, Local Authority Designated Officers (LADOs) and Children's Social Care. The role requires strong communication skills, sound judgement and the ability to handle sensitive information professionally and confidentially.

A key element of the role is maintaining accurate and comprehensive records. High-quality record keeping is fundamental to effective safeguarding practice, ensuring that decisions are evidence-based, risks are managed appropriately and information can be shared effectively when required. You will be responsible for recording safeguarding activity, maintaining case management systems and ensuring compliance with data protection requirements.

This post is advertised at 37 hours per week and is primarily worked during normal office hours. However, occasional flexibility may be required to support safeguarding activities. Please note that hybrid working is not available for this role due to its nature.

Due to the nature of the role, part time and job share arrangements may be considered, subject to the requirement that full-time hours are fully covered (or business needs are met, atleast a 60/40 split in working hours).

Job description

Key responsibilities:

• Work in a child-centred manner, promoting the welfare and safeguarding of children at all times.
• Act as a first point of contact for safeguarding concerns, disclosures and referrals relating to cadets, providing advice and guidance to colleagues as required.
• Provide administrative support to safeguarding casework, including information gathering, data entry, case tracking and maintaining accurate records.
• Manage and maintain confidential safeguarding case records in accordance with safeguarding policies, data protection legislation and information management requirements.
• Prepare safeguarding documentation, correspondence and disclosure certificate case files containing adverse information to support case progression and decision-making.
• Support daily safeguarding triage processes by preparing and presenting summaries of new referrals and contributing to discussions on appropriate next steps.
• Arrange and coordinate safeguarding meetings, including scheduling attendees, preparing papers, and recording actions and minutes.
• Liaise effectively with external agencies, statutory partners and internal stakeholders, ensuring appropriate information sharing and collaborative working.
• Support referrals to relevant vetting and barring organisations, including the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme Scotland and Access Northern Ireland (AccessNI).
• Monitor and support the progression of safeguarding cases, ensuring actions are completed in a timely manner and records remain up to date.
• Participate in regular supervision, professional development activities and continuous learning to maintain safeguarding knowledge, skills and best practice.

Person specification

Essential skills required:

• Experience of working within a safeguarding, child protection, welfare, education, youth work, policing, social care, or similar environment, with an understanding of safeguarding principles and processes.
• Ability to gather, evaluate and accurately record information, using sound judgement to support safeguarding assessments and decision-making.
• Experience of managing sensitive information and maintaining accurate, comprehensive and timely records in line with policy and data protection requirements.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage a varied workload, prioritise tasks and support the progression of multiple safeguarding cases simultaneously.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work professionally with children, young people, volunteers, staff and partner agencies.
• Experience of working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, demonstrating flexibility, professionalism and a child-centred approach in a changing operational environment.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,740, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,905 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.

Other benefits for Army civil servants include:

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Highly competitive pension scheme
• Personal and professional development of skills
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
• Enhanced parental and adoption leave
• 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
• Learning and Development

We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role.

A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

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