Social Worker, Safeguarding

Birmingham City Council; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Birmingham City Council's Adult Social Care Safeguarding Service is recruiting a Qualified Social Worker to support adults where abuse or neglect is suspected. The role emphasises safeguarding decisions, person-centred practice and collaboration with partners.

You will manage safeguarding work, assess risks, and coordinate responses in line with statutory duties. The position is permanent, 36.5 hours per week, with a salary band of £36,581–£45,529.

Qualifications

• Qualified and registered Social Worker with current registration.
• Experience with adults, carers and partner agencies.
• Knowledge of Care Act 2014, MCA 2005, Human Rights Act 1998.

Responsibilities

• Receive and assess safeguarding concerns, identifying immediate risks and required actions.
• Undertake and coordinate Section 42 enquiries in line with the Care Act 2014.
• Work directly with adults to understand their wishes and achieve person-centred safeguarding outcomes.
• Consider mental capacity, consent, advocacy and safeguarding risks when planning interventions.
• Develop and review safeguarding plans to reduce risk and promote wellbeing.
• Gather, analyse and evaluate information from multiple agencies to inform decision-making.
• Chair and contribute to multi-agency safeguarding meetings and discussions.
• Build effective partnerships with professionals, using constructive challenge where appropriate.
• Identify and respond to complex risks, including domestic abuse, self-neglect, exploitation and organisational abuse.

Skills

Empathy

Risk analysis

Clear decision-making

Communication skills

Partnership working

Education

Social Work England recognised qualification (CQSW, DipSW, CSS or equivalent)

Job description

Social Worker - Safeguarding

Permanent

Grade C £36,581- £45,529

Working 36.5 hours per week

Consultation grade - subject to formal evaluation under the Pay Equity Review

Golden Hello payment - £1,000 + £5,000 per annum; see below for further details and conditions.

Make a difference where it matters: protect rights, reduce risk and support adults to achieve the outcomes that matter to them.

Are you a Qualified Social Worker with the curiosity, confidence and professional judgement to work with adults where abuse or neglect is suspected? Are you able to hear the person’s voice, analyse complex information and work with partners to make proportionate, defensible decisions?

We are recruiting Qualified Social Workers to Birmingham Adult Social Care’s specialist Safeguarding Service. This is a focused safeguarding role for practitioners who want to develop expertise in statutory adult safeguarding while keeping Making Safeguarding Personal at the centre of practice.

You will work with adults, carers, advocates, providers and partner agencies to establish what has happened, understand current and future risk, agree the outcomes the adult wants and coordinate an appropriate safeguarding response. The work can be complex and sensitive, requiring sound legal literacy, respectful professional challenge and clear recording of decisions and rationale.

About the role

As a Qualified Social Worker in the Safeguarding Service, you will manage safeguarding work involving different forms of abuse and neglect, complex family and professional networks, competing views, and uncertainty. You will be expected to work in a strengths-based, trauma-informed and person-centred way while maintaining a clear focus on risk and statutory duties.

You will:

• Receive and assess safeguarding concerns, identifying immediate risks and required actions.


• Undertake and coordinate Section 42 enquiries in line with the Care Act 2014.


• Work directly with adults to understand their wishes and achieve person-centred safeguarding outcomes.


• Consider mental capacity, consent, advocacy and safeguarding risks when planning interventions.


• Develop and review safeguarding plans to reduce risk and promote wellbeing.


• Gather, analyse and evaluate information from multiple agencies to inform decision‑making.


• Chair and contribute to multi-agency safeguarding meetings and discussions.


• Build effective partnerships with professionals, using constructive challenge where appropriate.


• Identify and respond to complex risks, including domestic abuse, self-neglect, exploitation and organisational abuse.


• Escalate urgent concerns and unresolved risks through appropriate channels.


• Maintain accurate, analytical records and reports that evidence decision‑making and outcomes.


• Contribute to quality assurance, learning and service improvement activities.

About you

You will be a qualified and registered Social Worker who can combine empathy and relationship-based practice with confident risk analysis and clear professional decision‑making. Experience of adult safeguarding is desirable, but we also welcome applicants with strong transferable adult social work experience and a clear commitment to developing specialist safeguarding practice.

You will have:

• Social Work England recognised qualification (such as CQSW, DipSW, CSS or equivalent) and current registration number


• Experience working with adults, carers and partner agencies.


• Knowledge of adult social care legislation, including Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Human Rights Act 1998


• Ability to assess risk, analyse information and make sound, evidence-based decisions.


• Strong communication skills, including handling sensitive conversations and professional challenge.


• Ability to maintain accurate records and produce clear, analytical reports.


• Understanding of Making Safeguarding Personal and strengths-based practice.


• Ability to manage competing priorities, urgent situations and statutory deadlines.


• Commitment to equality, professional development and reflective practice.

What you'll bring

Most importantly, you will bring a person-centred and professionally curious approach. You will listen carefully, avoid assumptions, recognise strengths and work alongside adults rather than doing safeguarding to them.

You will be able to hold respectful but difficult conversations, remain focused when situations are uncertain or contested, and understand when risk requires escalation. You will also recognise that effective safeguarding depends on shared ownership across agencies, with clear boundaries, responsibilities and handovers.

Why Birmingham City Council?

This is an opportunity to join a specialist service where your professional judgement can make a direct difference to adults experiencing abuse or neglect. You will work across organisational boundaries, contribute to high-quality statutory practice and help strengthen safeguarding responses across Birmingham’s diverse communities.

If you are looking for a role that combines direct work with adults, complex risk analysis, multi-agency partnership working and continuous learning, we'd love to hear from you.

Onboarding Process

Please note as part of our onboarding process, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a series of background checks with Experian, including Experian Right to Work, and Digital ID verification. These are essential pre-employment requirements.

Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, and we are committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people.

We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application.

For any informal enquires please contact: [e-mail]

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be undertaken.

Proof of Right to work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.

Birmingham City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our citizens and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. You can view our Corporate Safeguarding Policy | Birmingham City Council here.

Job Description & Person Specification