Job summary
We currently have an exciting opportunity for two Band 7 Senior Practitioners for Safeguarding Children to joining our Safeguarding team within the Trust. One post will be 30hr covering BSW and the other will be 22.5hrs covering BNSSG. Please state your preference upon application.

You have a proven track record in safeguarding and are able to demonstrate extensive knowledge and skills relevant to safeguarding children. You will have a working knowledge of the relevant legal framework. A Professional Qualification in health and social care would be an advantage.

You will be operating as a lead practitioner for safeguarding within a defined geographical area and may have a thematic trust wide lead for a specific area of safeguarding practice e.g. complex presentations or exploitation.

You will be responsible for co-ordination of Trust safeguarding activity within your area including:

• Representing the trust at Safeguarding Partnership subgroups with responsibility for participating in safeguarding developments.
• Delivering training including the L3 Children's/adults online and face to face training.
• Delivering Safeguarding Supervision to teams and localities.
• Taking part in the Duty Rota at least once per week.
• Participation in Multi agency review.
• Providing Safeguarding advice and support to practitioners across AWP.

Main duties of the job
About you
The ideal candidate will be forward thinking, innovative and looking to further develop their career in the Safeguarding arena.

Have experience of working within mental health and learning disabilities.

For a full list of duties and responsibilities please see attached job description.

About us
We are the lead provider of healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

We aim to provide High Quality, Compassionate Care everywhere, every day. This means our services will be safe, clinically effective and provide a positive all round experience for our patients, families and carers. And we believe passionately in treating everyone with kindness, respect and empathy.

Key to this is providing a supportive and safe environment for our 4,000 staff where we all feel welcome and able to do the best we can for those we support. Our staff and teams work incredibly hard delivering services across more than 90 locations, covering 2,200miles, to more than 1.8million people.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Details
Date posted: 20 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 342-NQD015-0826
Job locations: Bath NHS House, Newbridge Hill, Bath, BA1 3QE, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Safeguarding

• Working within a designated locality the post holder will. Provide specialist professional advice on managing safeguarding children and domestic abuse cases, and work to assist in developing effective multiagency working in these safeguarding areas, including through representation in multiagency partnership groups and meetings.
• Provide professional advice on managing MAPPA and Prevent cases.
• Deputise for the Safeguarding Lead for Children at Trust governance groups/committees in an advisory capacity.
• Be an active member of the local and regional safeguarding networks and working groups.
• Work with the clinical audit department to ensure effective rollout of trust audit programs in the area(s) of responsibility and assure follow through on recommended actions.
• Participate in the development and implementation of appropriate policy and performance frameworks, to support staff to recognise, understand and meet their duties of care in relation to relevant legislation, in areas of responsibility.
• Participate in the development of, and the delivery of specialist safeguarding training and practice development.
• Participate in the development and implementation of Trust work plans, to assist the trust in meeting statutory, regulatory, and performance standards.
• Support the development of specific Trust policies, procedures and guidance for safeguarding, as directed.
• Facilitate effective working arrangements both directly and through PALS, in relation to safeguarding.
• Provide cover for other senior practitioners- safeguarding, as required, including acting as named nurse for child protection (where directed and professionally appropriate).
• Act as deputy to the named nurse/professional for child protection (as professionally appropriate).

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Nurse, Social Worker or other appropriate professional registration, with substantial clinical experience, and management experience in a specialist safeguarding role.

Experience
Essential

• Advanced/expert understanding/application of relevant practice/standards/audit in relation to Safeguarding Children.
• Knowledge and experience of the legal, professional and planning framework for children's and adult services, at a senior level within the NHS.
• Experience of developing others through education, mentorship, coaching, teaching, assessing, presentations.

Knowledge
Essential

• Detailed and up-to-date knowledge of policies, statutory regulations and guidance relating to Safeguarding Vulnerable people, especially children and young adults and a working knowledge of guidance relating to Safeguarding Adults at risk.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Address: Bath NHS House, Newbridge Hill, Bath, BA1 3QE, United Kingdom
Employer's website: http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Named Nurse for Safeguarding for Children, Katherine Ford, katherine.ford4@nhs.net, 07734233308

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.