Job summary
Working alongside Criminal Justice Mental Health Practitioners, the post holder will be based within the Liaison and Diversion Service (LADS). The role will cover predominantly Swindon and Wiltshire Courts and Police stations , working with individuals with mental health problems and other vulnerabilities that have come into contact with the Criminal Justice System.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will support clients, who are in police custody and support them to identify and utilise a range of community services which is likely to improve their mental health, social difficulties, and reduce the risk of them re-offending. The post holder will provide support to individuals with offending histories who are likely to have a wide range of mental health problems, along with a level of co-existing complex needs, including homelessness, substance misuse problems, significant risk histories and social exclusion, and who at times may present with extremely challenging behaviours. The post holder will be expected to develop good links with community resources in order to enable improved and supported access to services.
In summary, the post holder will support service users largely in the police custody environment with occasional support in the community and the courts.
About us
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Foundation Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and some parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and well-being. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. To work alongside other members of the Liaison and Diversion Service with an allocated number of individual service users who have been in contact with the Criminal Justice System (CJS). The post holder will also be required to attend and actively participate in team meetings, training sessions, team and care plan review meetings and supervision as appropriate.2. To attend police custody suites and magistrates courts to contribute to mental health assessments, advice, and the delivery of care pathways, for individuals where a potential mental health or other vulnerability has been identified.3. To work with and maintain appropriate engagement for a time limited period, with offenders with mental health problems and other vulnerabilities who are likely to have multiple and complex needs4. To liaise with and assist the Criminal Justice Mental Health practitioners, along with an extensive number of external agencies, with the assessment and short term care planning for service users
5. To network with a wide range of health and social care agencies, to identify and develop a database of local resources, and to understand the impact of stigma that offenders with mental health problems often face in accessing these services.6. To communicate often complex, sensitive and, at times contentious information, where skills of persuasive motivational negotiating, empathy and counselling are required, often in situations where there are barriers to understanding and high stress levels, e.g. Court rooms and Police Custody settings.7. To positively promote independent living of services users within the community.To develop a rapport with service users within appropriate and transparent boundaries.8. Provide regular and practical support to service users and their carers indeveloping and managing dignity and independence.9. Provide support with daily living by agreeing a support action plan with service users and their appropriate care team.10.Provide information on health promotion, including alcohol brief interventions.11.Help to identify early signs of relapse by reviewing the clients progress against the support action plan, and alert the appropriate staff involved in the clients care.12.To maintain adequate records as required by existing procedures, entering appropriate details on the service users electronic health records .as necessary.13.Actively promote the rights and responsibilities of service users, engendering empowerment and wellbeing.14.Maintain personal safety and to comply with the Trusts Lone working policy.15.Maintain effective time management tools when taking responsibility for a caseload of service users.16.Provide information to the Criminal Justice Mental Health practitioners in order to contribute to audits and monitoring reports.17.Participate in the review and evaluation of the service18. To comply with Trust policies and procedures.19. To undertake such other duties as may be determined from time to time within the general scope of the post.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. To work alongside other members of the Liaison and Diversion Service with an allocated number of individual service users who have been in contact with the Criminal Justice System (CJS). The post holder will also be required to attend and actively participate in team meetings, training sessions, team and care plan review meetings and supervision as appropriate.2. To attend police custody suites and magistrates courts to contribute to mental health assessments, advice, and the delivery of care pathways, for individuals where a potential mental health or other vulnerability has been identified.3. To work with and maintain appropriate engagement for a time limited period, with offenders with mental health problems and other vulnerabilities who are likely to have multiple and complex needs4. To liaise with and assist the Criminal Justice Mental Health practitioners, along with an extensive number of external agencies, with the assessment and short term care planning for service users
5. To network with a wide range of health and social care agencies, to identify and develop a database of local resources, and to understand the impact of stigma that offenders with mental health problems often face in accessing these services.6. To communicate often complex, sensitive and, at times contentious information, where skills of persuasive motivational negotiating, empathy and counselling are required, often in situations where there are barriers to understanding and high stress levels, e.g. Court rooms and Police Custody settings.7. To positively promote independent living of services users within the community.To develop a rapport with service users within appropriate and transparent boundaries.8. Provide regular and practical support to service users and their carers indeveloping and managing dignity and independence.9. Provide support with daily living by agreeing a support action plan with service users and their appropriate care team.10.Provide information on health promotion, including alcohol brief interventions.11.Help to identify early signs of relapse by reviewing the clients progress against the support action plan, and alert the appropriate staff involved in the clients care.12.To maintain adequate records as required by existing procedures, entering appropriate details on the service users electronic health records .as necessary.13.Actively promote the rights and responsibilities of service users, engendering empowerment and wellbeing.14.Maintain personal safety and to comply with the Trusts Lone working policy.15.Maintain effective time management tools when taking responsibility for a caseload of service users.16.Provide information to the Criminal Justice Mental Health practitioners in order to contribute to audits and monitoring reports.17.Participate in the review and evaluation of the service18. To comply with Trust policies and procedures.19. To undertake such other duties as may be determined from time to time within the general scope of the post.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Possession of, or the ability and willingness to work towards, an appropriate Level 5 vocational qualification (Foundation Degree in Mental Health or Health and Social Care)
- Possession of, or the ability and willingness to work towards, Level 2 Functional Skills (e.g. GCSE Mathematics and English Language Grade C/4 or above)
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working with a vulnerable client group, including experience of supporting people with mental health problems.
- Ability to work proactively alongside people to help meet identified goals and needs.
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with drug and alcohol problems
- Experience of working with people who have had contact with the Criminal Justice Service
Skills
Essential
- Compassionate - Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with service users, carers and relatives remaining sensitive and empathetic.
- Ability to make critical decisions in a timely, considered manner
- Liaise with other agencies to support service users
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to recognise and manage challenging situations in a calm and professional manner.
- Awareness of range of cultural differences
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Possession of, or the ability and willingness to work towards, an appropriate Level 5 vocational qualification (Foundation Degree in Mental Health or Health and Social Care)
- Possession of, or the ability and willingness to work towards, Level 2 Functional Skills (e.g. GCSE Mathematics and English Language Grade C/4 or above)
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working with a vulnerable client group, including experience of supporting people with mental health problems.
- Ability to work proactively alongside people to help meet identified goals and needs.
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with drug and alcohol problems
- Experience of working with people who have had contact with the Criminal Justice Service
Skills
Essential
- Compassionate - Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with service users, carers and relatives remaining sensitive and empathetic.
- Ability to make critical decisions in a timely, considered manner
- Liaise with other agencies to support service users
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to recognise and manage challenging situations in a calm and professional manner.
- Awareness of range of cultural differences
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.
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