Job summary
We are looking for an experienced safeguarding professional to join the newly formed Bristol NHS Foundation Trust as Deputy Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children.

Working closely with the Named Nurse and Lead for Safeguarding Children, the postholder will play a key role in providing specialist safeguarding leadership, advice and assurance across the organisation. This is an opportunity to work across a diverse range of acute and specialist services and to help shape consistent, high-quality safeguarding practice as our new Trust develops.

We are looking for an experienced, motivated and compassionate practitioner with significant safeguarding children expertise, strong leadership and communication skills, and the confidence to influence, challenge, and support practice across a complex organisation.

Main duties of the job
The Deputy Named Nurse will support the Named Nurse and Lead for Safeguarding Children in the delivery of the Trust's statutory safeguarding responsibilities. The postholder will provide expert advice and professional leadership to staff managing complex safeguarding concerns and promote high standards of safeguarding practice across the organisation.

Key responsibilities will include providing safeguarding supervision; supporting the development and delivery of safeguarding training; contributing to policies, procedures and service development; and supporting safeguarding assurance, audit, performance monitoring and reporting.

The postholder will contribute to statutory safeguarding reviews, including Rapid Reviews and Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews, and will support the management of allegations against staff where there is a safeguarding children element.

A key part of the role will be developing strong relationships with clinical teams, senior leaders and multi-agency partners, representing the Trust within relevant safeguarding forums and contributing to a culture of professional curiosity, constructive challenge, learning and continuous improvement.

About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is a newly formed organisation, bringing together colleagues and services across Bristol and Weston. This is an exciting time to join us and help shape an organisation committed to delivering high-quality, safe and equitable care.

We are committed to an inclusive culture where there is no place for discrimination. We listen to the experiences of our minoritized colleagues, recognise where we need to do better and are committed to meaningful change. Respect, dignity, civility, compassion and care guide how we treat our patients, colleagues and partners. We know that patient safety, experience and outcomes improve when our people feel valued, empowered and supported.

Safeguarding is everybody's responsibility. We are committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults from harm. All colleagues are expected to follow national and local safeguarding arrangements and demonstrate the competencies relevant to their role.

We are also committed to sustainable healthcare, with all colleagues playing a part in supporting our net zero carbon and biodiversity ambitions.

Details
Date posted: 20 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum, pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 339-CNO6654-DJF
Job locations: Southmead Hospital, Southmead Road, Bristol, BS10 5NB, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• Support the Named Nurse and Lead for Safeguarding Children in providing professional leadership for the safeguarding children agenda.
• Provide expert advice and support in complex safeguarding situations, including risk assessment, escalation and decision-making.
• Lead and contribute to safeguarding children training, supervision and workforce development.
• Line manage and provide professional support to members of the safeguarding team.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with clinical teams, senior leaders and multi-agency safeguarding partners.
• Represent the Trust at relevant multi-agency safeguarding meetings, forums and partnership arrangements.
• Contribute to Rapid Reviews, Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews and other statutory safeguarding reviews.
• Support the management of allegations against staff and liaison with Local Authority Designated Officers (LADO).
• Contribute to the development, implementation and review of safeguarding policies, procedures and guidance.
• Lead identified areas of the safeguarding children workplan and support service development and continuous improvement.
• Support safeguarding governance and assurance through audit, performance monitoring, data analysis and reporting.
• Contribute to quarterly and annual safeguarding reporting and provide assurance on the quality and effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements.
• Promote learning from safeguarding incidents, reviews, audits and research and support its translation into clinical practice.
• Provide professional challenge and influence practice to ensure that children and young people are effectively safeguarded across all Trust services.
• Promote the voice and lived experience of children, young people and families within safeguarding practice and service development.

Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential

• Registration with NMC Part 1 Children's Nurse or Part 3 SCPHN (Health Visitor or School Health Nurse)
• Masters level qualification in a safeguarding field or demonstrable equivalent experience
• Post-registration training in safeguarding
• Clinical leadership skills/qualifications
• Teaching qualification

Knowledge, skills and abilities
Essential

• Court skills
• Supervision and management skills
• Ability to lead, develop, deliver, and evaluate children's safeguarding training within BFT, and multi-agency partnerships
• Skill in evaluating training effectiveness at different levels and producing reports
• High-level teaching and communication skills for diverse audiences
• Brings a strong blend of sophisticated theoretical safeguarding knowledge and substantial practical experience in related work procedures and practices, exhibiting a high degree of proficiency in safeguarding
• Systematic understanding and expertise in safeguarding children with up-to-date critical awareness of current issues, legislation and best practice
• Ability to use, analyse and apply research findings to ensure best practice and improve service delivery
• Demonstrates a strong capacity for critical judgement in the context of exceptionally complex safeguarding circumstances
• Engagement in clinical and safeguarding supervision

Experience
Essential

• Experience in delivering induction, refresher, and specific safeguarding training (e.g. neglect, FGM, domestic abuse, PREVENT) at levels in line with the Intercollegiate Document
• Proficiency in ensuring policy and procedure accessibility
• IT skills for developing and delivering teaching programmes
• Up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding research and its implications
• Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information appropriately
• Proficiency in using various communication mediums (telephone, emails, etc)

Personal Qualities
Essential

• Commitment to professional development
• Maintain personal professional registration
• Adherence to professional codes of conduct and employer policies
• Ability to establish and maintain professional networks
• Embrace the core values of the organisation and demonstrate an attitude which respects and values patients and their relatives and carers, and actively promotes the wellbeing of staff
• Recognises the harmful effects of discrimination and inequality on health and outcomes for adults and children. Visibly promotes and drives equality, diversity and inclusion
• Flexible in style and approach to the role to best support individual team members at a time of change
• Frequent concentration required for analysing complex information, writing reports, and conducting meetings
• Safeguarding work necessitates flexible and unpredictable work patterns, requiring frequent and sometimes prolonged periods of intense concentration
• Ability to travel to other sites and attend external partnership meetings as required

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Southmead Hospital, Southmead Road, Bristol, BS10 5NB, United Kingdom

Contact: Named Nurse and Lead for Safeguarding Children, Katie Thomas, katie.thomas@nbt.nhs.uk, 07795101319

Closing date: 10 November 2026. Apply through our website.