Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) – Service Manager

About the job

Key information

• This role offers hybrid working, allowing you to work either from home or from one of our offices.
• The role is Countywide and will involve regular attendance at Countywide management meetings
• The role requires you to take on a leading role within a small, supportive team, delivering LADO statutory obligations, internal and external partnership working, delivery of training and driving forward positive outcomes for children in Somerset.
• 25 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays)

What will I be doing?

We’re working to improve the lives of people in Somerset – and you’ll be a key part of that. Your day-to-day work will involve:

• Coordinating and overseeing the management of allegations against professionals and volunteers who work with children, ensuring that concerns are handled promptly and in line with statutory guidance.
• Working closely with police, children’s social care, employers, and regulatory bodies to ensure a consistent and fair approach to safeguarding investigations.
• Offer consultation and guidance to employers and agencies on how to handle concerns about adults working with children, including thresholds for referral and risk assessments.
• Ensure all allegations and outcomes are thoroughly documented, tracked, and reported in accordance with local and national safeguarding procedures.
• Deliver training and raise awareness across agencies about the LADO role, safeguarding responsibilities, and best practices for managing allegations.

What kind of experience or qualifications do I need?

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be. But it will really help if you:

• In-depth understanding of child protection legislation, statutory guidance (e.g. Working Together to Safeguard Children), and procedures for managing allegations against adults working with children.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with a range of professionals including police, children’s social care, education providers, and regulatory bodies to ensure coordinated safeguarding responses.
• Ability to assess complex information, apply thresholds for intervention, and make sound, evidence-based decisions under pressure.
• Skilled in providing clear advice, managing sensitive conversations, and maintaining professional relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience in managing a caseload, maintaining accurate and confidential records, and producing high-quality reports for internal and external use.

We’re proud to be here for the people of Somerset. And that means everyone in Somerset. An important part of this is ensuring that we are as diverse and inclusive as the people and communities we serve.

We welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our team. You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

What is in it for me?

We are proud to offer an environment that is supportive and rewarding, working as part of a team who are passionate about the work they do to improve the lives of people in Somerset.

We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
• Generous annual leave allowance, with the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Staff discounts in gyms.
• Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
• Auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
• A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain a cycle for work and health screenings.
• My Staff Shop offering discounts in shops, online shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, insurance benefits and more

DBS check

This post requires a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure.

Supporting documents and information

For an informal chat about the role, you can contact Rachel Bovingdon by emailing rachel.bovingdon@somerset.gov.uk

When completing your application/CV please provide your full employment history and ensure that any gaps in employment are explained. Please start with your current or most recent employment.

If you have all the information you need, just hit the apply button – we can’t wait to hear from you.

Apply on the Somerset Council website

Apply now