Social Workers x2 - Safeguarding Adults Team

Social Workers x2 - Safeguarding Adults Team

Job description

Full Time, Permanent
BG11-12 (£41,177 to £47,665 pro rata), dependent on experience and qualifications.

Bristol City Council Adult Social Care is recruiting two Social Workers to permanently join the Safeguarding Adults Team (SAT).

The Safeguarding Adults Team sits at the centre of Bristol’s adult safeguarding arrangements. We manage safeguarding referrals coming into Adult Social Care, including Care Act decision‑making, triage, risk analysis and advice to operational teams and partners. We also lead on complex safeguarding activity, organisational safeguarding and Person in a Position of Trust (PiPoT) work.

Following recent service changes, the team has grown in responsibility and influence. We are now a specialist, city‑wide safeguarding function with a strong focus on timely decision‑making, proportional responses and clear risk management. This role offers a real opportunity to develop confidence, professional judgement and safeguarding expertise, while being well supported day‑to‑day.

You will join a stable, experienced and reflective team who value discussion, shared thinking and learning.

You will be supported by an experienced Senior Practitioner and the Safeguarding Adults Team Manager, with access to regular supervision, informal consultation and peer support. This is a team that understands the pressures of safeguarding work and places importance on working sustainably and thoughtfully.

The role involves:

• Triaging safeguarding referrals and applying Care Act 2014 duties.
• Analysing risk and supporting proportionate safeguarding responses.
• Providing advice and guidance to social work teams and partner agencies.
• Contributing to safeguarding strategy, learning and service development.
• Working closely with partners across health, police and provider services.

As a Social Worker in the Safeguarding Adults Team, you will work at pace, but never in isolation. You will need to balance curiosity and challenge with empathy and respect, keeping the voice, wishes and experiences of adults at risk at the centre of safeguarding activity.

You must be registered with Social Work England and hold a recognised Social Work qualification. This post is suitable for a Social Worker who already has some experience and is looking to develop their safeguarding knowledge, or for someone earlier in their career who wants to build strong foundations in adult safeguarding decision‑making within a supportive specialist team.

You will be reflective, organised and comfortable working with complexity and uncertainty. You will bring good communication skills, the ability to work collaboratively, and the confidence to offer professional challenge where needed.

This is a chance to be part of a team that is shaping how adult safeguarding works across Bristol not just responding to risk, but improving systems, supporting colleagues and keeping people at the centre of what we do.

Please note that this role is subject to an Enhanced DBS Check.

Why Bristol City Council?

Vision for Adult Social Care

We are proud of our vibrant and diverse city.

Our Vision is that all of us will have the support we need to live in a place that we call home, with the people and things that we love, in communities where we all look out for one another, doing the things that matter to us.

At Bristol City Council, we go that extra mile for our people; we offer a work environment which is fast moving and supportive, giving you the chance to use your skills and develop new ones within a high-profile organisation. For the majority of our roles hybrid working arrangements are available, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice - mixing both home and office working.

Join us and you’ll receive an excellent rewards package including flexible working and flexitime, membership of the Local Government Pension scheme, and a generous annual leave allowance. In addition, you’ll be working in a supportive environment where you’ll have the chance to make Bristol a better place and contribute to its future.

How do I apply?

If you share our values and are ready to be part of our exciting journey please select the apply button below.

To be shortlisted for interview you’ll need to demonstrate how you meet each of the essential criteria in the Person Specification within the Further Information section of your application. On occasion we will receive high numbers of applications, we may then shortlist against the desirable criteria along with the essential criteria, so if you can, please demonstrate how you meet this in your application.

We're a Disability Confident employer which means we value recruiting and retaining disabled people. Any job applicants who consider themselves to be disabled and meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification are guaranteed an interview. We'll make reasonable adjustments throughout the interview process and provide continued workplace support throughout your career.

Interviews are likely to take place week commencing 9th November 2026

For further information, please refer to the Job Descriptions and Person Specifications and team information. If you have any further questions, please contact Jessica Dodd, jessica.dodd@bristol.gov.uk or Rob Biles, rob.byles@bristol.gov.uk

Bristol City Council are not offering sponsorship for this role.

At Bristol City Council, we value having a workforce as diverse as the city we serve. We therefore welcome, develop and promote people from all sections of the community. Appointments will be made on merit.

The personal information section (including your name) you’ll complete as part of the application form will not be visible to hiring managers, but is used confidentially to make sure that everyone is treated fairly.