Safeguarding Practitioner

Community Care Live; Wokingham; Hybrid; GBP 44,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

LGPS pension

GP helpline

Employee assistance programme

Onsite gym

Car and cycle to work

Discounts

Training & development

Employee networks

Job summary

Wokingham Borough Council in Berkshire is seeking a Safeguarding Practitioner to join our adult social care team on a full-time, permanent basis. You will respond to safeguarding concerns, assess risk, and lead initial assessments to ensure adults in the borough receive the right help at the right time.

This role offers hybrid working, a supportive team culture, extensive employee benefits, and opportunities to contribute to learning and improvement across safeguarding practice.

Qualifications

• Social Work, Nursing or Occupational Therapy qualification or related safeguarding role.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to engage all stakeholders.
• Evidence of direct work with Adult Safeguarding issues.
• Organisational skills to enable proactive and responsive service.
• Ability to handle highly sensitive information with confidentiality and information sharing.
• Full EU driving licence with daily car access.

Responsibilities

• Respond to Adult Safeguarding concerns, assess risk and complete Initial Assessments.
• Lead Section 42 enquiries, coordinating with providers or partners.
• Support quality assurance activities including provider visits and safeguarding assurance.
• Participate in organisational abuse enquiries and contribute to learning.
• Work proactively with local and West of Berkshire strategies.
• Help deliver safeguarding training and workshops.

Skills

Social Work

Communication skills

Adult safeguarding

Organisational skills

Confidentiality

Driving licence

Education

Social Work/Nursing/OT degree

Job description

Employer: Wokingham Borough Council

Salary: £44,253 - £50,909 Per Annum, Plus Benefits

Location: Shute End, Wokingham

Contract: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full Time

Hours: 37 hours per week.

DBS Check: Enhanced

Closing Date: 08/11/2026 at 23:00

Reference: 712218

We have an excellent opportunity available for a Safeguarding Practitioners to join our award winning adult social care team at Wokingham Borough Council, on a full time, permanent basis.

As a Safeguarding Practitioner, you’ll play a vital role in making sure adults in our borough get the right help at the right time. You’ll work proactively and respond quickly when concerns are raised, helping people stay safe and supporting positive outcomes for everyone involved.

This is a chance to use your skills, safeguarding expertise and person-centred approach to make a real difference in the lives of adults who need support.

It’s also a great time to join us! Our service was recently recognised as one of the highest performing in the country after a CQC inspection. Wokingham Borough Council is part of the Social Care Future movement, which champions a vision where everyone can live in a place they love, connected to the people and activities that matter most — whatever their age, health or disability.

Our hybrid working model gives you the flexibility to balance home working within person meetings and visits.

Here is what Rebecca, our Team Manager, has to say:

I am proud to be part of the adult safeguarding hub. We are a supportive and collaborative team committed to high‑quality safeguarding practice. We value learning, reflection and kindness, and we welcome applicants who want to work in a team where support and making a difference truly matter.

Not only is this an excellent opportunity, but it’s a fantastic time to join our team. You will receive an extensive range of employee benefits including:

• Generous Annual Leave entitlement of 30 days (rising by 5 days after 5 years of continued local government service), plus bank holidays
• Local Government Pension Scheme (actual contribution details to follow)
• GP Helpline
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Free Onsite Gym (located at Shute End, Wokingham)
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes – including Car and Cycle to Work
• Local & Lifestyle Discounts – savings on shopping, entertainment, restaurants, and more
• Move through Menopause Course
• Sports & Social Group Activities –
• Learning & Development Opportunities
• Employee Networks
• And more!

Key responsibilities

• Respond to Adult Safeguarding concerns as they come in, applying thresholds, assessing risk and completing Initial Assessments where needed.

• Lead Section 42 enquiries, coordinating those carried out by providers or partners, and undertaking more complex enquiries yourself when required.

• Support quality assurance work, including provider visits and assurance activity linked to safeguarding concerns.

• Take part in organisational abuse enquiries and contribute to wider learning and improvement.

• Work proactively and preventatively, including supporting partnership projects in line with local and West of Berkshire strategies.

• Help deliver safeguarding training and workshops, appropriate to your experience and knowledge.

Candidate requirements

• Social Work, Nursing or Occupational Therapy qualification or other profession/statutory agency role providing significant experience of working with vulnerable adults in a safeguarding context.

• Excellent communication skills and ability to effectively engage all stakeholders.

• Evidenced experience of direct work with Adult Safeguarding issues.

• Organisational skills to enable proactiveness and a responsive service.

• Ability to handle highly sensitive information with a sound understanding of confidentiality and information sharing protocols.

• Full EU driving license (and access to daily use of a car)

Our area

Wokingham Borough is set in the heart of Berkshire with excellent transport links to Reading and central London. Our area comprises of a vibrant and historical market town, attractive villages, and miles of beautiful countryside.

We’re home to a range of high performing schools, a host of international businesses and an incredible community. We have a strong local economy with accelerated growth, a range of excellent public facilities and low levels of crime, offering an exceptional quality of life.

Wokingham Borough Council has committed to becoming a Marmot borough to embed prevention, early intervention and address inequalities in all aspects of our work. This is especially important given the significant and continued growth of our Borough and the diversity of its residents.

Alternatively, for an informal discussion about the role please contact our team via email [e-mail].

Closing date: Sunday 8th November 2026, 11pm

Interview date: TBC

If your application is shortlisted for an interview, you will be required to provide proof of your right to work in the UK at that stage. Additionally, successful candidates must present proof upon receiving a job offer.

Please note that all offers are conditional and subject to the satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.

Wokingham Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, other workers and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks.

Wokingham is an equal opportunities employer.