Hopwood Hall College
Safeguarding and Wellbeing Mentor - Term Time Only + 4 Weeks (Maternity Cover)
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Application Deadline: 11 August 2026
Department: Student Support Services
Location: Middleton
Compensation: £30,150 per annum i.e £32,818 pro rata per annum
Description
Are you passionate about supporting young people facing significant challenges to education, wellbeing and safety?
We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Safeguarding and Wellbeing Mentor to join our Safeguarding and Wellbeing team on a maternity cover basis. This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of learners who require targeted support to overcome barriers and achieve positive outcomes.
In this specialist role, you will work with a designated cohort of learners who have identified vulnerabilities or barriers to learning, attendance and progression. This may include learners experiencing safeguarding concerns, mental health difficulties, family challenges, social care involvement, attendance issues, behavioural concerns, housing instability, exploitation risks, or other circumstances impacting their ability to engage successfully in education.
As a key member of the Safeguarding and Wellbeing team, you will deliver targeted interventions, coordinate support plans and act as a trusted professional for learners, families and curriculum staff. You will also respond to safeguarding and wellbeing referrals from across the wider college, working closely with Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads, curriculum teams and external agencies to ensure concerns are identified, assessed and addressed appropriately.
The role combines frontline safeguarding practice, early help and pastoral support. You will be responsible for managing a caseload of vulnerable learners, contributing to multi-agency planning, supporting attendance and engagement, undertaking risk assessments where required, and ensuring that accurate, timely records are maintained.
A trauma-informed approach sits at the heart of our work. We recognise that many young people have experienced adversity and require consistent, relational support to feel safe, valued and able to succeed. You will use strength-based practice to build positive relationships, reduce barriers to participation and help learners develop resilience, confidence and independence.
We are looking for an individual with experience of working with young people who face complex challenges, alongside a strong understanding of safeguarding, child protection and early help. You will be confident working in partnership with families, curriculum staff, local authorities and external professionals, whilst maintaining a clear focus on safeguarding and learner welfare.
If you are committed to improving outcomes for vulnerable young people and want to be part of an experienced, supportive and highly regarded safeguarding team, we would love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities
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To provide Statutory, pastoral and welfare responsibilities for a designated cohort of learners in a specific curriculum area. This includes monitoring attendance and intervening in cases of persistent absence, children missing education. As a key member of the Safeguarding and Welfare team, you will provide front line and early help support for learners facing a wide range of barriers to education. These barriers may include absences, home issues, mental health challenges, crises, or the need for critical support.
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Responsibilities also involve identifying and monitoring vulnerable and 'at risk' learners within your remit. You will work closely with cross-college teams to ensure that these learners are retained by the college, maintaining detailed records of your interventions and support provided. Additionally, you will serve as the single point of contact for learners within your identified cohort and their parents/carers and staff, ensuring effective communication and coordinated support for all parties involved.
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To provide Early Help support for both the college and Local Authority as soon as issues arise. This includes assistance with safeguarding, pastoral care, social and welfare needs, wellbeing, and health care, all aimed at identifying and removing barriers to accessing education.
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To lead on Personal Education Plans (PEP) for Looked After Children (LAC), Children with a Social Worker, children working with Youth Justice in collaboration with Social Services, ensuring that external assessment criteria are met.
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Provide comprehensive support for Care Experienced students, including effective participation in LAC Reviews, Care Planning, Placement Planning Meetings, and Care Leavings, ensuring attendance at all relevant LAC reviews.
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Manage cases at Child in Need and Early Help Assessment level, ensuring compliance with statutory and legal requirements. Contribute to work under the new Family First Partnership framework, working collaboratively with partner agencies to support the development and delivery of the right plan for the family.
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Responsible for the attendance management of an identified cohort, implementing and coordinating targeted interventions to improve attendance, working with families and external agencies through a relational practice approach. Lead responsibility for supporting learners at Tier 3 within the Attendance Policy (persistent absence) and for responding to attendance concerns where vulnerabilities or risk are identified at any stage of a learner’s journey.
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Implement the positive behaviour policy by managing the incident process and outcomes, including supporting at Formal panels and reports. Handle a caseload of learners with behavioural issues, identifying actions that can lead to an improvement in behaviour, ensuring effective strategies for behaviour management are recorded and tracked.
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Students within the cohort will routinely receive targeted interventions due to identified need; however, all students, including those progressing well, will participate in a minimum of one termly 1:1 review.
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SWMs with a specialist area are responsible for undertaking termly 1:1 reviews, in line with expectations, for learners within the wider cohort who are not identified for targeted or specialist support.
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Be the designated point of contact for parents and carers, within your identified cohort fostering and maintaining positive, supportive relationships to help learners and families overcome barriers to education. Ensure that all contact details for parents and carers are kept up to date in the college systems.
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Support the implementation of the college’s Mental Health Strategy by serving as the first point of contact for learners experiencing poor mental health. Promote the vision of becoming a mentally healthy college by referring learners to appropriate internal and external services.
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To promote and safeguard the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults at the college and refer/signpost to external agencies where appropriate.
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Developing a positive and supportive connection with learners, create an atmosphere of trust and support, prioritising the safeguarding and wellbeing of all students.
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Facilitate the successful transition of learners by coordinating with secondary schools, arranging transition visits, and providing support during college interviews. Liaise with social workers when necessary and ensure that all pre-enrolment support, such as bursaries and required kits, is provided so that learners feel confident when they start college.
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Assist in the Enrolment process by capturing learner wellbeing and welfare information, ensuring that accurate parent contact details are recorded. Identify any concerns, issues, or barriers that students might face to ensure they receive the appropriate support once they start college. Refer any risk concerns to managers as needed.
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Support in College induction program to ensure learners are informed of where to seek help and what support is available and know how to keep themselves safe.
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Maintain accurate records of interventions, ensuring learners vulnerabilities and support needs are recorded and highlighted.
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To conduct home visits where there is an attendance/welfare/safety concern.
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To undertake training and CPD as required for the role, including a minimum of one Safeguarding Board Training session per year, to keep up to date with local procedures and emerging themes.
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Any other duties, of a similar level of responsibility, as may be required.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
Qualifications
Essential Criteria
- Level 2 or GCSE 4 or above in English and Maths
- Educated to Level 3/A Level or above (evidence of ongoing industry CPD considered)
- Full UK driving Licence, business insurance, and access to a vehicle
- Mental Health First Aid qualification or willingness to undertake training
How Identified: Application/interview
Desirable Criteria
- Teaching qualification e.g. Level 3 Cert of Education and Training (PTLLS)
- First Aid qualification or willingness to obtain.
How Identified: Application/interview
Experience
Essential Criteria
- Experience of working with 16-18-year old’s in an education setting
- Experience of supporting learners and families with safeguarding issues inc. CIN, LAC, EHA
- Experience of dealing with behaviour management / challenging learner behaviour
- Experience and understanding of attendance management
- Experience of working with cross college teams in a fast-paced environment
- Experience of working with young people in a pastoral and wellbeing setting
- Experience of dealing with safeguarding and mental health concerns
- To have empathy with young people, approachable but with the confidence to assert authority when required
- Experience of effective team working and promoting relationships between staff, students and the community
- Experience of working under pressure, including handling difficult situations on your own and de-escalating them
- Experience of working with outside agencies such as safeguarding professional, schools, social workers, Youth Justice Team, Positive Steps, Parents and Key Workers
How Identified: Application/interview
Desirable Criteria
- Experience of the Education Inspection framework
- Experience of the Prevent Strategy
How Identified: Application/interview
Specialist Knowledge
Essential Criteria
- Good working knowledge of safeguarding and child protection, Child in need and Early help Processes
- Specific knowledge and understanding of the issues faced by young people that impact on their wellbeing, safety and mental health
- Understanding a Trauma-informed approach
- Good understanding of mental health issues and how they impact on learners
- Committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults
- Able to interact positively with young people and adults
- Committed to the principles of equality and diversity
- Ability to communicate, negotiate and work effectively with internal and external partners
- Ability to work unsupervised and manager own time and priorities; be well organized and self-motivated
- To have flexibility and willing to try out new ideas
- Ability to keep and evaluate records and statistical data.
How Identified: Application/interview
IT Skills
Essential Criteria
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Skills
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