Recovery Navigator

Safeguarding Families Together – Specialist Substance Misuse Practitioner

Location:

Dorset |

Working Hours:

37 hours |

Contract:

Permanent | Salary: £25,877 – £32,090

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Specialist Substance Misuse Practitioner to join our Safeguarding Families Together (SFT) model, working within Children’s Services locality teams across Dorset. This is a unique and rewarding opportunity to bring specialist drug and alcohol expertise directly into safeguarding teams — supporting parents and carers whose substance use is impacting parenting capacity and child safety.

Working as part of a multi‑disciplinary safeguarding team, you will collaborate with social workers, domestic abuse practitioners, mental health professionals and specialists working to reduce harmful behaviours. While statutory safeguarding responsibility remains with Children’s Services, you will hold a parent‑focused caseload and provide specialist expertise to strengthen safeguarding planning and improve outcomes for children. This role combines:

• Direct work with families
• Specialist consultation to social workers and managers
• Rapid access to treatment pathways
• Workforce development and reflective practice support

• Deliver specialist substance misuse interventions with parents and carers where drug and alcohol use is impacting child safety, using motivational, harm reduction and trauma‑informed approaches to reduce risk and strengthen parenting capacity.
• Provide expert safeguarding consultation to Children’s Services colleagues, informing risk assessment, relapse planning, and integrated child‑focused safety planning within CIN and CP frameworks.
• Drive timely access to treatment and system coordination, ensuring safeguarding plans and adult treatment pathways are aligned and responsive.
• Embed strengths‑based and whole‑family practice within multi‑disciplinary teams, contributing to shared formulations, proactive contingency planning, and effective multi‑agency decision‑making.
• Promote high‑quality professional standards and workforce development, through coaching, reflective practice, accurate recording, and adherence to safeguarding, governance and organisational requirements.

• Has significant experience working in drug and alcohol services.
• Understands the impact of parental substance misuse on child development and safety.
• Is confident working within safeguarding frameworks.
• Can engage ambivalent or resistant parents using motivational and trauma‑informed approaches.
• Is comfortable offering consultation and professional challenge within multi‑disciplinary teams.
• Holds a full UK driving licence and access to a road‑worthy vehicle.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities.