Locum Safeguarding Qualified Social Worker

Social Worker – Adults (Higher Grade)

Brief Job Overview

 
We are recruiting an experienced Adults Social Worker (Higher Grade) to join Portsmouth City Council on a hybrid working arrangement. This important role focuses on completing timely and effective reviews for adults who have recently been discharged from hospital, ensuring they continue to receive the right level of care and support to promote independence and wellbeing.  

You will be joining a supportive Adult Social Care team dedicated to delivering person-centred, strengths-based social work that promotes recovery, self-determination, and dignity for every individual.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake post-discharge reviews for adults to ensure their care and support needs are being met safely and effectively following hospital discharge.
• Carry out Care Act 2014 assessments and reviews, ensuring support plans remain appropriate, proportionate, and outcome-focused.
• Work collaboratively with health and social care professionals to identify opportunities for reablement, rehabilitation, and continued independence.
• Promote the home-first approach, supporting individuals to live independently within their own homes wherever possible.
• Apply the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and ensure that decisions are made in individuals’ best interests where required.
• Engage directly with adults and their families or carers to ensure their voice and preferences shape their care and support plans.
• Identify changes in need and arrange for appropriate adjustments to care packages or service provision.
• Ensure all case records, assessments, and documentation are accurate, timely, and in line with council and professional standards.
• Contribute to multi-disciplinary meetings and discharge planning discussions where required.
• Work within a hybrid model – attending the office and community visits while maintaining flexibility for remote working where appropriate.

About You

 
You are a confident and experienced social worker with a strong background in adult social care and hospital discharge work. You are passionate about ensuring adults receive the right level of support to regain independence and live safely at home. You bring strong communication, assessment, and analytical skills and thrive in collaborative, multi-agency environments.

Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• Significant post-qualified experience in Adult Social Care, ideally within hospital discharge, reablement, or community-based teams.
• Excellent knowledge of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, and Safeguarding Adults procedures.
• Experience conducting post-discharge reviews and developing strengths-based care plans.
• Ability to work autonomously and manage a varied caseload effectively.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and recording.
• Collaborative approach to multi-disciplinary working and solution-focused problem-solving.
• Flexibility to work in both the community and from home as part of a hybrid working model.

Contract & Salary

• Job Type: Locum
• Location: Portsmouth City Council
• Service Area: Adult Social Care
• Contract Length: 3 months (with potential for extension)
• Salary: Negotiable, dependent on experience
• Working Hours: Full-time
• Working Pattern: Hybrid – combination of office, community, and remote work

How to Apply

 
If you are an experienced Adults Social Worker seeking a rewarding role focused on supporting people after hospital discharge and promoting independence across Portsmouth, we’d love to hear from you.  
Please apply using the form on the page.