Our client based in Portsmouth is seeking an experienced and motivated Safeguarding Practitioner to join their Adult Safeguarding Team. This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified Social Worker to work within a specialist multi-agency safeguarding service, supporting professionals, individuals, and partner organisations in responding to complex adult safeguarding concerns.

The successful candidate will work within a fast-paced environment, providing expert safeguarding advice, guidance, and support across a wide range of statutory and non-statutory services. You will play a key role in screening safeguarding concerns, coordinating enquiries, managing risk, and ensuring that adults at risk remain at the centre of decision-making through the principles of Making Safeguarding Personal.

This role requires a confident practitioner with strong safeguarding knowledge, excellent risk assessment skills, and the ability to work autonomously whilst maintaining effective partnership working across a broad range of agencies.

What will your responsibilities be?

In this role, you will:

Screening and triaging adult safeguarding concerns, ensuring timely and proportionate responses in accordance with safeguarding legislation and local procedures.
Providing advice, guidance, and professional consultation to colleagues, partner agencies, providers, and other professionals regarding safeguarding concerns and risk management.
Applying safeguarding legislation, policies, and procedures in line with the Care Act 2014 and Making Safeguarding Personal principles.
Managing a professional caseload involving complex safeguarding concerns, safeguarding enquiries, investigations, and risk management activity.
Undertaking and coordinating Section 42 Safeguarding Enquiries and non-statutory safeguarding enquiries where appropriate.
Assessing and managing complex risks involving abuse, neglect, exploitation, self-neglect, domestic abuse, homelessness, substance misuse, and organisational concerns.
Leading or contributing to Multi-Agency Risk Management meetings and developing safeguarding plans to reduce risks and improve outcomes.
Ensuring safeguarding decisions, actions, and outcomes are clearly recorded, communicated, and shared with relevant parties.
Working closely with police, health services, residential and nursing homes, domiciliary care providers, housing services, acute hospitals, quality assurance teams, regulatory bodies, and voluntary organisations.
Promoting the rights, wishes, outcomes, and wellbeing of adults at risk through person-centred safeguarding practice.
Representing the Adult Safeguarding Team at internal and external meetings, safeguarding forums, case reviews, and partnership discussions.
Preparing high-quality safeguarding reports, assessments, risk analyses, and professional documentation.
Maintaining accurate, timely, and legally compliant records in accordance with professional standards and organisational requirements.
Contributing to service development, quality improvement, reflective practice, and continuous professional development activities.

Qualifications & Experience

To be successful in this role you must have:

Professional Qualification: MA, BA, BSc in Social Work, Diploma in Social Work, CQSW, CSS, or equivalent recognised Social Work qualification.
Registration: Must be registered with Social Work England.
Experience: Significant post-qualified experience within Adult Social Care and Adult Safeguarding services.
Safeguarding Expertise: Experience undertaking safeguarding enquiries, managing safeguarding concerns, and investigating allegations of abuse or neglect.
Legislation Knowledge: Strong understanding of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Human Rights Act, Making Safeguarding Personal, and Adult Safeguarding legislation and guidance.
Risk Management Skills: Proven ability to assess, analyse, and manage complex risks whilst making defensible professional decisions.
Assessment Skills: Strong experience undertaking safeguarding assessments, enquiries, investigations, and protection planning.