Safeguarding Senior Practitioner in Ipswich

We are looking for a passionate Safeguarding Senior Practitioner to join our Central Adult Safeguarding Team. You will support a skilled team tackling complex safeguarding enquiries, ensuring people are always at the heart of what we do. You will champion multi-agency collaboration, drive evidence-based practice, and lead continuous improvement to deliver timely, effective and person-centred support. If you are committed to protecting adults at risk, this is the role for you!

Your role and responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex safeguarding enquiries involving high levels of risk and legal implications.
• Undertake or support in the undertaking of Video Recorded Interviews with the police.
• Promote a high-performance culture within the team that is flexible, innovative, responsive to changing priorities and empowers people to deliver excellence, best value and continuous improvement for the people of Suffolk.
• Have a clear focus on adults, families, carers and community needs, ensuring preventative and long-term sustainable solutions which enable people to live long and fulfilling lives by maximising their independence.
• Ensure staff are fully engaged with systems transformation, working effectively with the system transformation team to implement and embed all system changes, information, technology and digital.
• Assist the Team Manager with operational leadership, deputise when required, provide professional guidance and foster a culture that models the ASPIRE values while promoting best practice.
• Identify learning and development needs, and facilitate learning through methods such as coaching, mentoring and creating tools and guides.
• Implement practice improvements from audits and monitor impact through reporting and evaluation.

You will need

• Significant experience in adult safeguarding, ideally within a statutory setting.
• Demonstrated experience supporting staff with complex casework, chairing meetings and meeting statutory responsibilities.
• Understanding of the Care Act 2014 and other relevant legislation and guidance.
• Commitment to promoting dignity, respect and empowerment for adults at risk.
• Experience of managing competing priorities and making informed decisions.
• A creative problem-solver with a proactive approach to work.

You’ll also need:

• Evidence of 2 years continued professional development and capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards.
• An in-depth understanding of the financial implications of commissioned care packages.
• The ability to make clear decisions, to highlight and limit potential risks associated with intervention.
• Valid driving licence and access to personal transport.

The Central Adult Safeguarding Team undertake complex safeguarding enquiries including Organisational safeguarding enquiries. The team works in a person-centred way using the principles of making safeguarding personal to develop multi-agency Safeguarding plans to improve the outcomes for adults at risk. As a Senior Practitioner, you will provide support and advice to the team to complete robust risk assessments and ongoing decision making.

You will support the Team Manager and Senior Management Team, who will be responsible for the operational delivery within it. You will work with local Contract and Service Development Teams and managers to understand, develop and share good practice, ensuring frontline teams share information to inform future commissioning models and new ways of working.

Empowering Everyone

We believe in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We are always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 8 February 2026

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.

About Us

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We are driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career.

In return, you’ll enjoy:

• Up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days.
• Membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits.
• Performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase.
• Training and encouragement to expand your knowledge.
• A variety of career development opportunities across our organisation.
• Diverse and active staff networks.
• Flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day.