Peripatetic Countywide Safeguarding Social Care Officer

Role Responsibility

Role Responsibility

We are recruiting 3 Social Care Officers with experience in Safeguarding, to work as Enquiry Officers, in the newly established temporary Peripatetic Countywide Safeguarding Team. 

We operate a hybrid model of office-based working and working from home, to meet the needs of the service. The base for this role will be Kroner House, Ashford Kent.

About Us

This is an exciting opportunity to join the new Peripatetic Countywide Safeguarding Team for Adult Social Care.

This role involves working in a team that will support strengthen links with commissioning, enhance collaboration with the market support team, improve connections with providers, enhance the quality of care, and support providers. There will be a focus on enquiries that have been assessed as  substantial or critical safeguarding risk where there have been multiple safeguarding concerns arising simultaneously or over a short period of time.

We work with adults with a range of care and support needs, placing individuals at the centre of their support. You will be in the role of Enquiry Officer in accordance with the Kent & Medway policies and procedures and will be expected to undertake timely safeguarding enquiries which will require a significant level of specialist expertise under the guidance of the Designated Senior Officer. 

You will ensure that proportionate enquiries are undertaken to identify safeguarding action required for adults and ensure an appropriate and effective level of resource allocation is made to help people remain safeguarded. You will promote good practice in safeguarding to ensure recognition and proportionate response to adults believed to be experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and who have or may have Care and Support needs.  You will actively support providers to  prevent abuse and neglect wherever possible in accordance with the Care Act 2014 Safeguarding Principles. 

Our social care interventions are structured around the three pillars of excellent practice, exceptional innovation, and meaningful measures. Therefore, our work is orientated around building relationships with the individual, their families and carers. We engage with communities early on to help people feel empowered to find trusted help and support locally from a range of sources.

About You

You will have experience of working with people with social care needs and  undertaking Safeguarding Enquiries in Social Services, Health related agencies or related private or voluntary organisations.

You will have:

• Experience of working within a multi-agency environment 
• Knowledge of relevant Social Care legislation  
• Financial skills and knowledge 
• Good computer literacy and report writing skills 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and mediation and negotiation skills
• Ability to work in partnership with people and our wider partners to help identify services or resources in the community that can support well-being
• We are looking for future employees who have a positive, forward-thinking attitude who can work collaboratively as part of a team.   

This is a countywide role that requires travel across a large geographical area.

This role is subject to holding a Full UK Driving Licence – The Council is committed to making reasonable adjustments so whilst this job requires the jobholder to drive your application will still be considered if you are unable to drive due to a disability.

Our Support Offer

In return, we offer an attractive benefits package and a commitment to ensuring that you achieve a healthy work life balance and opportunities for flexible working arrangements that meet business need. 

You will have excellent opportunities for professional development with access to our social care academy, progression routes that include opportunities to undertake the social work apprenticeship, and our newly launched practice framework. 

We are increasingly accessible to the public outside of traditional office hours, as we move towards an 8 am to 8 pm, 7 days a week service to ensure service needs are met.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application to the Disclosure and Barring service. 

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Interviews will take place week beginning 7^th July 2025

Contact Details

For further information about this role, please contact: Natalie Bagnall  03000 418514

About the Company

Work that works for you and us - let's talk flexibility!

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note - if you are interested, please apply soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.