At Catch22, we are proud of our reputation as a modern and progressive employer. Our 1,300 colleagues and 300 volunteers work at every stage of the social welfare cycle, supporting over 60,000 individuals from cradle to career. Our work spans education, social justice and rehabilitation, children's social care, family support, social action and getting people into work.
Catch22 College is the collective name for 8 sites we have across the country delivering academic and vocational training programmes for young people aged 16+ who, for whatever reason, are not suited to a mainstream college setting.
Our Catch22 College provides learners with a highly supportive environment where they have access to opportunities to build up their confidence and self-belief and to gain new skills and experiences that will help them to achieve their goals in life. We exist to help our learners find their future.
Job DescriptionThis role holds strategic leadership responsibility for both Safeguarding and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) across Catch22 College. You will ensure statutory compliance, develop strategic frameworks, lead quality assurance, and oversee the culture of safeguarding and inclusion across all sites.
You will directly line-manage two Inclusion Managers, who hold operational responsibility for safeguarding and SEND within their respective colleges. Your role ensures coherence, consistency, accountability, and excellence across all provision.
Main Duties:
Strategic Safeguarding Leadership – Act as the strategic Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for the Learning and Skills hub, ensuring full compliance with KCSIE and statutory guidance.
Safeguarding Governance & Assurance – Lead safeguarding strategy, audits, quality assurance, thematic analysis and annual safeguarding reporting.
Multi‑Agency & External Partnerships – Build and maintain strong strategic relationships with local authorities, safeguarding partnerships and external agencies.
Safeguarding Oversight & Risk Management – Provide expert safeguarding advice across all sites, overseeing CPOMs monitoring, DSL meetings, High Risk Panels and consistent case management.
National Prevent Leadership – Act as National Prevent Lead, ensuring compliance, staff awareness and effective risk mitigation.
Strategic SEND Leadership – Lead the development of SEND and inclusion strategy, ensuring alignment with the SEND Code of Practice, Equality Act 2010 and Ofsted expectations.
SEND Quality, Compliance & Funding – Oversee SEND audits, EHCP compliance, ILPs and sign‑off of High Needs Funding (HNF) applications and statutory documentation.
Operational SEND Oversight – Line‑manage Inclusion Managers, ensuring consistent SEND processes, assessments, interventions and high‑quality provision across all sites.
Staff Leadership, CPD & Capability Building – Develop and deliver safeguarding and SEND CPD, providing specialist training and strategic leadership to Inclusion Managers.
Inclusion, Culture & Ofsted Readiness – Champion inclusion, belonging and anti‑discriminatory practice, ensuring policies are embedded and provision is Ofsted‑ready at all times.
See full Job Description here.
Qualifications- Educational degree
- Evidence of continuous INSET with particular reference to Special Educational Needs (SEN)
- Experience in safeguarding
Contract: Permanent, Full Time
Hours: Full Time - 37 Hours
Salary: £35,074 - £43,772
Base Location:
The successful candidate will be home based but will have regular travel across the country to colleges within the network. The sites are based in London, Maidstone, Nottingham, Warrington, Peterlee and Bishop Auckland.
Specific Requirements
- The post holder must have a driving licence and be able to drive as part of the role
See the benefits of working for Catch22 here.
Unless otherwise stated, interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised.
See the benefits of working for Catch22 here.
Unless otherwise stated, interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised.
We aim to review applications as quickly as possible. However, due to the volume of interest we receive, we may not be able to contact all applicants individually. If you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful this time.
At Catch22 we value equality, diversity and inclusion. We are wholeheartedly committed to the principle of equality of opportunity, both as an employer and as a provider of services. Diversity and Inclusion is part of what we do every day, working to deliver our vision to build a strong society where everyone has good people around them, a purpose, and a good place to live.
Catch22 is committed to rigorous safeguarding and safer recruitment practices; ensuring that every individual within the organisation has been safely and appropriately checked.
Please note, we will conduct an online search as part of our due dilligence checks for successful candidate(s). This will involve a search of all publicly available information online and in social media.
Catch22’s Commitment to Ban the Box
Catch22 is proud to have “Banned the Box”. This means that we do not ask for candidates to disclose criminal convictions at the application stage. Instead, we invite disclosures at interview stage, and encourage them at the offer stage. Please see our statement of commitment on hiring people with convictions for more information.
