Job overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us. 

Job Title: Specialist Safeguarding Practitioner

Contract Type: Permanent

Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced safeguarding practitioner to join our Trust’s Safeguarding Team in a senior leadership role. As a Band 7 Safeguarding Practitioner, your primary focus will be within the Maternity Safeguarding Team, supporting and reporting to the Named Midwife for Safeguarding Children.

You will also provide expert leadership and advice across the Trust’s all‑age /Think Family safeguarding agenda when required, ensuring the highest standards of safeguarding practice are maintained at UHS. 

The Safeguarding Practitioner will be a highly visible team member, developing, promoting and maintaining high professional standards in safeguarding practice, for unborn babies, children and adults; ensuring the Trust meets its statutory responsibilities for safeguarding.

The postholder will be based within the Safeguarding  Hub, taking a Think Family approach, working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and multi-agency organisations to coordinate safeguarding responses and promote a sense of shared responsibility within UHS. 

Working for our organisation

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care. 

 We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.

 Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 30% lower than London and 17 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.

 We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

This is a senior role that needs strong safeguarding knowledge , autonomy, and leadership to help shape practice across the organisation and make sure patients and staff are kept safe.

We’re looking for someone with extensive  experience in safeguarding, especially around children or adults at risk, and who’s used to working closely with different agencies. Good communication and negotiation skills are key, as you’ll be working with colleagues and local statutory partners. The role is mainly on‑site at UHS, Monday to Friday (9–5), though you may occasionally need to attend off‑site meetings.

A thorough level of understanding around the policies, standards and the legislative framework that supports everyday practice including the Children Acts 1989, 2004, Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard is essential

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

In this role, your key responsibilities will include:

• Advising: Be a visible leader and give expert safeguarding guidance to teams.
  
  
• Managing cases: Take the lead on complex or high‑risk cases, provide supervision, and join multi‑agency meetings.
  
  
• Training & support: Deliver trauma‑informed safeguarding training, offer supervision and debriefing, and help staff build resilience and skills.
  
  
• Policies & quality: Put safeguarding policies into practice, contribute to  audits, lead on service improvements, and help make sure we meet national standards.
  
  
• Reporting: Write reports for committees and boards, contribute to reviews and newsletters , and support escalation processes.
  
  
• Operational leadership: Keep workstreams and rosters organised, ensure the safeguarding services run smoothly, manage staff performance, and step in for the Named Nurse/Lead when needed.