Safeguarding & Welfare Officer

About the role

A child-focused school, recruited by Summit Recruitment & Search Africa, is looking for a Safeguarding & Welfare Officer for Nakuru and Nairobi. The role promotes the physical, emotional, social, spiritual and mental well-being of children, their families, employees and the wider community, and calls for strong counselling skills and a commitment to a safe, nurturing environment.

Key responsibilities

• Monitor and assess children's well-being, identify risks such as abuse, neglect, trauma or malnutrition and coordinate timely interventions.
• Respond promptly to safeguarding concerns and keep accurate, confidential records in line with child protection policies.
• Provide basic counselling, psychosocial support and trauma-informed care, referring complex cases to professional services.
• Conduct home visits to assess family environments, engage caregivers and provide practical support or referrals.
• Build relationships with parents, guardians and community members to strengthen family engagement and child protection awareness.
• Work with teachers, school leaders and pastoral care teams on children's behavioural, emotional or social challenges.
• Coordinate welfare programmes such as feeding initiatives, school supplies, health screenings and hygiene campaigns.
• Support employee welfare with guidance, referrals and assistance on personal or work-related well-being issues.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Social Sciences, Child Protection or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in social work, child welfare, case management or community outreach.
• Strong understanding of child protection laws, welfare procedures and local support services.
• Experience providing counselling, crisis response and psychosocial support to vulnerable individuals.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to relate to children, families and teams.
• High integrity, confidentiality and emotional resilience; compassionate, empathetic and culturally and spiritually sensitive, upholding Christian values in service.
• Willingness to travel for field visits, community outreach and home assessments.