Youth Justice Liaison & Diversion Worker (NMC Registered)

West London NHS Trust

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

Are you an experienced, highly motivated mental health practitioner, with CAMHS/Youth Justice experience and who is passionate about improving health outcomes for young people within the Criminal Justice system?

We now have the opportunity to recruit a full time (1.0 WTE) Band 7 Youth Justice Liaison and Diversion Practitioner, Hounslow Borough, to join our well established and expanding Liaison and Diversion service within West London. As part of your role you will be expected to attend police custody, to screen and assess any under 18 presenting. This is deemed the "reachable moment" within Youth Justice. The two custody suites, Hammersmith and Acton, serves a large diverse borough within the West London area. There is not a custody suite in Hounslow but you will be expected to support your YJLD colleagues, within Ealing and H&F, as and when appropriate.

The Youth Justice Liaison team sits within a wider Liaison and Diversion service in West London NHS Trust, including Court Diversion at Westminster, Crown Court at Isleworth and Police Liaison service at Acton and Hammersmith, alongside two other YJLD practitioners in H&F and Ealing boroughs.

We are looking for suitably experienced mental health professionals rather than one particular discipline. We are interested in hearing from mental health/Learning disability nurses, social workers or occupational therapists.

Main duties of the job

We provide proactive screening and assessment to individuals within Police custody, Youth Offending Teams and Court, identifying need/vulnerabilities, signposting to other services and where indicated diverting to health. You will be screening those under 18.

Our aim is to improve overall health outcomes, reduce further police contact and re-offending rates, and to avert disorder-related crises. Your will improve access to appropriate services for vulnerable young people by making referrals to health and social care agencies as required. The YJLD Worker may also need to make a care plan to address the needs of the young person while a referral is being made and is expected to hold a small caseload, while assertively in reaching to other services.

This scheme, commissioned by NHS England operate to a standard model and similar schemes are now available in every part of the country. It is an all-age service and all women and people under the age of 18 are screened as mandatory due to their vulnerability within the system.

The service needs practitioners who are able to think quickly and work independently under pressure when screening and assessing vulnerable young people in the Youth Offending service. You will need excellent communication and risk management skills and demonstrate a commitment to close partnership working with the Police, YOS, Education and other agencies, both statutory and voluntary.

About us

Successful candidates will need to be vetted by the Metropolitan Police and would not be able to begin work until cleared (process takes at least four to six months). Vetting includes the declaration of criminal convictions or any Police involvement i.e. investigations even if no further action, warnings, cautions (no matter how old), as well as Count Court Judgements and applicants should have a min three-year residency. This process is much more in-depth than an enhanced DBS check and will review family and social associations as well as your own probity.

Hours of work will be Monday to Friday 9-5pm, not including Bank Holidays. We try to accommodate work/life balance and requests as much as possible within this service by having a flexible and respectful attitude to each other. There are no parking facilities at the custody suites, so you will need to use public transport but we provide free parking when on Trust based sites.

Your role will be supporting other L&D colleagues between Hammersmith and Acton (and Polar Park) custody suites and the Hounslow Youth Offending service, working collaboratively with the team there of SALT, Educational Psychology, Drug and Alcohol workers, case managers, YOS Police and YOS CAMHS.

Date posted

13 January 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£41,659 to £47,672 a year Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

222-SF-401-A

Job locations

London Liaison Wave 2 Exp

SOUTHALL

UB1 3EU


Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will work under the remit of the Forensic Community Service providing a proactive assessment, liaison and diversion service in the borough of Hounslow, attending Police Custody on occasion as required and the Local YOS team base.

The post holder will join an established team of Youth Justice practitioners, all who work in partnership with health, social services and the criminal justice system, to ensure that individuals presenting with mental health problems in police custody, YOS and Court have their needs addressed and are diverted into appropriate health care services as necessary.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will work under the remit of the Forensic Community Service providing a proactive assessment, liaison and diversion service in the borough of Hounslow, attending Police Custody on occasion as required and the Local YOS team base.

The post holder will join an established team of Youth Justice practitioners, all who work in partnership with health, social services and the criminal justice system, to ensure that individuals presenting with mental health problems in police custody, YOS and Court have their needs addressed and are diverted into appropriate health care services as necessary.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional qualification in mental health (e.g. Registered Mental Health Nurse or Registered Learning Disability Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, Clinical Psychologist or Forensic Psychologist). (with evidence of further education).
  • Current registration with an appropriate body overseeing professional practice (i.e NMC or HCPC)
  • Substantial/meaningful evidence of continuing professional development and post registration training

Desirable

  • Professional training in one or more psychological therapies

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with young people in a mental health setting
  • Experience of working autonomously and managing a case load

Desirable

  • Experience of working with young people in a youth Justice setting (YOI or YJS)

Knowledge/Skills

Essential

  • Excellent working knowledge of the MHA, Children's Act and PACE
  • Understanding of statutory guidance affecting young people under 18 in the NHS and Social care
  • Knowledge and experience of legislation and guidance around safeguarding children and young people
  • Ability to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach which considers the needs of the whole person

Desirable

  • Knowledge of North West and West London and/or the Hounslow area
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Professional qualification in mental health (e.g. Registered Mental Health Nurse or Registered Learning Disability Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, Clinical Psychologist or Forensic Psychologist). (with evidence of further education).
  • Current registration with an appropriate body overseeing professional practice (i.e NMC or HCPC)
  • Substantial/meaningful evidence of continuing professional development and post registration training

Desirable

  • Professional training in one or more psychological therapies

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with young people in a mental health setting
  • Experience of working autonomously and managing a case load

Desirable

  • Experience of working with young people in a youth Justice setting (YOI or YJS)

Knowledge/Skills

Essential

  • Excellent working knowledge of the MHA, Children's Act and PACE
  • Understanding of statutory guidance affecting young people under 18 in the NHS and Social care
  • Knowledge and experience of legislation and guidance around safeguarding children and young people
  • Ability to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach which considers the needs of the whole person

Desirable

  • Knowledge of North West and West London and/or the Hounslow area

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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

Additional information

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

West London NHS Trust

Address

London Liaison Wave 2 Exp

SOUTHALL

UB1 3EU


Employer's website

https://www.westlondon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

West London NHS Trust

Address

London Liaison Wave 2 Exp

SOUTHALL

UB1 3EU


Employer's website

https://www.westlondon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Criminal Justice Liaison & Diversion - manager

Carol Nolan

Carol.Nolan@westlondon.nhs.uk

Date posted

13 January 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£41,659 to £47,672 a year Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

222-SF-401-A

Job locations

London Liaison Wave 2 Exp

SOUTHALL

UB1 3EU


Supporting documents

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