Principal Practitioner - Safeguarding Team
| Posting date: | 09 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £45,718 to £50,788 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 18 March 2026 |
| Location: | Sleaford, Lincolnshire |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 1 day per week |
| Company: | Lincolnshire County Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 1263/2361 |
Summary
Here in Lincolnshire, we are committed to safeguarding adults and our dynamic, forward-thinking team have an exciting opportunity for safeguarding officers to join us and continue to put adults at the heart of everything that we do.
About the Role
The role of a Principal Practitioner offers a variety of exciting opportunities, including supporting and developing safeguarding officers within the team, leading and inspiring safeguarding practice across the team and the wider ACCW teams, delivering best practice within a legal framework and supporting the development of safeguarding initiatives such as guidance and operational delivery.
Principal Practitioners also have a supervisory role of safeguarding officers, overseeing triage of safeguarding contacts, safeguarding enquiries, chairing safeguarding strategy meetings and attending multi-agency forums.
Principal Practitioners are required to attend appointments across the county, as such a full driving licence and access to a vehicle, appropriately insured for work purposes, is essential.
About the Team
Our central hub is in the market town of Sleaford, but we are a countywide team and have offices across Lincolnshire where team members may “hot desk” when required or work from home at times, in line with our smarter working policy.
We are a specialist team that consists with a selection of qualifications, and we have a strong focus on ensuring that peoples voices are heard. We regularly meet up in person, hold fuddles and pub meals. We have a couple of excellent bakers within the team who regularly keep us topped up with tasty treats! Any new member will be made to feel welcome as our focus is to create a supportive cohesive team environment.
About You
To take on this exciting role your professional registration must be up to date, with evidence of ongoing best practice CPD. You will be required to evidence significant Knowledge and development within a Safeguarding role, coupled with experience of managing teams in a fast paced, front line, regulated, highly specialised social care environment.
A through, complete and demonstrable understanding of the adult safeguarding arena, including S42 enquires, MSP and the Care Act (2014) is essential.
Coupled with this you will need to be;
Empowering – communication through difficult conversations is key to the role.
Confident – your decision making whilst working within risk enablement must be sound.
Inspirational – to lead your team on best practice and continuous improvement.
Organised – this is a pressurised, fast paced environment with complex ever changing priorities.
A full person specification is available in the attached job description.
Our Offer
Our practitioners receive excellent supervision, access to learning and development opportunities and protected time to support continuous professional development. We are particularly committed to supporting staff to access additional qualifications such as AMHP and Practice Educator.
Along with a competitive salary we are offering;
Hybrid model of working, including flexible working policies
A Contributory pension
Comprehensive benefits package including excellent discount schemes and cycle to work
Career progression opportunities.
A generous annual leave entitlement plus the option to buy more.
Further details can be found in our rewards and benefits brochure
What Next
If you would like an open and informal discussion regards this role then please contact; Tammy Waby via email tammy.waby@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Closing date: Wednesday 18th March 2026.
Interviews scheduled to take place on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th March 2026.
PLEASE NOTE: It is imperative that your personal statement clearly states why you have applied, how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role as set out in the Job Description (attached on LCC jobs Site) and what you feel you can bring to this role, the team and the wider County Council.
Please refer to our Job Information Pack here to support you in your application.
Please be advised that this position may be subject to a criminal record check.
On occasion we receive significantly more applications than expected for some vacancies and under such circumstances we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date of the advertisement. We therefore strongly advise you to apply for the role promptly to avoid disappointment should the closing date be brought forward.
We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions.
Lincolnshire County Council 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.
A Smarter Working Employer
We have embraced new ways of working and hybrid working will be a feature of this role. You will be given a nominated contractual work base and you will be required to commute to this work base when necessary. Working arrangements regarding hybrid working will be discussed as part of the appointment process.
Our technology platform and equipment is very good enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely. We require that you have in place good connectivity, and we will discuss during the recruitment process if support with this is needed.
Fluency Duty
In accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 (Fluency Duty), the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Our values – collaborative, adaptable, eco-conscious, supportive, and responsible – guide everything we do. We’re looking for candidates who share these values and bring them to life in their work, helping us build strong teams and make a real difference in the communities we serve.
About the Role
The role of a Principal Practitioner offers a variety of exciting opportunities, including supporting and developing safeguarding officers within the team, leading and inspiring safeguarding practice across the team and the wider ACCW teams, delivering best practice within a legal framework and supporting the development of safeguarding initiatives such as guidance and operational delivery.
Principal Practitioners also have a supervisory role of safeguarding officers, overseeing triage of safeguarding contacts, safeguarding enquiries, chairing safeguarding strategy meetings and attending multi-agency forums.
Principal Practitioners are required to attend appointments across the county, as such a full driving licence and access to a vehicle, appropriately insured for work purposes, is essential.
About the Team
Our central hub is in the market town of Sleaford, but we are a countywide team and have offices across Lincolnshire where team members may “hot desk” when required or work from home at times, in line with our smarter working policy.
We are a specialist team that consists with a selection of qualifications, and we have a strong focus on ensuring that peoples voices are heard. We regularly meet up in person, hold fuddles and pub meals. We have a couple of excellent bakers within the team who regularly keep us topped up with tasty treats! Any new member will be made to feel welcome as our focus is to create a supportive cohesive team environment.
About You
To take on this exciting role your professional registration must be up to date, with evidence of ongoing best practice CPD. You will be required to evidence significant Knowledge and development within a Safeguarding role, coupled with experience of managing teams in a fast paced, front line, regulated, highly specialised social care environment.
A through, complete and demonstrable understanding of the adult safeguarding arena, including S42 enquires, MSP and the Care Act (2014) is essential.
Coupled with this you will need to be;
Empowering – communication through difficult conversations is key to the role.
Confident – your decision making whilst working within risk enablement must be sound.
Inspirational – to lead your team on best practice and continuous improvement.
Organised – this is a pressurised, fast paced environment with complex ever changing priorities.
A full person specification is available in the attached job description.
Our Offer
Our practitioners receive excellent supervision, access to learning and development opportunities and protected time to support continuous professional development. We are particularly committed to supporting staff to access additional qualifications such as AMHP and Practice Educator.
Along with a competitive salary we are offering;
Hybrid model of working, including flexible working policies
A Contributory pension
Comprehensive benefits package including excellent discount schemes and cycle to work
Career progression opportunities.
A generous annual leave entitlement plus the option to buy more.
Further details can be found in our rewards and benefits brochure
What Next
If you would like an open and informal discussion regards this role then please contact; Tammy Waby via email tammy.waby@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Closing date: Wednesday 18th March 2026.
Interviews scheduled to take place on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th March 2026.
PLEASE NOTE: It is imperative that your personal statement clearly states why you have applied, how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role as set out in the Job Description (attached on LCC jobs Site) and what you feel you can bring to this role, the team and the wider County Council.
Please refer to our Job Information Pack here to support you in your application.
Please be advised that this position may be subject to a criminal record check.
On occasion we receive significantly more applications than expected for some vacancies and under such circumstances we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date of the advertisement. We therefore strongly advise you to apply for the role promptly to avoid disappointment should the closing date be brought forward.
We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions.
Lincolnshire County Council 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.
A Smarter Working Employer
We have embraced new ways of working and hybrid working will be a feature of this role. You will be given a nominated contractual work base and you will be required to commute to this work base when necessary. Working arrangements regarding hybrid working will be discussed as part of the appointment process.
Our technology platform and equipment is very good enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely. We require that you have in place good connectivity, and we will discuss during the recruitment process if support with this is needed.
Fluency Duty
In accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 (Fluency Duty), the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Our values – collaborative, adaptable, eco-conscious, supportive, and responsible – guide everything we do. We’re looking for candidates who share these values and bring them to life in their work, helping us build strong teams and make a real difference in the communities we serve.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.