Job Title: Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership – Independent Scrutineer
Grade: £550 per day
Directorate: Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership
Hours: 24 days per annum, 2 days per month (minimum subject to review)
Contract Type: Fixed term for 12 months (with the option to extend)
Location: Home Based
The Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (DDSCP) has a key role in ensuring that agencies collaborate to effectively safeguard children across its area. The statutory partners (Derby City Council, Derbyshire County Council, NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board and Derbyshire Constabulary) work together to deliver safeguarding arrangements that cover Derby and Derbyshire.
Our strategic vision is that all agencies work together to keep children and young people safe. The independent scrutiny function is critical in supporting our vision; providing assurance and judging the effectiveness of the partnership arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people across Derby City and Derbyshire County.
The DDSCP is looking for an Independent Scrutineer to provide robust scrutiny and constructive challenge of our local safeguarding arrangements. The post holder will act as a critical friend to help deliver the strategic vision of the partnership and ensure that robust assurance is obtained demonstrating the strength and effectiveness of the multi-agency arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and young people across its area.
A resilient individual is required with enthusiasm, commitment, and determination to drive forward this important agenda, bringing inspirational leadership qualities and significant partnership board level experience to build credibility with a range of stakeholders.
As Independent Scrutineer you will support and advise the four partners and the wider partnership; holding us to account to ensure that we are fulfilling the partnership objectives and statutory functions.
You must be able to demonstrate your strategic experience to help us embed partnership working at all levels. You will need to form appropriate relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, ranging from practitioners in safeguarding to senior managers and elected councillors. We would look to you to promote collaborative working and to co-ordinate partners to collectively solve problems.
You will ensure voices of individuals at risk of harm, their families and carers are heard and acted upon at all levels. The post holder will promote continuous improvement, providing scrutiny of the effectiveness with which a practice learning culture is embedded with all frontline staff and volunteers.
The DDSCP welcomes applications from individuals with experience from a range of disciplines, who can demonstrate our shared values and offer high challenge and support. You should be able to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the Working Together to Safeguard Children Guidance 2023 and what this means to local partnerships.
It is anticipated that this role will be required to cover approximately 24 days per annum. The specific commitment required will be agreed as part of the appointment process. The appointment is for a period of 12 months initially, with the opportunity to extend for a further 24 months subject to annual review. The role will start in April 2025.
To maintain the integrity of this appointment, applicants must not have any current affiliation with any of the agencies represented on the Partnership and must be able to demonstrate that they can undertake this role independently.
For further information about the post, please contact Amanda.ratcliffe@derby.gov.uk
Next Steps
If you would like to apply for this vacancy, please submit an application via the Derby City Council website here https://dercili.webitrent.com/dercili_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC107GF.open?VACANCY_ID=475746aEGb&WVID=78146021tE
The closing date for this vacancy is at midnight on 9th March 2025. Any applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
Interviews will be held: on 12th March 2025. These will be in person interviews.
Important Information
Links to the full Job Description and Person Specification are below.
As part of our safer recruitment checks the successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.
All employees will normally be appointed to the minimum of the grade for the job.
Before you complete your application form please read our guidance on filling in your application form.
Remember to align your personal statement to the essential criteria in the Person Specification.
Please be aware that where there are colleagues within the organisation who are ‘at risk’ of redundancy, requirements to redeploy to another suitable role will apply and take priority.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
We are a fair and inclusive employer and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. We recruit for diversity and value difference. As many of our roles can now be home-based, we are able to offer more opportunities for people who need this facility.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. If you are a disabled person, you have the choice to apply under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme so long as you demonstrate that you meet the essential requirements for the job.
We feel it is essential that we recruit a talented workforce that is as diverse as the community we work for.
Please let us know of any individual requirements or reasonable adjustments you may have during the application, interview, or onboarding process and we’ll do all we can to help. We strongly believe in social understanding of disability and for us it’s all about removing barriers to equality.
If you have any questions regarding this vacancy or are having difficulty applying, please contact our Recruitment Team on 01332 640844 (Relay UK – 18001 01332 640 844) or at recruitmentteam@derby.gov.uk. https://www.derby.gov.uk/signing-service/
Independent Scrutineer role description
DDSCP Independent Scrutiny Strategy Final
Please see DBS Code of Conduct here
