Assistant LADO

Overview

Are you passionate about improving outcomes for children, strengthening safeguarding practice, and using data to drive meaningful change? Join us as an Assistant Local Authority Designated Officer (Assistant LADO) and play a vital role in helping ensure children are protected, partners are well supported, and safeguarding systems are robust and effective.

This is an exciting opportunity to work within Children’s Services, supporting the LADO team to respond proactively to concerns, strengthen processes, and contribute to service-wide improvement. If you’re analytical, curious, well-organised and committed to high‑quality safeguarding practice, we’d love to hear from you.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally.  

We are looking for motivated, ambitious and inspiring people to join us on our journey. You will be entitled to a range of different benefits to make sure you are happy both at work and at home.

About the role

As the Assistant LADO, you will support and enhance the work of the LADO team by providing expert data analysis, informed decision‑making, and high‑quality operational support. You will be a key point of contact for LADO enquiries, helping to assess initial thresholds alongside the duty LADO and ensuring timely, accurate responses.

In this role, you will:

• Analyse data, trends and performance to identify risks, patterns and opportunities for improvement.
• Provide specialist advice on LADO processes, systems and legislation to internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Support the delivery of training, briefings and materials to partners across the safeguarding landscape.
• Lead or contribute to projects aimed at improving systems, processes, and multi‑agency safeguarding practice.
• Support the development and review of LADO policies, procedures and business processes.
• Manage information effectively, producing high‑quality reports, presentations and updates for managers and partners.
• Coordinate meetings, events and surveys to support service development.
• Work collaboratively across teams, ensuring clear communication, strong partnerships and consistent safeguarding responses.

This is a role where every day is different, requiring strong judgement, attention to detail, and the ability to navigate sensitive and complex information.

About you

You’ll thrive in this role if you are analytical, organised, and motivated by improving safeguarding outcomes. You will bring a balance of technical capability, professional curiosity and strong interpersonal skills.

We’re looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• Experience working within a large organisation, ideally within Children’s Services or a similar safeguarding environment.
• Strong data analysis skills, with the ability to interpret complex information, spot trends and draw insights.
• Knowledge of safeguarding legislation, especially around allegations management and multi‑agency responsibilities.
• Excellent ICT skills, including Microsoft Office and specialist systems such as LCS, BI tools or the Power Platform.
• Clear communication and influencing skills, with the ability to explain technical processes in an accessible way.
• Strong organisation and time‑management, able to handle competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience of contributing to policies, procedures or service improvements.
• A proactive, solution‑focused mindset, with judgement to escalate issues when needed.

A degree (or equivalent experience), understanding of LADO processes, and a full driving licence are also required.

If you are proud, ambitious, collaborative and trustworthy—and you care deeply about improving safeguarding for children—this could be the perfect next step in your career.

Other information

For more information about this role, please contact Mark Blackwell at [email protected]

Closing date: Midnight on Monday 30th March

Interview date: 14th and 15th April

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

 

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/