Heather McDaid

Safeguarding Consultant

Heather completed both her Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Ireland. Thereafter the majority of her professional career has been working in Asia and the United Kingdom. Heather has always worked with and for young people. Her different job roles may have focused on different aspects and periods in a young person’s life, but the core focus has never deviated; keeping young people safe, happy and healthy.

Heather has worked as an English Language Teacher in Thailand, Early Intervention Project Lead in London and Teaching and Care Coordinator in Nepal; within all the organisations Heather has engaged with, she has always taken on safeguarding as an additional responsibility. Heather has worked in multiple different summer and language programmes, from activity leaders, to house parent and ultimately in senior leadership as student services director. Heather’s passion and enthusiasm for safeguarding lead to working with safeguarding as a specialist area. Firstly, as the Safeguarding Advisor for the Marine Society and Sea Cadets and thereafter as the Head of Safeguarding for a national education charity and a local grassroots community organisation.

In all her roles Heather advised, coached, trained and lead staff to reaching the best possible outcome for all service users while supporting and encouraging staff to hone their own professional skills in the process. Additionally, Heather was the DSL within both roles, holding accountability for the implementation of safeguarding policies, procedures and systems managements on a local and national basis.

In her personal time, Heather has volunteered as a crisis volunteer for Shout the mental health charity and the night safety initiative Night Stars in Westminster.