Job summary
Operating across Sussex and Brighton & Hove, Sussex Liaison and Diversion (SL&D) are seeking a dynamic, enthusiastic Support Worker to join our team. Based in Worthing police custody, you will be part of a growing team who work in the police station screening arrestees to identify their support needs; you will also support people in the community after their arrest to engage them with relevant services.
We provide a range of development experiences for our workforce in-house, as well as through the Forensic Services directorate and the wider NHS Trust. SL&D has a strong supervision culture: your work will be supported day-to-day and supervised by experienced, professionally qualified staff based in your custody area. The wider network of staff meets daily (Skype) and has a culture of active communication to support all custody sites. Regular reflective practice and peer-support are available to all support workers.
Main duties of the job
Based in Police Custody, your role will be engaging and screening detained people for a range of health and social care vulnerabilities (this could include: physical and mental health needs, alcohol or substance misuse needs, domestic violence, abuse, homelessness, financial stress or exclusion, problem gambling, speech and language needs, and so on). You will work with your colleagues locally to maintain a comprehensive database of available resources, and will refer people on to appropriate services that can help them once they leave custody.
You will also spend part of your time out of custody, supporting people post-arrest in the community. You will help people to access services, and safely use your relationship-based skills to encourage them to engage with the help they need. This may also include supporting people to attend and engage with the courts or probation services to make sure they get the best criminal justice outcome.
About us
About the Trust:
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and learning disability care for children, young people, and adults across Sussex.
Working in Sussex:
- Travel easily between coast and countryside, with a blend of picturesque villages and seaside towns there's always new experiences to be enjoyed
- Embrace the city life with great access to visit Brighton and London
- With easy access to transport links across the UK giving plenty of opportunity for adventure
We'd love you to join our organisation that is rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by CQC. Our staff agree, with 82% of people in our recent staff survey telling us that they recognise care for patients as our top priority.
Other key staff survey results include:
- 79% report feeling able to make suggestions to improve work in their team
- 77% identify the opportunities to show initiative in their roles
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be interested in the criminal justice and/or mental health/social care systems, and will already have some experience of working with and supporting vulnerable groups (paid or voluntary). SL&D values lived experience at all staffing levels.
Your key activities will include:
- Undertaking screening work in custody under the supervision of the liaison and diversion practitioner
- Communicating screening outcomes effectively to the L&D practitioner, and to health and justice partner agencies (with support as required) including making safeguarding referrals as appropriate
Making onward referrals, and working with support to develop brief community plans with service users to bridge them in to a range of health, wellbeing, and social care services post-custody or to support their engagement with the justice system.
- Undertaking skilled engagement and brief community-based support work with a range of service users who may display complex vulnerabilities
- Working independently without direct supervision for periods of time (including recognising and escalating issues promptly as necessary)
- Supporting and mentoring our Peer Support Workers
- Developing and maintaining local knowledge of a wide range of health, social care and third sector providers locally; maintaining contact with and referral links into such services.
This role can at times require you to respond dynamically to support your SL&D team colleagues in other locations using both remote working methods and attending in person as required. You will therefore need to be able to travel promptly between locations during the working day, including locations in East or West Sussex, or Brighton/Hove as necessary.
Pay Band: AFC B4
This position is for a Monday-Friday 9-5 role (some flexibility between 8-6 occasionally required).
This role requires both enhanced DBS clearance and Sussex Police clearances (NPPV level 2) prior to an employment offer.
You will need to be able to travel in a timely and efficient manner between custody sites and community locations for this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be interested in the criminal justice and/or mental health/social care systems, and will already have some experience of working with and supporting vulnerable groups (paid or voluntary). SL&D values lived experience at all staffing levels.
Your key activities will include:
- Undertaking screening work in custody under the supervision of the liaison and diversion practitioner
- Communicating screening outcomes effectively to the L&D practitioner, and to health and justice partner agencies (with support as required) including making safeguarding referrals as appropriate
Making onward referrals, and working with support to develop brief community plans with service users to bridge them in to a range of health, wellbeing, and social care services post-custody or to support their engagement with the justice system.
- Undertaking skilled engagement and brief community-based support work with a range of service users who may display complex vulnerabilities
- Working independently without direct supervision for periods of time (including recognising and escalating issues promptly as necessary)
- Supporting and mentoring our Peer Support Workers
- Developing and maintaining local knowledge of a wide range of health, social care and third sector providers locally; maintaining contact with and referral links into such services.
This role can at times require you to respond dynamically to support your SL&D team colleagues in other locations using both remote working methods and attending in person as required. You will therefore need to be able to travel promptly between locations during the working day, including locations in East or West Sussex, or Brighton/Hove as necessary.
Pay Band: AFC B4
This position is for a Monday-Friday 9-5 role (some flexibility between 8-6 occasionally required).
This role requires both enhanced DBS clearance and Sussex Police clearances (NPPV level 2) prior to an employment offer.
You will need to be able to travel in a timely and efficient manner between custody sites and community locations for this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Evidence of commitment to continuous professional development (CPD) in health or social care
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Significant experience of working with people with mental health difficulties or other complex vulnerabilities (voluntary or paid)
- Significant experience of working as part of a team
- Significant experience of being supervised, and using supervision to reflect on practice
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Evidence of commitment to continuous professional development (CPD) in health or social care
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Significant experience of working with people with mental health difficulties or other complex vulnerabilities (voluntary or paid)
- Significant experience of working as part of a team
- Significant experience of being supervised, and using supervision to reflect on practice
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
