Safeguarding Adults Social Worker

Terms & Conditions: 37 Hours, Full time, Permanent

Department: Adults

Closing Date: 01 November 2026

NB: This post is funded until the end of March 2029. Should the funding grant not continue, redeployment may be required.

In Blackburn with Darwen, we believe we have the solid foundations for providing excellent social work services to local people. Furthermore, as a Local Authority, we are incredibly proud to be recently rated as “Good” by the CQC.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed Social Worker to help deliver and lead good quality care and represent adult social care within the Safeguarding Adults Team. You will be responsible for promoting Blackburn with Darwen’s vision, objectives and priorities effectively to our staff, partners and the public, and supporting the Department and residents on our continuous journey to ‘Outstanding’.

This post is aligned to Blackburn with Darwen's Complex Lives Partnership, bringing together a collective of services to improve outcomes for people facing multiple and overlapping challenges such as homelessness, mental ill health, substance misuse and offending. As a Social Worker within this innovative partnership, you'll have the opportunity to work collaboratively across organisational boundaries, build trusted relationships with individuals who may have struggled to engage with services, and help deliver lasting change through a strengths-based, trauma-informed approach.

NB: This post is funded until the end of March 2029. Should the funding grant not continue, redeployment may be required.

The post holder will be required to:

• Be a qualified and registered Social Worker with Social Work England
• Instil a culture of person-centred practice, as defined by 'Making Safeguarding Personal' embedded in a confident learning environment supported by effective supervision and appraisal
• Embed in practice the 6 key principles which underpin all Safeguarding Adult work as defined by the Care Act 2014, the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Blackburn with Darwen’s multi agency policies and procedures for safeguarding adults at risk

• Provide professional Social Work advice, consultancy oversight and guidance for Social Workers, and social care staff working across a range of teams.
• Provide Social Work professional advice, consultancy oversight and guidance for partner organisations.
• Co-ordinate and integrate team learning activities, including overseeing joint delivery and partnership arrangements, participating in Safeguarding Adult Reviews and anticipating and responding to change that will impact upon service delivery.
• Identify ways to improve statutory safeguarding practice, processes, performance and efficiency.
• Promote independence, dignity and respect for all people and carers who receive services.

The overarching aims will be:

• To support the Council’s vision and corporate objectives.
• To provide professional support and guidance to members of the team to ensure quality and consistency across the team.
• Effectively support social workers with complex cases, undertaking joint work where required.
• To train and support Social Workers and social care practitioners in respect of evidence gathering and providing quality assessments.
• Work with colleagues across the Partnership and Social Care workforce including multi-professional, multi-agency teams, individuals, and statutory, voluntary and private agencies to achieve and enhance best practice outcomes through a joined up approach.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Nicola Black (Service Lead – Safeguarding Adults & DoLS) via email at Nicola.black@blackburn.gov.uk