Advisor, Safeguarding, Child Protection and Community Engagement

Description

Position Title: Advisor, Safeguarding, Protection and Community Engagement

Employee Type: Full-Time Regular

Supervisor Title: Deputy Executive Director, Head Start

Division : Head Start

Summary

The Advisor, Safeguarding, Protection and Community Engagement serves as technical lead to manage child safeguarding, protection and safety and security for an assigned group of our Save the Children’s Head Start programs. In collaboration with Save the Children Head Start leadership and with the Save the Children US Safeguarding team, you will provide guidance and support to program staff to ensure the safety, protection and wellbeing of children, families and staff. This position will report to the Deputy Executive Director, Head Start, with a dotted line reporting relationship to the Managing Director, Safeguarding for Save the Children US.

What You'll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

Child Safeguarding (35%)

• Serve as the Safeguarding Focal point for an assigned Head Start programs, conducting ongoing training and monitoring of program activities to ensure the program is adhering to the requirements as outlined in the SCUS Safeguarding Policy Framework (Child Safeguarding, Protection Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), and Human Trafficking Policies) and Head Start Child Safeguarding Policy Notebook, submitting periodic reports as requested to Department, Division, and Agency leadership
• Support the development of Head Start safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure alignment with SCUS and Head Start requirements
• Cultivate a culture of safeguarding across programs, guiding and monitoring the implementation of active supervision and positive guidance techniques to prevent (including children being left alone, unsupervised, and/or abuse).
• In alignment with SCUS policies and procedures, collaborate with program Human Resources and management staff on hiring practices and employment engagement strategies to mitigate safeguarding risks, supporting the implementation of agency guidance, process and policy.
• Coordinate roll-out of the trauma informed care approach. Contextualize and further refine existing content to build staff capacity related to trauma-informed care practices. Convene a Head Start safeguarding task force for the assigned area in collaboration with representatives from varying positions and varying levels of the organization, including representation from the Head Start board and policy council.
• Support Parent and Family Community Engagement Manager in educating families on safeguarding and reporting concerns.
• With support and tools developed in collaboration with the National Safeguarding Team, carry out risk assessments of departments and programs in assigned area and develop action plans to ensure appropriate mitigation measures are in place.
• Ensure contextualized safeguarding awareness raising materials, including child friendly materials, are posted at Head Start program sites and disseminated to families.
• Support Head Start staff to develop child friendly complaint mechanisms in consultation with families and children and conduct awareness raising activities with children on appropriate conduct of staff and how to raise concerns.
• Immediately report any concerns of safeguarding policy violations to Ethics Point and/or the National Safeguarding Team. Ensure that any concerns raised are handled confidentiality and according to organizational policy and procedure.
• In partnership with the National Safeguarding Team, Head Start Program Director and other content area managers as applicable, program correction action plans with measurable objectives in response to internal and external safeguarding findings and recommendations. Oversee follow-through plans, documenting progress and challenges according to identified timeframes.
• If needed and requested by the National Safeguarding Team, provide support for safeguarding investigations (e.g. logistical support, referral to support services).
• Develop and maintain a mapping of available support services in the assigned area to refer survivors, witnesses, and others affected by safeguarding violations
• Participate in bi-weekly calls with the National Safeguarding Team to ensure robust two-way communication and coordination.
• Engage in ongoing learning and development activities on safeguarding standards and best practices.

Child Protection (35%)
• With guidance from Save the Children’s Child Protection Advisor, develop Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Child Protection protocols and referrals; follow up on related concerns and provide capacity building and training to all Head Start program staff on the SOP.
• Support programs through consultation, reporting and debrief related to child protection concerns.
• Oversee assessment of child protection risks and gaps in services for Head Start families with direct input of Head Start Family Service Coordinators, Family Community Engagement Manager and other relevant staff and Head Start families.
• Monitor, analyze and follow-up on incident reporting tracker and train Head Start staff on incident report writing. Submit monthly tracker to Head Start Program Director and Child Protection Advisor.
• Establish clear recommendations related to reported child protection concerns and in collaboration with Head Start Program Director, oversee development of a time-bound plan of action and lines of accountability with Head Start team.
• Support ongoing identification of local and state organizations, agencies, services and programs and establish referral pathway to mitigate risk, respond to child protection concerns, fill gaps, and strengthen capacity of Head Start families to protect children.
• Support Parent Family Community Engagement (PFCE) Manager with implementation of researched based parenting curriculum across programs.
• Research the availability and accessibility of child protection and prevention services throughout the Head Start service area and make recommendations to the PFCE Manager and Head Start Program Director for potential new community partnerships.

Community Collaboration (20%)
• Collaborate with programmatic colleagues, key community officials, partners, families, schools, and other cross-sector partners to engage in strategic planning and implementation of trauma informed community-based strategies.
• Provide support to the Community Partnership Risk Assessment process.
• Support Head Start program in special community projects such as community outreach events, food distribution projects, and Pop-up events
• Increase reach with new partners by coordinating logistics and delivery of donations
• Support recording and tracking of in-kind donations

Safety & Security (10%)
• Implement safety and security strategy as guided by the Office of Head Start and Save the Children’s requirements for safety and security; organize training and provide technical guidance on local safety and security incidents.
• Inform safety and security community of practice on best practices to continuously improve upon the safety and security strategy across Head Start and US Programs and Advocacy.

Required Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, plus at least five (5) years of relevant experience
• Proven knowledge of child development (0-5 years of age).
• Demonstrated ability to critically evaluate incidents and provide constructive advice and guidance, while maintaining appropriate professional confidentiality
• Proven documentation skills that reflect an ability to convey events with accuracy, sufficient detail, and objectivity
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and collaborate successfully with individuals and teams at all levels, both internally and externally, with a proven ability and willingness to use assertiveness with staff across various levels of authority in interest of keeping children safe.
• Proven experience with staff presentations and facilitating learning sessions based on knowledge of adult learning principles
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and assess the urgency of issues
• Professional proficiency in MS Office suite
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering and maintaining and environment of diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

This position may require the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle to fulfill certain essential functions of the job. The incumbent should maintain a valid driver’s license and remain in compliance with any Save the Children policies pertaining to the safe operation of motor vehicles.

Preferred Qualifications
• Knowledge and understanding of local child protection and prevention systems and ability to identify gaps
• Knowledge of Trauma Informed Systems of Care

Why you should join the Save the Children Team…

Save the Children US offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, pet insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, 403(b), generous vacation, personal sick leave, family leave, parental/adoption leave, commuter benefits, dress for your day, and much more.

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in YOU

About Save the Children

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Our work for children and their families requires that we commit—at every opportunity—to work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of discrimination in this country and beyond. As an anti-racist organization, Save the Children will not tolerate discrimination in any form—in our employment practices, amongst our staff, in our leadership or toward the people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and belonging.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation.