Head of safeguarding jobs in elm park, greater london

Salary: £34,814 - £38,683

Job Level: 4A

Job Type: Permanent

Hours: 35 hours per week 

Shifts: Term Time: Monday – Thursday & Sunday (including some evening work). School Holidays: Monday – Friday.

Accountable to: Head of Children and Family Services

Department: Children and Family Services

Location: The Hub, Finchley

Do you have experience of leading teams in delivering high quality, responsive, holistic services for neurodivergent children and young people? Perhaps you have previously worked within special educational needs settings or residential settings with young people? Do you have a natural ability to lead, motivate and influence others with initiative and enthusiasm? If so, this role may be of interest to you!

About The Hub and Short Breaks service:

For over 20 years Norwood has run a Short Break service called Unity for young people on Sundays and during school holidays. Many families have benefited from this service, and it remains popular with families and local authority commissioners. There is a waiting list of children and young people across Barnet and Herts who wish to access this provision.

That’s why as part of our recently launched strategy, we’re expanding the Short Break Service offering, to support families and young people with a variety of choice and cohort-based opportunities including after school clubs. The opening of the Hub allows the expansion of activities throughout the week, term-time, and during school holidays, evenings and weekends.

With a recent refurbishment, we can now offer a location dedicated to supporting children throughout the week. The building has outdoor space, a sensory room, kitchen, activity rooms and multipurpose spaces which allow children the opportunity to thrive in a bespoke space for them.

The Children and Family Service Department will deliver an ambitious Whole Family Centred, Strengths and Needs Based Model to empower children, young people, and their families. This expert-led coordinated approach underpinned by robust governance and outcome and impact measures will seek to ensure families with a neurodivergent or neurodevelopmentally disabled child can realise their full potential and thrive. The objectives for each team member will be clear, ensuring a meaningful and positive impact on those accessing the services, with consistency in support and communications, and the ability to access services required effectively.

About the role:

This is one of a number of new vacancies being recruited as part of a dedicated team for the further development of the Hub and Short Breaks offering to extend the reach to more children and young people throughout the week. 

As the Hub and Short Breaks Operations Manager, you will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the service, plus take the lead in the growth and development of the service to maximize the reach and opportunities for young people within the community. The role will ensure the service is compliant with Ofsted, offers a varied timetable with clear criteria for each club/activity, undertakes referrals and assessments and works collaboratively with wider Norwood colleagues to flex, grow and change to meet the ever-changing needs of the community. 

You will utilise your existing experience of operational, funding, budget and staff management, plus knowledge of children and young people curriculum to take ownership in shaping and driving the future of our Short Breaks provision through extensive strategic development and innovative ideas for our weekday, weekend and holiday programmes, ensuring Norwood continually responds to the wishes, aspirations and needs reflected by the young people we support to provide a meaningful, flexible and creative offering. 

You will be responsible for all aspects of the management and delivery of the service including the management and recruitment of a team of permanent sessional workers, ad hoc sessional workers and volunteers. You will assess the suitability of young people to participate in the provision, design and develop choice and cohort-based sessions, whilst working within the framework of OFSTED to ensure quality and compliance.

Benefits at Norwood include:

• The opportunity to work for a leading UK charity
• Competitive salary & benefits package
• 21 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays and Jewish festivals where they fall on a working day and work is not permitted (FTE)
• Workplace Pension Scheme: Plan for your future with confidence.
• Employee Assistance Programme: We care about your well-being.
• £300 When You Introduce a Friend: Spread the word and reap the rewards.
• Free Eye test & Eyewear allowance
• Access to ‘Blue Light’ discount scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Excellent career progression pathway
• Enhanced benefits coming in July 2025

Essential skills and experience:

• Ability to commit to a full-time role with flexibility, covering the shifts required
• Significant experience of working with neurodivergent children, young people and parents/carers and of facilitating an inclusive child-centred service
• Experience of working in partnership with other agencies and organisations, with awareness of the support and advice which may be offered
• Recent experience of managing contract compliance with a demonstrable knowledge of regulatory frameworks (Ofsted, CQC contract compliance etc) and how to put these into practice
• Experience of financial and budget management
• An appropriate qualification at Level 3 or equivalent
• Knowledge and understanding of the range of interventions and approaches that can be used to support disabled children and young people
• An understanding of various communication aids including Makaton, PECS, AAC etc
• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures
• A team player with strong leadership skills who enjoys working with others to achieve shared goals
• Excellent communication skills with a flexible style to communicate with people in a form and manner that is consistent with their level of understanding, culture, background and preferred ways of communicating
• Excellent time management skills who can work under pressure to meet deadlines
• Flexibility, initiative and the ability to respond appropriately to child and family needs
• Excellent active listening and problem-solving skills
• Embraces change and responds positively to new opportunities
• Motivates colleagues to understand the importance of inclusion and encourage them to improve standards of inclusive practice
• Design and deliver innovative sessions to support neurodivergent young people to develop new skills in a fun environment
• Develops and maintains mutually beneficial working relationships with key delivery partners
• Experience using observation to inform assessment and planning
• Flexibility, initiative and the ability to respond appropriately to child and family needs

About Norwood:

Founded in 1795, Norwood is the oldest Jewish charity in the UK. We support and empower neurodiverse children, their families and people with neurodevelopmental disabilities to live their best lives.

Click here to find out more about Norwood. 

Our Norwood Values and Behaviours underpin everything we do as we continue to support and empower neurodiverse children, their families and people with neurodevelopmental disabilities to live their best lives: 

Here is a short Norwood video highlighting the vital work we do and the people we support.

If this opportunity interests you, please apply today and our Recruitment team will be in touch.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Due to the high number of candidates who apply to our roles at Norwood, please note we can only provide feedback following an interview, if shortlisted.

We actively celebrate everyone's different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith, and gender. Everyone is welcome and supported in their development at all stages in their journey with us.

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Mental Health Money Advisor to work as part of our Mental Health & Money Advice Services Team.

Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.

The Mental Health and Money Advice Service is the first UK-wide service to address mental and financial health together. We aim to stop the spiral of debt and mental health issues by providing online information and advice and casework provided by telephone. The service launched in November 2017, commissioned by Mental Health UK and delivered by Rethink Mental Illness in England, Hafal in Wales, Support in Mind in Scotland and Mindwise in Northern Ireland. 

How you will make a difference

I use my existing knowledge and expertise to identify and address a range of issues and provide debt and financial capability advice to people with mental health issues. I take on case work within our remit on debt (including enhanced income maximisation), welfare benefits, mental health and financial capability issues. I develop my knowledge and experience of mental health and social care to set my advice in a meaningful context. I help clients identify the barriers that are hindering progress in dealing with their money worries and I provide help, support and advice to overcome these barriers.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion 

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. 

We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and feel they belong; and for our work to help tackle wider mental health inequalities. We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience of mental illness, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and any other gender identity not expressed here (LGBTQIA+); people who are neurodiverse, have a health condition, or a disability or hidden disability and people from an ethnically diverse background - regardless of your age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, political view or socio-economic status.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation 

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrates our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. You can read more about our progress here. 

£160 per session | Approx. 4 hours per week

This role will be based in Shepherd’s Bush with travel across London

About the role

The Group Work Facilitator will play a pivotal role in delivering the CouRAGEus Project, an initiative designed to support Black and Global Majority young women, LGBTQ+ youth, and disabled young people. The role involves facilitating safe, inclusive, and empowering group work sessions that foster emotional resilience, healthy relationships, and self-advocacy.

The Facilitator will provide a trauma-informed, culturally responsive space where participants can explore issues such as mental health, well-being, consent, and social justice. By collaborating with a multidisciplinary team and tailoring interventions to meet diverse needs, the Facilitator will help participants build confidence, develop skills, and navigate challenges while promoting their overall safety and empowerment.

About us

Women and Girls Network (WGN) is a pan-London organisation that supports women and girls affected by all forms of gender-based violence. Our overall aim is to promote, preserve and restore the mental health and well-being of women and girls who have experienced, or are at risk of, gender-based violence, whilst working towards a society free of gender-based violence.

We do this by:

• Providing women-only holistic and seamless therapeutic services, which meet women and girls’ needs and contribute to total and sustainable recovery from the experiences of violence.
• Evidencing the impact of gender-based violence and presenting this information in appropriate forums to affect social change in attitudes towards, and responses to, gender-based violence.
• Developing good practice in the sector by providing training and guidance on specialist service provision and the development of culturally appropriate service delivery.

How to apply

Early applications are highly encouraged as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and this role may be filled before the advertised closing date.

The interview process will consist of two stages; first stage interviews will take place on a rolling basis.  

Further Information

We actively encourage applications from individuals from Black and Global Majority backgrounds, as this reflects the focus and lived experiences of the young people the CouRAGEus Project supports. We are committed to building a team that is representative of the communities we work with and to delivering culturally responsive support.

This post is subject to satisfactory references, DBS check, and social media check. 

WGN’s employee benefits include: 3% pension contribution, enhanced leave entitlement and an Employee Assistance Programme. We also provide clinical supervision, access to an ongoing CPD programme, and the opportunity to work in a leading multi-cultural feminist organisation. 

WGN is an equal opportunities employer.

The above post is exempt under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1.

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Membership Officer to work as part of our Fundraising Team, in our Office in London.

Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.

The objectives of the fundraising team are to generate additional income for the charity so that they can continue to provide and develop services to those severely affected by mental illness. We operate under the guidelines from the Fundraising Regulator and abide by the Fundraising Code of Practice.

How you will make a difference

Our members are central to our past and our future. Formed by carers of people living with a diagnosis of schizophrenia in 1972, our first members laid the foundations for the Charity that exists today, which now helps thousands of people severely affected by mental illness.

Our many thousands of campaigners, supporters and donors, along with our members, give Rethink Mental Illness its mandate. Members are an important source of volunteers for our governance and peer support groups. They help shape the direction of our work through our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the work of the Board of Trustees and other committees. Membership also provides people with a sense of community and belonging to our organisation that helps them to cope with the demands of living with severe mental illness, whether they have direct experience, or are a carer, relative or friend.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion 

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. 

We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and feel they belong; and for our work to help tackle wider mental health inequalities. We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience of mental illness, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and any other gender identity not expressed here (LGBTQIA+); people who are neurodiverse, have a health condition, or a disability or hidden disability and people from an ethnically diverse background - regardless of your age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, political view or socio-economic status.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation 

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrates our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. You can read more about our progress here. 

Salary:  £30,880 to £35,907 per annum (plus £3,000 London Allowance if applicable)

Working pattern: Hybrid – at least 2 days per week in our Vauxhall office

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time (35 hours)

Are you a tenacious, determined and creative go-getter, with experience in securing impactful partnerships, and a passion for supporting mental health and wellbeing?

The Partnerships team at Rethink Mental Illness and Mental Health UK are continuing our exciting, bold, new era by recruiting a New Partnerships Manager to join our passionate colleagues and our vision to create ambitious, purpose-led partnerships that raise vital funds and deliver transformational impact for people experiencing mental health challenges.

About the role

With a brand-new Partnerships strategy recently launched, you’ll be working closely with our New Partnerships Lead and the whole team to drive forward our new business activity. You’ll play a critical role in unlocking new income opportunities for the whole team to pursue, as well as creating and pursuing your own pipeline to secure mid and high value partnerships with first class stewardship, communication and engagement, consistently showing perseverance, resilience and innovation in the face of any opportunity and challenge.

About you

With experience in charitable corporate partnerships or relevant, transferable experience from other roles or sectors, the successful candidate will have a demonstrable track record of identifying, cultivating and securing significant five or six figure multi-faceted partnerships, ideally spanning different types of activities and income-generating mechanisms/components.

About the Fundraising department

The Fundraising department is a dynamic group of fundraisers who are passionately committed to raising money for our life-changing work in the mental health and mental illness space. We have a diverse portfolio of income streams across Events, Community, Individual Giving, Legacies, In-Memoriam, Philanthropy, Trusts and Grants, and Partnerships.

The Partnerships team has a strong track record delivering notable charity partnerships, such as our multi-year Lloyds Banking Group partnership which successfully raised £16m; our two-year partnership with Bank of America, which saw over $1.2m raised through the dedication of employees; our ongoing partnership with Dune, whose workforce gets involved to support our cause; and more.

Sitting within the External Affairs directorate, we work across both Mental Health UK and Rethink Mental Illness enabling us to harness the collective power of both organisations and deliver nearly £7million to support their work.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion 

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. 

We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and feel they belong; and for our work to help tackle wider mental health inequalities. We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience of mental illness, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and any other gender identity not expressed here (LGBTQIA+); people who are neurodiverse, have a health condition, or a disability or hidden disability and people from an ethnically diverse background - regardless of your age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, political view or socio-economic status.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation 

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrates our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. You can read more about our progress here. 

Can you help us to support new dads and dads-to-be?

We are recruiting a Dad Matters Coordinator to help us reach more families in Brent. This is a great opportunity for someone with parenting experience to support new dads at a critical time in their parenting journey.

The Dad Matters Coordinator will support dads with attachment and bonding, mental health and access to services. You will have the ability to work with professionals and healthcare services to ensure dads are engaged, supported and heard within clinical pathways. Additionally, you will help develop and run group sessions with dads and will be at the forefront of growing our volunteering opportunities.

No formal experience of healthcare, mental health services or children's services is required - you will just need the compassion and skills to enable dads to have those difficult conversations, and talk about how they’re really feeling.

We are looking for someone proactive who is keen to make a difference. Someone with good people-skills, who can build on our existing relationships in the borough. The work requires a regular presence in Brent for visibility, field-based community engagement and training.

We would love to speak to you if you're curious about the role but you're not quite sure whether it's right for you.