As the lead for safeguarding and mental health, I maintain and update policies related to safeguarding, mental health, and well-being. I handle referrals and manage cases with local authority children’s social care and support staff with referrals to agencies like CAMHS and Early Help. I lead on Prevent/Channel referrals, supporting students and families with radicalisation concerns. I coordinate multi-agency support with police, charities, counselling services, and local authorities, ensuring a unified approach.I advise and report to the senior leadership team and governors, promote staff development through regular safeguarding training, and provide support and expertise on assessment and safeguarding processes. I manage all safeguarding cases, including high-profile child protection cases, ensuring detailed and secure records of concerns and referrals. I regularly review practices to ensure effectiveness and compliance with legislation.Championing a person-centred approach, I ensure vulnerable students receive appropriate support and access to interventions. I work with education welfare and attendance teams to address safeguarding and well-being around absences, coordinate mentoring and mental health support, and integrate mental health policies into the school’s practices for a holistic approach to student welfare.In addition to the role I lead on mentoring within the school, and closely support admissions, attendance and the Educational Welfare Officer.

In addition to the above role responsibility during the time period up to June 2023 I was also, the PA to the SENCO providing crucial administrative support to ensure the smooth running of the SEN department. This included managing appointments and schedules, maintaining confidential student records, coordinating meetings and communications with parents and external agencies, and assisting with the preparation of reports and documents. I supported with organising SEN-related events and training sessions. I supported the SENCO in the implementation of special educational needs policies and procedures. It was an integral role in order for the efficient operation of the SEN department, and allowed the SENCO to focus on delivering quality support to students.

In my role, I supported the admissions process for CLA learners, ensuring all mandatory processes and records were completed for 185 students. I managed complex casework, liaising with internal and external parties to provide accurate reporting and documentation. I monitored attendance and discipline, leading on attendance safeguarding concerns and providing feedback to reduce absenteeism. I offered 1:1 mentoring and coaching for at-risk learners, led reintegration processes, and referred cases to safeguarding teams and external agencies. Additionally, I supported NQTs with managing attendance concerns for high-risk learners, using effective strategies to improve learning outcomes. My role worked closely with many essential and supportive services across 26 local authorities across the country and supported more then 185 young people with their education and well-being.

In my role, I ensured young people with additional needs received proper support to enhance their programme experience. I led initiatives on government bids and developed inclusion roles and policies to foster a more inclusive environment. I managed stakeholder relationships and oversaw HR processes, including recruitment, training, GDPR compliance, and payroll for over 450 seasonal staff. Additionally, I held the responsibility for a small national team, accountable for recruiting, training, managing, analysing, and skill-matching specialized inclusion roles to assist young people through social integration and personal growth on NCS - The Challenge over spring, summer, and autumn programmes from 2013-2019.My leadership involved setting objectives, aligning them across departments, and representing diversity and inclusion. I guided teams through significant organizational transitions, developed policies to improve service delivery and user experience, and coordinated marketing efforts to highlight inclusion. I also oversaw the strategy for overall recruitment objectives for the department, the development and implementation of policies and processes, and the ongoing development and support of the core team to ensure delivery of staffing inclusion objectives. The department worked closely with Central Inclusion, Sales teams, Programmes Delivery teams, and Customer Services teams to develop cross-departmental processes and policies that support efficient and quality inclusion practice.

Prior to stepping into the management role, as an associate, my responsibilities focused on direct support and coordination for young people with additional needs. I was involved in implementing tailored support plans to enhance programme experiences and ensure their inclusion. This role required close collaboration with stakeholders, assisting with HR processes such as recruitment and training for seasonal staff.I played a vital part in developing the inclusion roles and policies. I also contributed to the creation and implementation of new policies and processes, and supported the development and training of both core and seasonal staff to promote an inclusive and supportive environment, creating the inclusion department; which from when I started I held the single position to a national role that had a team of over ten fulltime staff. My efforts ensured a cohesive approach to service delivery, aligning with the overall mission of the organisation.

In my role managing a caseload of young people in semi-independent accommodation in East London, I tailored support plans to meet each individual's unique needs. This involved regular check-ins, coordination with external agencies, and guidance on life skills such as budgeting, education, and employment. I fostered a supportive environment to promote their independence while ensuring they felt heard and supported. Through close collaboration with local authorities and community services, I helped create a network of care addressing both immediate and long-term needs.