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Honeyguide School Leader Support

DSL and Safeguarding Role Interview Pack

DSL and Safeguarding Role Interview Pack

Looking to recruit a new designated safeguarding lead (DSL), deputy DSL or another staff member in a key safeguarding role? If you’re wondering what tasks will allow candidates to show their strengths or what questions to ask DSLs at interview to get the best-fit employee for your school, this DSL and Safeguarding Role Interview Pack can support you plan and organise an effective interview day. 
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What's included in this bundle?

A pack with accompanying templates to help your school setting plan and prepare the interview day, including interview questions and tasks, when recruiting a designated safeguarding lead, deputy DSL or another leader in a similar safeguarding role. This pack contains some guidance that allows you to consider the setup of the interview day itself, but if you're new to recruitment or want to ensure the entire recruitment process is smooth, you may find it help to purchase the Recruitment, Interview and Employment Compliance Guidance Pack alongside this interview pack.

When you make your purchase, you'll receive a ZIP file containing the whole pack, including:

  • Concise 8-page Guidance PDF in full colour containing all the guidance, research and information you need.
  • 8 fully editable and easy-to-use templates that can be adapted for your setting. These include:
  1. DSL and Safeguarding Role Job Role Description
  2. DSL and Safeguarding Role Person Specification
  3. DSL and Safeguarding Role Interview Questions
  4. Interview Task - Handling a Difficult Conversation
  5. Interview Task - In-Tray Exercise
  6. Interview Task - Safeguarding Action Plan
  7. Interview Task - Safeguarding Scenarios
  8. Interview Task - Safeguarding Training Plan

Included in this DSL interview pack are 5 different editable interview tasks plus a wide variety of example interview questions so you can find a brilliant child protection lead for your school. The job description and person specification for will also support you in advertising for a new safeguarding lead or practitioner so you attract the right candidates. Use these, alongside the interview tasks and designated safeguarding lead interview questions to create a recruitment package that's tailored to exactly what your school is looking for in a new child protection and safeguarding leader.

While the pack is tailored towards appointing a new DSL, it can be used to support the recruitment process for any safeguarding-focused roles, such as a deputy designated safeguarding lead, safeguarding manager, safeguarding officer or child protection lead. It can also be used when recruiting an assistant or deputy headteacher where the responsibility safeguarding and child protection will fall under their remit - in this case, you may also find our Assistant and Deputy Headteacher Interview Pack useful.

Who will find this resource useful?

Headteachers, trust leaders, senior leaders, members of the governing body and trustees who lead recruitment processes will find this time-saving pack useful. This pack is also helpful for aspiring safeguarding leads wishing to develop their understanding of the interview process, such as those currently in a deputy DSL position who are looking to take the next step in their careers, or existing child protection leads looking to switch schools. 

What questions does this pack have the answers to?

Planning and leading an effective recruitment process ensures you've put your school in the best position possible to recruit a new designated safeguarding lead who's going to support the whole-school community in keeping children safe from harm. Using carefully selected interview questions and tasks will help to ensure this is a positive experience for both those on the panel and those applying for the role, meaning your new safeguarding lead has the best possible start in your setting.

Key questions answered:

  • How could an interview day for a DSL be structured?
  • What interview tasks could be used when recruiting a new designated safeguarding lead?
  • What interview questions could a new child protecton lead be asked during the interview process?
  • Where can I access more support on the recruitment and post-recruitment process?

What else can help me?

If you're looking for support with the recruitment or staff induction processes, we've got multiple packs available to help you. Best of all, you can get 20% off each item if you buy 3 or more resources about recruitment and induction, so why not see what's available?

If you're new to the recruitment process or are looking to build your understanding of how to tackle recruitment through each stage of the process, including advertising, shortlisting, interviewing, pre-employment and employment compliance, then you'll find the following pack useful.

If you're looking to recruit for multiple school roles, you may find the following packs supportive to help you plan interview days for those roles too:

To support your new staff member with induction into your setting, why not have a look at the following help guidance pack:

To provide meaningful professional development from the beginning of your new staff member's employment, skills audits are a valuable way to amplify the induction process, identify CPD opportunities and support the appraisal process.