Somerset Council
Social Worker - Safeguarding (Countywide) (Adults)
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Closing date: 17 August 2026
Transform lives, champion rights & support adults to achieve their full potential.
Build your career. Lead safeguarding. Use your professional voice.
This is not a sideways move – it’s a step forward. If you’re looking for a safeguarding role where your social work skills, values and professional curiosity genuinely shape practice, this is an opportunity to grow into advanced, specialist or future leadership roles.
Location: Can be based in Yeovil or Taunton, but the role is countywide
Starting salary £37,280 rising annually, currently up to £41,777 (pending pay award)
Full time, 37 hours per week. Part time hours of 22.5 hours or more can also be considered.
Ideal opportunity for an experienced practitioner looking for their next step
30 days annual leave entitlement
Role Purpose
As a Safeguarding Social Worker, you will lead complex safeguarding work with adults at risk, ensuring practice is rights‑led, trauma‑informed and grounded in strong professional judgement.
You will work directly with adults, families, carers and advocates, using your professional voice to analyse risk, promote autonomy and protection, and achieve meaningful outcomes. This role allows you to practise confident, relational safeguarding rather than process‑driven responses, supporting adults to be heard and protected.
The post offers rich exposure to complex safeguarding, self‑neglect and legal decision‑making, helping you build advanced skills and professional confidence.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead Section 42 safeguarding enquiries under the Care Act 2014 from initial decision through to outcome.
- Work face‑to‑face with adults at risk, families, carers and advocates, keeping lived experience, rights and outcomes central to practice.
- Chair and contribute to multi‑agency safeguarding meetings, driving purposeful and proportionate safeguarding plans.
- Apply the Mental Capacity Act and associated legal frameworks in complex situations where risk, autonomy and protection intersect.
- Analyse risk and evidence, challenging appropriately both within the organisation and across partner agencies.
- Produce clear, analytical and defensible recording, demonstrating professional reasoning and ethical decision‑making.
- Contribute to a culture of learning, reflection and safeguarding improvement.
What We’re Looking For – Essential Skills/Experience
We’re looking for social workers who want to develop their safeguarding expertise and influence practice. You will have:
- A recognised Social Work qualification and current registration with Social Work England.
- Interest in or experience of safeguarding adults, including complex risk and self‑neglect.
- Confidence to analyse information, exercise professional judgement and challenge where required.
- Commitment to trauma‑informed, strengths‑based and rights‑led practice.
- Ability to work collaboratively across agencies while maintaining a clear social work perspective.
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Applications are welcomed from Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) as well as experienced practitioners.
About The Team/Service
You’ll join a Safeguarding Adults service that is evolving and ambitious. Safeguarding in Somerset is led by social work expertise, not tick‑box processes.
The Safeguarding Adults Board is independently chaired by Professor Michael Preston‑Shoot, reflecting a strong focus on learning, reflection and system improvement. This is a service where practitioners are developed, not just managed, and where professional curiosity is encouraged.
Additional Information
We recognise and welcome applications from disabled individuals who may require reasonable adjustments to meet this requirement, and we’re happy to discuss this from the first point of contact with the recruitment team.
Support, Learning & Progression
You’ll Be Supported Through
- A supportive and experienced safeguarding team.
- Leadership from safeguarding managers, a dedicated Practice Development Advanced Practitioner and the Principal Social Worker.
- Targeted learning opportunities, including self‑neglect and hoarding.
- Personal development plans aligned to your professional aspirations.
- Reflective supervision that strengthens confidence, judgement and leadership capability.
Caseload & Wellbeing
- Typical full‑time caseload: around 15 adults, depending on complexity.
- High expectations balanced with realistic workloads and protected wellbeing.
- No culture of routine unpaid overtime.
Please Note: We may consider offering Skilled Worker visa sponsorship to suitably qualified overseas social workers who are already residing in the UK. To be eligible, applicants must hold a recognised social work qualification and be registered with Social Work England. Sponsorship will be assessed as part of the recruitment process. This is only available to candidates currently living in the UK, as unfortunately we are unable to provide resettlement support.
Due to the nature of the role and the geographical area of the service across Somerset, which is a largely rural county, with limitations around public transport the ability to be able to travel to any location is essential. Therefore, applicants must have full access to a vehicle that can be used for work purposes.
For an informal chat about the role, you can contact: Helen Readdy – Recruitment & Engagement Officer, Adults – helen.readdy@somerset.gov.uk
Please note we reserve the right to close this advert early if we have received a sufficient number of applications, so don't delay, apply today!
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A full job description can be found here: Adults Social Worker - Job Description - RP258
Person Specification
Criteria
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of Social Care practice as defined by Social Work England Guidelines, appropriate legislation and issues relevant to client group.
- Ability to speak fluent English as stated in Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016).
- Understanding of social care resources and provision available beyond statutory agencies.
- Awareness of government guidance and legislative changes across broad range of Social Service issues.
- Relevant multi-disciplinary Social Care experience within multi-disciplinary team - relevant to needs of post.
- Evidence of partnership working with other agencies including Social Care Services, Health Services, Voluntary Agencies and/or Education.
- A variety of experiences working with relevant client group including Learning Disabilities.
- Supervisory experience.
- Previous experience of working with health professionals.
- Possession of recognised Social Work Qualification – Degree in Social Work (BA), a master’s degree in social work, or equivalent.
- Registration with Social Work England.
- Ability to speak fluent English as stated in Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016).
- Demonstrates empathy, sensitivity, self- awareness and acceptance of others.
- Able to prioritise workload, work with competing deadlines and organise time effectively.
- Self-reliant and resilient – able to respond positively to difficult situations.
- Willingness to embrace organisational change.
- Access to / use of a vehicle is an essential requirement.
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