Job summary
Are you interested in developing a career in safeguarding? The Band 7 Safeguarding Children Specialist Nurse 12 month fixed term post is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced registered nurse or health visitor to develop key knowledge, skills & experience as part of a busy Safeguarding Team.

Working with children, young people and families to keep them safe from harm, abuse or neglect including domestic abuse, radicalisation, trafficking, exploitation and many other types of abuse, no two days are the same.

The Safeguarding Children Specialist Nurse will manage the day-to-day referrals received by the team, meeting with staff and patients as required. Working closely with multi-disciplinary and multi-agency teams such as Children's Services, the Police and Domestic Abuse Outreach services they will co-ordinate responses to facilitate safe outcomes.

The Safeguarding Children Specialist Nurse will support the Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children in the delivery of Trust wide safeguarding training, communications and representation at various forums.

The successful candidate will need to be forward thinking, have a problem-solving approach,& the ability to prioritise tasks & keep track of unfinished tasks, so will need excellent personal organisation and communication skills.

If you feel that you have the right skill set and are able to manage the everyday challenges that the NHS and safeguarding adults and children at risk brings then we would like to hear from you.
Main duties of the job

• To provide clinical leadership, expert advice and support on children's safeguarding matters to all staff across the Trust including independently contracted staff to ensure safe practice is maintained.
• To provide specialist advice and appropriate safeguarding supervision in relation to complex and sensitive cases to all Trust employees.
• Work closely with other agencies including the police and social care on health matters with regard to safeguarding children in the hospital and wider community.
• Ensure the provision of day to day support and expert advice for all staff in the Trust regarding safeguarding issues and concerns. Provide support to colleagues in their work with clients with safeguarding issues, domestic violence, family breakdown, substance misuse, disability and mental health issues.
• Work collaboratively with the Adult and Maternity safeguarding teams to develop a 'safeguarding families' approach to safeguarding.

About us
Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing program along with a commitment to developing and advancing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family will ensure you that you feel valued from your initial interview through your entire tenure.

We are clinically led and provide joined up care by bridging the gap between hospital and community services alongside regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford with community hospital sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh. We provide adult community health services in homes across Guildford and Waverley.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have given us an overall rating of Outstanding.

Royal Surrey has a strong reputation and history to build on. We are proud of our achievements and we are investing in our colleagues through our commitment to supporting professional development as well as investing more than £45 million in our physical environment and new equipment in the next few years. There has never been a better time to join us.

Although it isn't the Trusts normal practice, adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.

Details
Date posted: 02 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £51,657 to £58,785 a year
Per annum pro rata including HCAS
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 384-CH-EMF497630
Job locations: Royal Surrey County Hospital, Egerton Road, Guildford, GU2 7XX, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• To assist the Named Nurse with the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of innovative practice in the management of the Safeguarding Children Agenda and to promote the health and well-being and prevent adverse effects due to safeguarding concerns not being managed.
• To provide clinical leadership, expert advice and support on childrens safeguarding matters to all staff across the Trust including independently contracted staff to ensure safe practice is maintained.
• Maintain and improve professional standards of care in the identification and management of safeguarding children across all clinical and non-clinical specialities.
• To develop and deliver a comprehensive childrens safeguarding training programme to all Trust staff and to work with the learning and develop team to ensure accurate records are maintained and non-complaint staff are followed up.
• To provide specialist advice and appropriate safeguarding supervision in relation to complex and sensitive cases to all Trust employees.
• Assist the Named Nurse to interpret national and local policy and best practice and advise the Trust accordingly.
• Assist the Named Nurse to identify, measure and monitor key outcomes in this area of practice, demonstrating continuous improvement.
• Assist the Named Nurse to ensure the Trust complies with the Children Act 1989 /2004 through contributions to the section 11 audit using ongoing monitoring, evaluation and review of operational arrangements for safeguarding children with the Trust, in order to raise practice standards and ensure improvements can be demonstrated.
• Support the Named Nurse to ensure the Trust can provide rigorous evidence that demonstrates compliance with CQC standards.
• To maintain systems of effective communication between the Trust and Multiagency partners.
• Support the Named Nurse to ensure a patient and family focussed approach to safeguarding is delivered across professional boundaries within the Trust.
• Work closely with other agencies including the police and social care on health matters with regard to safeguarding children in the hospital and wider community.
• Ensure the provision of day to day support and expert advice for all staff in the Trust regarding safeguarding issues and concerns. Provide support to colleagues in their work with clients with safeguarding issues, domestic violence, family breakdown, substance misuse, disability and mental health issues.
• Working with the Trust Legal Team, Local Authority Solicitors, CAFCASS and Police, provide support and seek guidance for staff.
• Develop and maintain networks both locally and regionally in order to maintain professional competency and develop communication pathways that enable bench marking/audit of working practice.
• Assist with Safeguarding investigations /complaints as delegated by the Named Nurse.
• Assist the Named Nurse with investigating and responding to Serious Incidents that related to Safeguarding ensuring timescales are met and learning disseminated.
• Work collaboratively with the Adult and Maternity safeguarding teams to develop a safeguarding families approach to safeguarding.
• Support Named Nurse in ensuring that Safeguarding Practice Reviews are conducted according to Surrey Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP) requirements (unless substantially personally involved in the case).
• The post holder will work collaboratively within the safeguarding team developing practice that enhances a joint agency approach to safeguarding children.
• To support the Named Nurse in the preparation of board reports, collection of data, completion of audits/national returns.
• Actively participate in regular safeguarding audits within, and external to the Trust, by participating in the Sub Groups process and participating in safeguarding standard setting in order to improve working practice.
• Work with the Sudden Unexpected Death Paediatrician as part of a multi-agency team investigating and reviewing the deaths of children in the District.
• To work with the Trust/SSCP in establishing robust processes, systems and governance arrangements.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered with a statutory health professional council.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
• Post registration qualification /experience in safeguarding
• Evidence of relevant post registration professional development.
• Recognised teaching/mentoring/assessing qualification

Desirable

• Safeguarding Supervision Training/ Qualification

Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential

• Experience of working with a caseload that includes safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
• Experience of developing and delivering safeguarding / educational training and be able to evaluate training.
• Experience of delivering improvements on patient quality and safety.
• Sound working knowledge regarding the recognition and impact of abuse and neglect, capacity and consent.
• Understanding of national and local policy in relation to vulnerable adults / children and domestic abuse.

Desirable

• Evidence of significant/relevant experience at a senior level in acute or community children's services acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent experience
• Evidence of proactive involvement in the supervision and development of staff.
• Sound working knowledge of safeguarding and its application within an acute care setting

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: Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Royal Surrey County Hospital, Egerton Road, Guildford, GU2 7XX, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Head of Adult Safeguarding, Elaine Penfold, epenfold@nhs.net, 01483571122

This job advertisement may close early if sufficient applications are received. We advise submitting your application as soon as possible.