JOB DESCRIPTION
POST: / Criminal Justice Services Team Co-ordinatorRESPONSIBLE TO: / Criminal Justice Services Service Manager
LOCATION: / London Resettlement Prisons
MAIN PURPOSE OF POST: / To successfully reduce reoffending, rehabilitate and reintegrate offenders back into the community. To effectively manage and motivate a team of Offender Resettlement Workers. To co-ordinate and ensure delivery of the “Getting It Right” resettlement programme within the prison setting. To ensure that each offender is effectively case managed and has a cohesive resettlement plan generated from the basic custody screening parts 1 and 2. To ensure that BCST 3 reviews are completed for every offender within 12 weeks of release from custody.To ensure that your service provides pathways, support and appropriate interventions to enable successful resettlement for all prisoners in both a group and on a 1-1 basis. Work with internal and external partners, agencies and commissioners including HM Prison Service, Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC’s) and the National Probation Service to achieve the desired outcomes and KPI’s for the service. The ability to develop excellent internal and external relationships is essential to this role. Team Co-ordinators will ensure that the service is fully embedded within the prison. You will be expected to regularly participate in team meetings and other duties deemed relevant by management.
SALARY: / £26,669 pa
SERVICE DETAILS:
This service will co-ordinate and co-deliver resettlement for offenders across London prisons. These prisons are HMP’s Wandsworth, Belmarsh, Brixton and Pentonville. The offenders being supported will have a wide range of resettlement needs and will have varying and sometimes complex needs.
Penrose provide resettlement support to offender’s in custody. The service is designed to deliver interventions including the accredited Getting It Right programme and supporting journal in order to generate a cohesive resettlement plan for offenders post release from custody. The service will cover, release planning, employability, social support, treatment continuity, and housing as a minimum.
You will be responsible for contributing to the targets set by Penrose in partnership with MTC Novo and the area CRC. One of the key targets will be ensuring that your team are delivering positive outcomes to reduce reoffending rates. The ability to work within a custodial setting and to be able to develop excellent working relationships with other partner agencies is vital to this role. It is essential that you are able to meet prison clearance requirements to undertake this role.
Team Co-ordinators will be expected to have the necessary skills to be able to implement and support the delivery of accredited Getting It Right programme in a custodial setting, manage a team of Offender Resettlement Workers, be responsible for the case management of the care of offenders on staff caseloads and ensure that good links are made with the CRCs and other partners.
KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Adopt BIONIC (Believe It Or Not I Care) ethos in its resettlement prisons.
- Protecting the public and preventing future victims.
- Work directly with internal and external agencies to facilitate resettlement planning.
- Resolve immediate resettlement needs directly, or by ensuring referral of the resettlement need to a partner.
- Ensure that a BCST 2 resettlement assessment is completed for each offender arriving at the establishment within the required time scales.
- Provide resettlement advice and signposting to all offenders.
- Within 12 weeks prior to release, you shall ensure review of the offender’s progress with the Resettlement Plan agreed during their induction into custody.
- Introduce the offender to the ‘Getting it Right’ interactive journaling programme while in prison. You shall enable your team to use this as the framework to deliver an intensive, modular four-week resettlement programme.
- Ensure that the offender is designated to a named Responsible Officer within the CRC cohort most relevant to their needs, with specific arrangements to support the allocated persons on the day of release organised according to individual need.
- Work with other service providers to ensure your services complement existing provision in prison and in the community.
- Deliver a resettlement service that deals with offenders’ immediate resettlement needs. This service will be coordinated and will focus on immediate issues relating to accommodation, health, employment, finance and debt.
- Ensure with your team that the offender: has accommodation to go to; is returning to employment; or is being signposted to the relevant agencies providing employment or training opportunities post-release. Signposting will be provided for finance and debt advice, employment, housing and to specialist support for offenders subject to domestic or sexual abuse; who may
be or have been sex workers; and those needing specialist mental health or substance misuse support.
- Encourage all offenders to participate in the Getting It Right programme.
- Co-ordinate delivery of the programme ensuring adequate referrals and completions,
- Work with other agencies and co-commissioned services including but not limited to Substance Misuse Services; health services; the Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS); and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Benefits Advisers and Work and Programme Providers within the Resettlement Prison.
- Supply regular progress, action and performance reports to the line manager
- As part of the release planning activity, you shall arrange a mentor at the
gate for the most vulnerable to relapse who do not have sufficient relational support; and a face-to face meeting between the offender resettlement worker and their Responsible Officer ( CRC) within one business day.
- Ensure in the first 48 hours in the community is focused on achieving stability and meeting basic needs
RESETTLEMENT:
- Ensure that there is a named Offender Resettlement worker forservice users as designated by the Service Manager.
- Plan individual support and resettlement packages for the offenders, liaising with the appropriate staff, agencies and care professionals to ensure successful delivery of the plans.
- Deliver 1-1 and group support / interventions as required.
- Constantly ensure there is genuine engagement with the offender using appropriate methodologies and inventions to encourage and support their engagement and progress towards greater independence in the community.
- Provide / arrange for various advice, advocacy and or information to offenders in relation to physical health matters, substance misuse welfare benefits, education, employment and training, life skills and any other identified support needs.
- To positively respond to offenderswho may need assistance, seeking the support of the appropriate responsible officer if necessary in emergencies.
- Deal with any disputes or emergencies.
- Having an understanding of the needs of the client group and working in an understanding and flexible manner using assessment and evaluation skills.
- Updating offender information to the offender management unit (system) with relevant information.
- Ensure that at all times work is conducted within the policy and procedural framework established, ensuring full up to date knowledge and understanding of policies, procedures and legislation at all times.
Staff Management
- Provide high quality leadership and line management to Project staff.
- Responsible for ensuring that all staff have appropriate personal development plans, and are appropriately supported to achieve the plans targets / interventions.
- Ensure that regular 1-1 supervision is taking place.
- Participate in the selection and induction of new staff to ensure that they are aware of their duties and the policies, practice and values of Penrose.
- Ensure that HM Prison security requirements are adhered to at all times.
- Ensure staff are aware of our Employee Assistance Programme.
- Ensure that absenteeism and lateness is maintained, on or below, the agreed levels for the organisation, taking appropriate support and action to achieve the target.
- Ensure that all staff maintain high standards of professional performance at all times through adherence to the Penrose policies and procedural frameworks.
- Ensure that disciplinary, complaints and grievance procedures are appropriately managed, including the undertaking of investigations and the conducting of disciplinary interviews when required
- Responsible for ensuring that all staff are performance managed via the Penrose appraisal system and that appraisals are conducted and completed on time
- Manage staff induction and probationary periods
- Hold regular staff meetings and one to one supervision with Project staff
- Co-ordinate and monitor the workload of the team and ensure that all current performance and
service standards are being met
Operational Management
- To conduct regular staff meetings that are fully recorded.
- To ensure that all statutory records are accurately maintained and available for inspection upon request from the appropriate authorities.
- To ensure that adequate staffare on duty at all times, and that appropriate staff rotas have been prepared and that arrangements are in place for the use of locum workers if required.
- To ensure in conjunction with other Service Managers that a staff bank is developed and maintained to provide use of locum cover when permanent staff are absent.
- Ensure that Penrose’s Quality Management System is adhered to and maintained at the Project.
- Responsible for ensuring Penrose’s Risk Assessment and Risk Management Policies are fully understood and being complied with at the Project.
- Ensure that you and your team fully adhere to partner agency policies and practices as appropriate including HM Prison Service, CRC and NPS.
- Report incidents and accidents as per Social Interest Group’s procedure
Resettlement and Support Practice
- Ensure that innovative and personalised support is delivered flexibly to meet service user needs and wishes, building independence within the community.
- Ensure that all Service Users have an assigned offender resettlement worker and appropriate resettlement plans have been provided monitored and reviewed at regular intervals.
- Ensure that risk assessments and management plans are completed and updated regularly.
- Ensure all relevant data is recorded in the correct timeframes using the appropriate electronic data system.
- Ensure that information is shared appropriately and in accordance with Penrose policy.
- Support and encourage Service User involvement and initiatives at the Project and service user involvement at the wider organisational level initiatives and services
- To ensure that your professional awareness of best practice and service innovation is maintained and shared with all Project staff.
- Ensure absolute adherence to Penrose Confidentiality Policy and all other associated policies and procedures.
Development of the Project / Community Liaison
- Continue to develop the service provisions at the Project, to ensure best practice and leading edge services are available to service users
- Work in partnership with the other agencies supporting the Project to improve the services and expand provision where possible
- Promote the Project through participation in inter-agency forums and attendance at other functions where appropriate and as directed by the Service Manager.
- Participate and contribute to the development of an annual plan for the Project, which reflects the objectives and performance for the Project
Financial management and Administration
- To promote effective cost control mechanisms, and encourage all staff to take responsibility for achieving financial savings where appropriate.
- Responsible for providing on time reporting and submission of information to Central Office functions, such as training record updates, performance statistics for KPI monitoring and Quality & Performance for payroll etc.
- Ensure all Penrose policies and procedures are appropriately understood, followed and implemented at the Project
Health & Safety and Environment
- Promote and encourage best practice in Health & Safety and Environment.
- Responsible for the Project’s Health & Safety including monthly Health and Safety reporting.
- Take responsibility for the personal safety of all people working and/ or visiting the service especially in response to emergency / evacuation situations.
- Ensure all the organisations rules/policies regarding Health, Safety and the Environment are strictly adhered to and that safe working practices are adopted at all times and risk assessments are both carried out and followed.
- Responsible for reporting any incidents /accidents occurring at the Project to Line-manager, HR and the competent Health & Safety person. Conducting investigations into the incident / accident and provide appropriate report.
- Ensure all RIDDOR incidents are reported in a timely fashion.
- Responsible for ensuring COSHH and Risk assessments records are maintain and available for reference and use.
- Regularly review the Project’s continuity plan and live test annually.
Equal Opportunities
- Ensure consistent and effective implementation of Penrose’s Equal Opportunities & Diversity policy and procedures.
- Ensure staff are trained and understand Penrose’s Equal Opportunities & Diversity policy and procedures.
- Positively promote an environment within Penrose which respects and values the diversity of both staff and service users.
Other Responsibilities and Duties as Required
- Other responsibilities than those described above may be required to be undertaken from time to time and will be expected to be performed to as long as it is within the capability and level of the position.
Authorities:
- Signing documents in conformance with the Authorisation Policy
Accountabilities:
- Project and Staff performance.
- Maintenance of excellent partnership arrangements with partners, professional bodies and commissioners.
- Comply with any required standards or procedures as detailed in the Organisation’s ISO9001 QMS.
- Achievement of KPI targets and personal objectives.
- Service user feedback and satisfaction.
- Safeguarding and risk management within the project.
Please note that this job description is subject to change (following consultation) depending on the needs of the organisation
Person Specification
Team Co-coordinator
Qualifications and Experience / Rating / Application Form / InterviewAppropriate professional qualification:
NVQ / Diploma level 4 in Health & Social Care / Community Justice/ Mental health or professional equivalent. In addition a management qualification would be advantageous / Desirable
Desirable /
Staff Management Experience / Essential / /
Direct experience of working in reintegration and rehabilitation servicesor similar services / Essential / /
Experience of working with ethnically diverse groups of serviceusers / Desirable / /
Experience of providing commercially viable services and interventions to target client groups / Essential / /
Knowledge
An understanding of the needs of vulnerable people who may also have mental health, offending or substance misuse problems / Essential / /
Knowledge and practical application of key legislation - Equality and Diversity, Mental Health, Criminal Justice, Social Care and Housing and H&S / Essential /
Knowledge and understanding of the practical requirements of the Care Standards Act 2000 and other relevant legislation / Essential / /
A good understanding of the principles of staff development and management, e.g.
supervision, appraisal & training / Essential / /
Skills and abilities / /
Proven ability to provide clear leadership and management to a team / Essential / /
Ability to reflect and look at self / Essential /
Ability to assess information quickly and
make sound judgments / Essential
Excellent I.T skills / Essential / /
Able to influence and form strong relationships with commissioning bodies and professional agencies / Essential /
An effective communicator / Essential / /
Excellent planning and organisational skills / Essential /
Demonstrate the ability to build key relationships to the benefit of the project / Essential /
Competencies
Team Co-ordinator
Competency / Definition / LevelOral communication / Communicates in a way that is unambiguous using appropriate terminology and non-verbal communication, providing accurate data that influences and informs the recipient. / Level C - Communicates effectively in all situations and environments and supports others to effectively express themselves
Written communication / Expresses ideas clearly in a well structured manner, using correct grammar and appropriate terminology. Uses a variety of media. / Level C - Actively supports others in their written communications. Corrects and amends texts of others.
Coaching and motivating / Directing and guiding others in the performance of their tasks. Establishing a spirit of working together to set and achieve goals. / Level C - When collaborating with others, stimulates and contributes actively to the provision of mutual feedback and support aimed at fostering individual development
Planning and organising / Use good planning skills to deliver results. Stipulating the time and resources needed to achieve the results / Level C - Demonstrates good project management skills to deliver on cost, quality and timescales. Encourages and coordinates others to effectively plan and organise effectively
Commercial / Demonstrating business and commercial awareness when making decisions. / Level B - Applies business acumen to own decision making including an awareness of new opportunities
Leadership / Directing and guiding employees in the performance of their jobs; employing management styles and methods which are tailored to the employee/team and situation in question. / Level B - Provides independent direction and guidance to others in the performance of their tasks
Results Orientation / Actively focused on achieving results and objectives. / Level B - Manages priorities to achieve agreed outcomes and takes timely action to ensure no delays
Sensitivity / Shows awareness of the diversity of those they work with and for and is aware of their own influence both. Recognises the impact of own behaviour on others. / Level C -Give others feedback on the effectiveness with which they respond to differences in needs and feelings and raises the issue sensitively when considering the skills of team members.