Safeguarding Officer

The role is totally focused on safeguarding adults, with every day presenting fresh opportunities to develop your knowledge and look at new ideas.

Safeguarding Officers will lead and co ordinate, working with other professionals, enquiries relating to adults who are experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect utilising a strength based approach. They are responsible for assessing and managing risk and ensuring plans are in place to promote wellbeing, safeguard and support the outcomes of people experiencing abuse or neglect.

You will be part of a team that triages safeguarding concerns, ensuring Making Safeguarding Personal and Safeguarding Principles are maintained and that the adult is centre to all that you do. Professional curiosity is key; the role requires you to undertake safeguarding enquires, whilst maintaining peoples choice and control, empowering adults within a risk enablement and strengths based approach.

You will support people to develop links within their own community, looking at creative solutions and will be committed to supporting effective multi agency working with partner organisations.

Safeguarding Officers are required to attend appointments across the county, as such you will need an ability to travel across the county according to meet the needs of the service. We offer hybrid working opportunities with an expectation of attending the office base in Sleaford a minimum of 2 days per week.

Main duties of the job

To take on this exciting role you must hold a professional Social Work OR Nursing OR Occupational Therapy qualification and have maintained professional registration with the relevant professional body along with some post qualifying practice experience.

Our team have asked that applicants have a secure, sound understanding/ knowledge/experience within the adult safeguarding arena, including S42 enquires, MSP and the Care Act (2014).

Coupled with this you will need to be;

• Empowering communication through difficult conversations is key to the role.
• Confident your decision making whilst working within risk enablement must be sound.
• Organised this is a pressurised, fast paced environment with complex ever changing priorities.

If you have an enquiring mind and are committed to the promotion of well being and safeguarding of adults at risk then this would be a great opportunity for you.

Our offer

Our practitioners receive excellent supervision, access to learning and development opportunities and protected time to support continuous professional development.

Lincolnshire County Council is particularly committed to supporting staff access additional qualifications such as AMHP and Practice Educator.

Job responsibilities

Manage a varied and complex caseload with supervision and advice from the Team Manager/ Advanced Practitioner at a level of complexity appropriate to the post holder's experience, and professional capability and be accountable for your professional practice.

Undertake needs assessments on more complex cases in line with the Care Act 2014 to identify care and support needs adopting and promoting a strengths based approach to identifying, outcomes people want to achieve, opportunities for independence and identify solutions.

Work with specialist Safeguarding colleagues to contribute to and undertake safeguarding enquiries which put the person and the outcomes they want to achieve at the centre of safeguarding practice in line with LCC Safeguarding policies and procedures.

Deputise in the absence of the Advanced Practitioner E.g. Representing the Advanced Practitioner at multi disciplinary meetings.

Supervise up to four non registered social care practitioners (e.g. Community Care Officers), including planning, allocation and checking of work including setting targets, dealing with day to day capability and conduct issues/ providing basic staff welfare and support/ identify training needs.

Supervise / mentor students or act as Practice Educator, where appropriate to Social Work students and mentor newly qualified social workers undertaking the ASYE (Assessed and Supported Year in Employment).

To identify non eligible and non social care needs such as health care or housing and offer information and advice and work with partners to address wider needs.

Construct value for money care packages in collaboration with individuals, carers and contributing agencies in accordance with eligibility criteria and ensuring that risk is minimised and quality of life improved/maintained.

Work with individuals, families, carers and communities to help them make informed choices and decisions, enabling them to clarify and express their needs and contribute to service planning.

Meet identified needs through informal support and/or through resources and assets available in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Research resources and services available for people in need or at risk, identifying and reporting any gaps in service provision.

Operate within the delegated budget support mechanisms as they are developed.

Maintain and update cases notes and other records, write reports as required; if required, give evidence in court in relation to care proceedings.

Work within and act in accordance with Lincolnshire County Council Adult Care policies and procedures including Lincolnshire's Safeguarding policies and Procedures.

The post holder may be expected to concentrate on specific areas of work arising from organisational need.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Professionally qualified as a Social Worker
• Current SWE Social Work Registration
• Minimum of 2 years post qualification practice experience or 1 year post qualification experience (ASYE completed) together with 3 years experience at a similar level in a non qualified role in a complex health and social care setting.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£39,152 to £42,839 a year pay award pending

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Equal Opportunities

We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity, eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and promoting good relations for both employee and for the people of Lincolnshire.