SAFEGUARDING OFFICER

Finn Church Aid is a right-based organisation with 70 years of experience and operations in over 12 countries. FCA is Finland’s largest NGO working in development cooperation and second largest provider of disaster relief. We work in development, humanitarian assistance and advocacy, guided by international human rights standards and principles. We contribute to positive change by supporting people in the most vulnerable situations within fragile and disaster-affected areas. We consider three thematic areas as central to sustainable change: the right to peace (R2P), livelihood (R2L) and quality education (R2QE).

In Kenya, FCA has been working since 2014 in all three thematic areas, supporting local communities and governments to resolve and prevent conflicts in five counties of northern Kenya; providing access to primary education in Turkana, Garissa, Marsabit, West Pokot and Samburu, Kenya’s poorest counties; and improving access to quality education for children, youth and their families with holistic support mechanisms.

Finn Church Aid Kenya is looking for a

Safeguarding Officer – 1 Position

Start date: 1st February 2024

Primary purpose of the position

Assist in enacting safegaurding and protection policies and practices in Dadaab field office operation, raise awareness on organizational safeguaridng and protection procedures and protocols, provide appropriate training to all FCA staff members on safeguarinding and protection and refer situations where a breach or violations in safeguarding policies or issues of maltreatment have been identified and are subsequently reported.

Main Tasks

• Ensure FCA child protection and safeguarding policy is both publicly available and disseminated to all staff and stakeholders.
• To deliver effective safeguarding training programmes targeted at different groups of staff appropriate to their roles in liaison.
• To communicate effectively with all staff within Dadaab field office when necessary, to ensure that children and young people are well cared for and appropriate information is shared in a timely manner with FCA staff, where appropriate and external agencies.
• To manage an identified caseload of learners who have safeguarding needs or child protection needs.
• To investigate concerns that are raised by members of staff, learners, parents or external agencies (and others) and risk assess to determine the next course of action.
• To contribute centrally to the development of an enhanced culture of safety with learners feeling safe and adopting safe practices.
• To respond appropriately to disclosures of concerns which relate to the health and safety and wellbeing of a learner.
• To identify those learners and families for whom support is judged appropriate and liaise with other professionals, both internally and externally.
• To provide guidance to students in the school who may be experiencing problems at school or at home. To refer to existing counselling and support services where appropriate using the agreed school procedures.
• To provide a safe space and opportunities for learners to self-refer if they are concerned about their own wellbeing.
• To liaise with staff responsible for attendance and where necessary liaise with the appropriate external agencies if a Child Protection concern is raised.
• To ensure that learners who are victims of abuse are supported appropriately and sensitively and that all actions assigned by FCA from planning and intervention meetings are successfully carried out and monitored.
• To encourage a culture of listening to Young People and taking account of their wishes and feelings on any measure the school might have taken to protect them.
• To support the care of children where their living arrangements are at risk of breakdown (including Local Authority placements).
• To receive and coordinate referrals, arranging action and reviewing services for children and families.
• Attend and participate in Child Protection Conferences and planning and review meetings whilst working closely with colleagues in Children’s Services as required, some of which may take place out of normal working hours. This will include negotiating between child, family and commissioning worker to identify the support package required.
• Ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the school’s Child Protection Policy and Procedures, especially new and part time staff.

Qualifications

• A Bachelors/Diploma in HR Management , Counselling or related discipline like Social Sciences, Social Work and Social Administration, Public Administration, etc.
• Minimum of 3 years practical experience in safeguarding management
• Excellent planning and organizational skills
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Good communication, facilitation and presentation skills. Strong interpersonal skills and high level of integrity
• Computer literacy
• The position involves making timely decision under pressure and also involves high level of integrity, due to care and caution