Reporting To: Professionals Online Safety Helpline Team Leader
Contract Type: 6 month fixed term contract
Background
SWGfL is a not-for-profit charity ensuring everyone can benefit from technology free from harm. Forming 1/3 of the UK Safer Internet Centre, our experts advise schools, public bodies and industry on appropriate actions to take regarding safeguarding and advancing positive online safety policies.
SWGfL has been at the forefront of online safety for 25 years, delivering vital solutions, engaging presentations and training to a wide variety of audiences nationally and internationally. Our work has brought online safety to the forefront of public attention, ensuring everyone can develop their understanding of what online safety truly means in an ever-changing world.
Job Purpose
The successful applicant will work on our Professionals Online Safety Helpline (POSH). The role will involve responding to calls, emails and reports, offering advice and support that will help to resolve issues relating to online safety/safeguarding. The service primarily supports schools (and other children’s professionals), so the post holder will be able to offer advice on a wide range of issues from cyber‑bullying, to monitoring and filtering and more complex safeguarding issues.
A large portion of time will be spent viewing content and reporting this to industry platforms for removal. This will usually be low‑level harmful content, however, there will be times where the post holder may be exposed to graphic content while undertaking this work. Appropriate support and clinical supervision will be offered to staff to help deal with this.
Responses will be made via email and telephone using an internal database to log call notes and send replies to incoming emails. Training to use telephone system and database will be provided. Working with a range of stakeholders will be necessary including, police, teaching unions, online safety NGOs and primarily social media/other platforms.
Key Responsibilities
As part of the Professionals Online Safety Helpline within SWGfL, you will provide clear, effective advice and support to professionals working with children and young people, handling complex or sensitive reports with professionalism, empathy and discretion.
You will stay informed on online youth culture, emerging trends and new platforms, and liaise with stakeholders including the UK Safer Internet Centre, consortium partners, Childnet, IWF, service providers, NGOs, industry, government bodies and professional associations to resolve issues efficiently. Responsibilities include responding to inbound emails and calls, making follow‑up contact, prioritising and organising work in line with the helpline’s strategy, escalating cases as required, maintaining accurate records, supporting awareness campaigns, assisting with reports, and providing support to the wider SWGfL helpline and project teams.
Work is primarily office‑based at SWGfL with some UK and European travel as necessary, contributing to the service’s strategic goals while upholding safeguarding standards and effective communication.
Helpline Practitioner (Professionals Online Safety Helpline) – South West Grid for Learning • Devon, UK
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