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Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
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Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Directorate: Children and Family Services
Section: Children's Social Care
Grade: Level 14
Hours: 37 hours per week
This advert is open to both Internal and External applicants.
About Us
We are a city of strengths, with a proud heritage and a bright future. Working for Stoke-on-Trent City Council is more than just a job; it is about making, protecting, and improving services for local people, reducing inequalities, and improving outcomes for those who live and work in our city.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council's diverse and talented workforce is our greatest asset. The skills, knowledge, and experience of our employees are essential to delivering our ambitions for the organisation and the city. We want to be an employer people are proud to work for, where staff are supported, developed, and rewarded in an inclusive environment that enables them to excel.
Join Our Children and Families Service
We are growing and developing our Children and Families workforce as part of our continued ambition to deliver high-quality services for children, young people, and families.
We are committed to strong relational practice, hearing and acting on the voice of the child, and creating a learning culture where our workforce is supported to develop, reflect, and continuously improve.
We are now looking for an experienced, confident, and values-led practitioner to join our Quality Assurance Team as Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
The Role
As our Local Authority Designated Officer, you will have a pivotal role in safeguarding children and young people by overseeing and managing allegations and concerns relating to adults who work or volunteer with children.
You will provide specialist advice, oversight, and professional challenge to employers, voluntary organisations, and partner agencies, helping to ensure allegations are considered promptly, proportionately, and fairly.
You will work closely with the Police, Children's Social Care, education, health, HR professionals, employers, and other safeguarding partners, coordinating complex multi-agency processes and ensuring that children remain at the centre of decision-making.
The role also has an important quality assurance and strategic function, helping us understand themes, strengthen practice, improve systems, and promote a consistent approach to managing allegations across Stoke-on-Trent.
About You
We are looking for an experienced social work professional who can bring credibility, sound professional judgement, and confident leadership to this specialist safeguarding role.
You will have:
- A recognised professional qualification in Social Work and current registration with Social Work England.
- Significant experience of statutory children's social work within a local authority setting.
- Strong knowledge of safeguarding, public protection, and legislation relating to violent and sexual offences.
- An understanding of HR processes, employment matters, and safer recruitment.
- Significant experience of chairing complex multi-disciplinary meetings and managing competing risks and priorities.
- The confidence to provide professional challenge and advice to senior managers, employers, and partner organisations.
- Excellent analytical, communication, negotiation, and influencing skills.
- Experience of performance management, quality assurance, and monitoring.
- The ability to work independently while building strong and effective relationships across a complex multi-agency partnership.
- A commitment to relational, inclusive, and anti-discriminatory practice.
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The person specification also identifies experience of multi-agency training, performance monitoring, supporting and mentoring social care staff, and the ability to synthesise complex information and provide reflective challenge.
Key Responsibilities
As LADO, you will:
- Provide specialist advice and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations on allegations and concerns involving people who work with children.
- Coordinate and oversee responses to allegations, working closely with the Police and other safeguarding partners.
- Monitor the progress of cases to ensure they are managed effectively, promptly, fairly, and proportionately.
- Chair complex multi-agency meetings and provide clear professional oversight and challenge.
- Build and maintain effective relationships with employers, partner agencies, and key stakeholders.
- Lead and contribute to policy, procedures, and guidance relating to the management of allegations.
- Develop effective systems for tracking, monitoring, and quality assuring LADO activity.
- Analyse performance information, identify learning, and contribute to service improvement.
- Deliver single and multi-agency training relating to managing allegations and safer recruitment.
- Promote consistent safeguarding practice across organisations working with children and young people.
- Represent children's safeguarding within relevant local, regional, and national forums.
- Contribute to audits and wider quality assurance activity across Children's Social Care.
The full job description also includes liaison on high-profile cases, responding to requests from regulatory and statutory organisations, contributing to MAPPA, safer recruitment activity, and other safeguarding responsibilities appropriate to the role.
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to take on a highly influential safeguarding role where your professional judgement can have a real impact.
You will:
- Play a key role in ensuring children and young people are protected from harm.
- Influence safeguarding practice across a wide range of organisations and sectors.
- Work alongside senior professionals and partners across the city.
- Help shape policy, learning, and continuous improvement.
- Use your expertise to strengthen the quality and consistency of safeguarding practice across Stoke-on-Trent.
- Join a Children and Families service committed to relational practice, learning, and improving outcomes for children.
What We Offer
We recognise and value the contribution of our social work professionals and offer:
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- A competitive salary reflecting the seniority and responsibilities of the role.
- Hybrid and flexible working options, where compatible with service requirements.
- Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.
- Generous annual leave entitlement.
- High-quality reflective supervision and professional support.
- Professional development through learning opportunities, regular training, apprenticeship, and management programmes.
- Health and wellbeing support.
- Access to staff equality and diversity networks.
- Opportunities to develop your career within Children and Families.
Want to Know More?
If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact:
Jan Coles
Interim Head of Service for Quality Assurance
Children & Families
Pre-employment Checks
Any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of the required pre-employment checks. These may include:
- Right to Work in the UK.
- Proof of address.
- Satisfactory references.
- Occupational Health clearance.
- Evidence of relevant professional qualifications and registration.
- A DBS check at the appropriate level.
The role is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Safeguarding
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and we expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
This position is exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and the successful applicant will be subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
Additional Information
If an employee who is currently at risk of redundancy within the organisation applies for this vacancy, their application will receive priority. If this happens, you will be advised accordingly.
Your career matters here. At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we are committed to helping our people thrive. From competitive pay and a supportive working environment to opportunities for development and career progression, we invest in our workforce because we know it is our greatest asset.
We are building an inclusive organisation that reflects the communities we serve, where everyone is welcomed, valued, and encouraged to make a difference.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we believe our strength comes from the diversity of our community, and we want our workforce to reflect that.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. We understand that some people, particularly those from underrepresented or marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply if they do not meet every listed requirement.
If this role interests you and you think you could be a good fit, we encourage you to apply.
We are proud of what makes each of us unique and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels included, can be themselves, and can succeed together.
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