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Senior Social Worker - Safeguarding and Tier 4 lead


Location
BEDFORD
Salary
£49,387 - £56,515 Per Year
Profession
Healthcare support worker
Grade
Band 7
Deadline
30 Aug 2026
Contract Type
Permanent
Posted Date
05 Aug 2026
Medical Protection — the side of locally employed doctors from £83

Job overview

As a Senior Social Worker, you will act as the champion and leader of social care and safeguarding in both the Bedford and Dunstable addictions Hub

You will be expected to give robust, consistent, and expert social care practice advice in partnership with specialist senior social care and health colleagues. You will promote high quality, recovery-focused and cost-effective social care services to service users and their carers, focused on the principles of choice, control and independence, as well as ensuring safety.

The Social worker will work alongside the Social Care Lead to ensure delivery of the Local Authority delegated functions and statutory responsibilities within the section 75 Partnership Agreement, and in line with the Care Act, 2014 and other relevant legislation.

The Social worker will work alongside and support the P2R Social Care Lead and other key stakeholders. You will be the lead within the Safeguarding team which works across directorates bringing together best practice, supporting Social Care which is place-based, personalised and community focused

The post holder will lead on the investigation of Care Act Enquiries and plan Tier 4 (detox rehad) process within the Specialist Addictions service and support in planning and providing one-to-one and group interventions for substance misuse.

Main duties of the job

Lead across all aspects of Adult and Children’s Safeguarding, leading Care Act Enquiries, assessing and managing risk, working with the Social Care Lead to ensure the service is delivered safely and effectively

To be a champion of social care with a comprehensive understanding of legislation and statutory guidance

  • Assess service users for suitability and eligibility for detoxification and residential rehabilitation (Tier 4) Lead the Specialist Intervention Team, directly managing up to 6 members of staff

Co-ordinate the delivery of one-to-one and group interventions for substance misuse

Assess service users, identifying strengths and recovery capital and deliver interventions which support and empower the service user to make changes to their substance use

Work collaboratively with everyone involved in the service user’s care and support

To maintain regular links and attend meetings with the corporate Social Work Learning and Development Team, and Safeguarding Team, and keep up to date with accurate, consistent, and robust social care, legal and practice advice, and support to locality staff.

To undertake the most complex assessments and reviews, for people who may present with a high risk, or those with significant interpersonal, social, legal and/or environmental complexities, ensuring people are assessed appropriately against social care eligibility criteria as defined by The Care Act 2014.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Person specification

Knowledge

Essential

  • Ability to empower service users to draw from their strengths and assets, and identify solutions
  • Understanding and commitment to the values and principles of Recovery and ability to apply them

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working in Health or Social Care
  • Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team.
  • Experience of care planning and risk assessment

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

  • Professional Qualification in Social Work
  • Substance Misuse Training
  • Care Act Training

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Applying for this NHS job

This advert is for Senior Social Worker - Safeguarding and Tier 4 lead with East London NHS Foundation Trust in BEDFORD, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Healthcare support worker role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 Per Year. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 30 Aug 2026.

Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (05 Aug 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.

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