Volunteer Safeguarding Trustee

What will you be doing?

Role type: Unremunerated/Volunteer (reasonable expenses reimbursed)  Location: Trustee meetings currently take place mainly online but attendance at Blue Smile offices in Central Cambridge, or other locations where we work, may be required from time to time  Commitment: Six meetings a year of the Trustee Board (usually on a weekday evening).Trustees are also represented on subcommittees and advisory groups which report to the Board. We would encourage the Safeguarding Trustee to be part of the Clinical and Ethics Committee which meets once a term. Trustees may also offer support with projects and events as required and as their time allows. Role of TrusteesThe Trustees are responsible for appointing and overseeing the work of the Charity Director, making key decisions about the charity, and ensuring it is run appropriately and in compliance with the law and good governance.  The Trustees must ensure the charity carries out its purposes for the public benefit. They must act in the charity’s best interest, manage its resources responsibly, act with reasonable care and skill and ensure the charity is accountable. Trustees of Blue Smile are also company Directors as Blue Smile is set up as a limited company.  Why become a Trustee for Blue Smile?This is an exciting time to be joining Blue Smile as we implement our Strategy for 2024 onwards. Building on our excellent reputation for high quality, specialised work with young children, we want to develop our services and evaluation, invest in new systems, and grow our service to meet the increased need for child mental health support.  We also want to increase reach through additional services which impact the whole school community.  Please see the role description attached for further details.   Blue Smile is committed to safer recruitment and trustees will be expected to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

What are we looking for?

Experience and Skills we are looking for in a Safeguarding Trustee: 

Experience working in safeguarding for children and young people. Awareness of relevant guidance, particularly, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023. Good communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to maintain confidentiality on sensitive and confidential information. Commitment to the values (and ethics) of the charity.

What difference will you make?

Blue Smile's mission is to transform the mental health and life chances of Cambridgeshire children through arts-based therapies. We help over 200 children a week to be happier and have brighter futures. We work with schools in Cambridge and the region providing children with one-to-one therapy. We also directly support both schools and parents to help their children through our extensive Menu of Services. We work in particular, in accordance with our charitable aims, with those who face disadvantage or deprivation. The charity has over 70 clinical experts working with us. Our office team supply essential management and administrative support to this clinical work. Safeguarding is central to all Blue Smile activities, and we recognise that the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk, is paramount and that all have equal rights of protection. We have a duty of care when they are in our charge, and we will do everything we can to provide a safe and caring environment whilst they attend our activities.