Senior Practitioner

Suffolk County Council; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 34,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

A local council in England is hiring a Safeguarding Senior Practitioner for a role in the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub. The ideal candidate will lead a dynamic team, triage safeguarding concerns, and ensure compliance with the Care Act 2014. Applicants should be qualified social workers with experience in safeguarding and possess strong communication skills. The position offers a competitive salary and the flexibility of hybrid working.

Benefits

Up to 29 days annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme membership

Health and wellbeing benefits

Career development opportunities

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Qualified social worker with experience in safeguarding.
• Strong knowledge of the Care Act 2014.
• Ability to assess referrals against statutory criteria.

Responsibilities

• Lead a multi-agency team in safeguarding concerns.
• Triage incoming safeguarding concerns.
• Allocate and oversee priority work.

Skills

Strong knowledge of Adult Social Care and the Care Act 2014

Experience in safeguarding and multi-agency working

Excellent communication and negotiation skills

Ability to prioritize and manage workload

Confidence in chairing meetings

Resilient and reflective approach

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

Overview

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Job Description

• Suffolk County Council
• Address: Landmark House, Ipswich, IP1 5PB - Hybrid
• Salary: £40,777 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week or 18.5 hours per week, flexible working options available
• Contract: Permanent

We\'re focused on making a meaningful difference to communities across Suffolk. How? By listening to our people learning from what they say and creating a culture of mutual respect, where everyone works together to achieve great things. As a Safeguarding Senior Practitioner in the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub you\'ll be as keen to collaborate and build a bright future as we are. So, to make a positive impact, connect with us and connect with a fantastic career.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

As a MASH Safeguarding Senior Practitioner, you will play a pivotal role in leading a dynamic, multi-agency team that includes professionals from police, health, housing, probation, and more.

You will:

• triage incoming safeguarding concerns
• allocate and oversee priority work
• chair strategy meetings and lead multi-agency decision-making
• assess referrals against the statutory criteria under Section 42 of the Care Act 2014
• provide guidance and signposting for cases not meeting safeguarding statutory criteria
• supervise Social Workers and Safeguarding Independence & Wellbeing Practitioners
• interpret data, conduct audits, and identify emerging themes

We\'re seeking a qualified social worker with:

• strong knowledge of Adult Social Care and the Care Act 2014
• experience in safeguarding and multi-agency working, undertaking Sec42 Enquiries.
• excellent communication, negotiation, and organisational skills
• the ability to prioritise, risk assess, and manage a fast-paced workload
• confidence in chairing meetings and making complex decisions
• a resilient and reflective approach to practice

The Senior Practitioner will also be responsible for supervision of Social Workers and Safeguarding Independence and Well Being Practitioners. There will also be a need to interpret data and undertake auditing and highlight themes to the manager.

You will need

• a Social Work qualification and experience in the role.
• strong knowledge of Adult Social Care and the Care Act 2014.
• experience in safeguarding and multi-agency working.
• excellent communication, negotiation, and organisational skills.
• the ability to prioritise, risk assess, and manage a fast-paced workload.
• confidence in chairing meetings and making complex decisions.
• a resilient and reflective approach to practice.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (Word). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don\'t meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

Suffolk MASH is a multi-agency team which uses excellent cross agency communication to identify risk at an early stage, and where co-ordinated, timely and proportionate interventions are decided upon in order to keep Adults with care & support needs safe. Working in Suffolk MASH provides employees with an opportunity to further knowledge of adult safeguarding and the chance to contribute to decisions that make a real difference to residents of Suffolk. The MASH is a fast paced and dynamic environment which is both rewarding and challenging and requires excellent communications skills, experience of safeguarding and a degree of resilience to effectively manage the challenges of this working environment.

Empowering Everyone

We\'re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We\'re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Sarah Markham (she/her), for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01473 263241 or emailing [e-mail].

If you want to apply for a secondment, read the secondment policy first. Make sure you get permission from your current manager before submitting your application.

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word).

Step 2 - Click \"Apply Now\" to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement indicating how you meet each of the criteria in the \'Person Profile\' section of the JPP.

• You should use the Supporting Statement template.
• Please use Arial font size 11 and keep your statement to a maximum of two sides of A4.

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We ask you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.

Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing [e-mail] or calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.

Closing date:11.30pm, 9 November 2025

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid

About Us

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We\'re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you\'ll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).