Safeguarding Information Assistant

Job summary

This role supports the Safeguarding Team by managing, recording, and coordinating all incoming safeguarding referrals to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant information sharing. You act as a key point of contact for internal staff and external agencies, handling sensitive and complex safeguarding concerns with professionalism, confidentiality, and sound judgement. The position involves monitoring referral inboxes, escalating risks promptly, maintaining high-quality documentation, and ensuring all processes follow EMAS policies, safeguarding procedures, and information governance standards. You contribute to improving systems, support senior safeguarding staff with reviews and delegated tasks, and help maintain effective communication across the organisation. The role requires resilience, attention to detail, the ability to prioritise workload, and a commitment to continuous professional development. You are expected to uphold EMAS values, model appropriate behaviours, and ensure safeguarding referrals receive timely attention to protect children, adults at risk, and vulnerable individuals.

Main duties of the job

The role centres on managing safeguarding referrals, ensuring they are accurately recorded, prioritised, and shared with the correct external agencies within required timeframes. You escalate risks, concerns, and urgent issues to senior safeguarding staff, maintaining strict confidentiality, information governance, and high-quality documentation. You manage safeguarding inboxes, handle complex and sensitive information, and use sound judgement when responding to internal and external enquiries. The job involves supporting the Safeguarding Team with administrative tasks, contributing to process improvements, attending meetings, and upholding EMAS policies, values, and safeguarding standards. You must identify patterns of risk, ensure FGM and other high-risk cases are escalated, maintain professional development, follow health and safety procedures, and act as a positive role model when dealing with distressing safeguarding situations.

About us

Working for us not only provides job satisfaction of knowing that what you do makes a real difference to our patients, but we offer a range of other great benefits too:

• Flexible approach to working patterns, we understand the importance of a work life balance and have a wide selection of rotas for part-time and full-time staff
• Holiday entitlement of 27 days rising to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years, plus public bank holiday entitlement (pro rata for part time).
• Pay enhancements for out of hours, shift and overtime working, career and salary progression and annual personal development review.
• Uniform will be provided where this is a requirement of the role
• Expert training and support from our dedicated in-house education team.
• Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme.
• Occupational Health support along with an Employee Assistance Programme
• Supporting wellbeing networks
• NHS Discounts in over 200+ stores including Holidays, Days out, Car insurance, Restaurants and Clothing.
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes and cycle to work.
• An exceptional place to work to provide with high-quality emergency care to save lives and make a difference to people
• A first-class employer, promoting equality, diversity and inclusion of our employees. We are a Rainbow Accredited organisation, and a Veteran Aware and Disability Confident employer.

Job responsibilities

The Safeguarding Information Assistant will provide a comprehensive, accurate and responsive administrative support function within the East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust Safeguarding Team. The post holder will be responsible for supporting the safe, timely and effective management of safeguarding referrals received from frontline operational staff, support staff and other internal sources. The role is central to ensuring that safeguarding concerns relating to children, young people, adults at risk and other vulnerable individuals are recorded, processed, shared and escalated appropriately. The post holder will ensure that referrals are uploaded to the relevant patient record, including SystmOne where applicable, and shared with the correct external agencies in line with agreed safeguarding pathways, Trust policy, information-sharing agreements and relevant legislation. The post holder will work closely with the Senior Safeguarding Team, Head of Safeguarding, Named Professionals, Safeguarding Specialist Practitioners, Safeguarding Coordinator and other members of the safeguarding function. They will also communicate with external partner agencies including Adult Social Care, Childrens Social Care, local authorities, general practitioners, domestic abuse services, Child Health services, drug and alcohol services, and other relevant statutory and voluntary sector organisations. The post holder will be expected to manage sensitive, confidential and potentially distressing information on a daily basis, including safeguarding concerns relating to abuse, neglect, domestic abuse, child protection, adults at risk, Female Genital Mutilation, child deaths and other complex safeguarding matters. They must demonstrate professionalism, discretion, resilience and sound judgement when handling information and when deciding whether matters require escalation to senior safeguarding colleagues. The role requires excellent attention to detail, strong organisational skills, the ability to prioritise competing demands and the ability to work accurately under pressure. The post holder will be expected to support the safeguarding referral and feedback process by ensuring documentation is completed to a high standard, records are maintained contemporaneously, and urgent or high-risk concerns are escalated promptly. The Safeguarding Information Assistant will contribute to the continuous improvement of safeguarding administrative processes, support compliance with agreed standards, and help maintain an effective, safe and responsive safeguarding service across the Trust.

Person specification

Qualifications & Professional Development

Essential

• oGCSE English or equivalent qualification.
• oDisplays evidence of motivation towards continual professional development.
• oGood command of written and verbal English language.
• oSafeguarding Level 2 trained
• oCommitment to maintaining up-to-date safeguarding knowledge, information governance, and confidentiality standards.

Desirable

• oLevel 3 safeguarding trained or equivalent experience.
• oEvidence of a Personal Development Plan (PDP).
• oAdditional training in domestic abuse, Prevent, mental health.

Experience

Essential

• oMinimum of 2 years' experience working in a safeguarding administration, safeguarding support, healthcare administration, social care administration, or equivalent role involving safeguarding processes.
• oProviding accurate recordings/accounts of complex information.
• oExperience of working with highly sensitive and confidential information, including safeguarding concerns relating to children and adults at risk.
• oWorking to tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.
• oAbility to work accurately and at pace whilst maintaining significant attention to detail.
• oExperience of maintaining accurate, contemporaneous records with excellent attention to detail.
• oExperience of managing shared inboxes and responding appropriately to urgent or escalated concerns.
• oExperience of communicating professionally with internal and external partner agencies.
• oExperience working within standard operating procedures, policies, and information governance requirements.
• oExperience working effectively both independently and as part of a wider team.

Desirable

• oPrevious experience of handling sensitive and complex information.
• oNHS experience. Experience within safeguarding teams, local authority, social care, or emergency service environments.
• oPrevious experience of working in an ambulance service safeguarding team
• oExperience of supporting referral pathways for domestic abuse, child protection, adult safeguarding, or Prevent concerns.
• oExperience of working within a team of administrators to deliver a function.
• oExperience mentoring or supporting new staff members.

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• oProficient user of SystmOne with the ability to accurately upload, review, update, and maintain patient safeguarding records.
• oDemonstrable experience using SystmOne in a healthcare or safeguarding setting.
• oKnowledge of Microsoft Office and web-based programmes.
• oProficient in using Microsoft Office products, emails, and electronic systems. Competent user of Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint.
• oEvidence of understanding and adhering to policies and procedures.
• oEvidence of contemporaneous documentation and good record keeping ability.
• oExcellent organisational and time management skills with the ability to prioritise workload effectively.
• oKeyboard and administrative skills.
• oAbility to work as part of a team and on own initiative.
• oDemonstrates attention to detail and ability to make clear, accurate, and appropriate records.
• oAbility to solve problems and use initiative appropriately.
• oAbility to plan own workload. Ability to identify risk, patterns of concern, and appropriately escalate safeguarding issues. Good communication skills and ability to respond quickly, accurately, and comprehensively to emails and phone calls.
• oAbility to work inter-professionally and across professional and organisational boundaries dealing with sensitive and confidential information.
• oAbility to collect data/information from internal sources.
• oSelf-motivated and ability to motivate others.
• oWell-developed interpersonal skills.
• oAbility to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• oHigh level of integrity and professionalism.
• oPositive attitude and commitment.
• oAn interest in the work of the organisation and an ability to use this information to inform the day-to-day work of the team and enhance the service provided by the Quality Directorate.
• oAn ability to build effective working relationships with staff from across the Trust.
• oUnderstanding of safeguarding principles, confidentiality, GDPR/Data Protection legislation, Caldicott principles, and information sharing protocols.
• oAbility to maintain accurate electronic records and audit trails.
• oUnderstanding of equality, diversity, and inclusion principles.

Desirable

• oGeographical knowledge of EMAS area, including its boundaries.
• oKnowledge of EMAS safeguarding procedures and referral pathways.
• oKnowledge of local authority safeguarding referral processes.
• oUnderstanding of the Ambulance Service or pre-hospital urgent care environment.
• oAwareness of current safeguarding legislation and national guidance.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• oProfessional appearance at all times.
• oProfessional, reliable, and punctual.
• oDisplays an ability to work and remain calm under pressure.
• oDisplays an understanding of patient confidentiality.
• oDisplays an interest in EMAS and the motivation to work within it.
• oAbility and willingness to attend training courses as and when necessary.
• oWilling to adapt to the changing needs of the service.
• oGood attendance record.
• oUnderstands and can maintain patient confidentiality.
• oExcellent keyboard skills, able to work at a desk for long periods.
• oWillingness to be flexible with hours and duties to meet the needs of the department when required.
• oCommunicating orally and in writing, adapting style and message to match situations and audiences, including delivering difficult information in distressing or emotional circumstances.
• oDemonstrates a passion for the delivery of safeguarding services.
• oStrong sense of commitment to openness, honesty, integrity, and ability to work as part of a team and contribute to the team ethos.
• oAble to remain organised, resilient, and compassionate when dealing with distressing safeguarding information.
• oPositive attitude and commitment to delivering a high-quality safeguarding service.
• oSelf-motivated with the ability to work independently using initiative appropriately.
• oCommitment to equality, diversity, inclusion, and maintaining patient dignity.
• oFlexible approach to duties, working hours, and service requirements.

Desirable

• Actively seeks to develop their own knowledge, skills, and ability. Demonstrates enthusiasm for safeguarding practice and service improvement.

Additional Recommended Requirement

Essential

• The post holder must demonstrate the ability to handle distressing and emotionally sensitive safeguarding information in a professional, compassionate, and resilient manner, ensuring all referrals are processed promptly and accurately in line with Trust policy, safeguarding legislation, and information-sharing agreements.