Community Keyworker

Service Care Solutions; Chelmsford; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 30,000; Part time

Job summary

Service Care is hiring a Triage Community Keyworker to support women on probation through initial assessments and ongoing one-to-one advocacy. The role combines on-site duties with remote work, requiring strong risk assessment skills and a feminist, empowering approach.

You will manage diverse caseloads, work across 9 pathways to offending, and collaborate with probation services to ensure effective support and timely referrals. A DBS EL1/HMPPS vetting is part of pre-employment checks.

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of issues facing women offenders and women at risk of offending.
• Experience with needs and risk assessments and risk management.
• Ability to manage a varied caseload and lone working.
• Strong crisis management and resilience under pressure.
• Experience setting professional boundaries and de-escalating tension.
• Confidence with digital systems and case management databases.
• Ability to network, advocate, influence and problem solve.

Responsibilities

• Book initial assessments by phone or email within contractual targets.
• Complete risk and need assessments for women on probation (community disposals and custody releases).
• Provide one-to-one advocacy, support and advice across all 9 pathways to offending.
• Process assessments on the case management database and report them for allocation to keyworkers.
• Deliver prison in-reach by video, phone and face-to-face in the 12 weeks before release and accompany women to the gate.
• Develop and review individual support plans.
• Attend probation offices and build relationships with staff.
• Keep the local services directory up to date and upload records to MOJ portal.
• Cover caseloads for first sessions, leave and capacity.
• Attend women’s centres and travel to London for meetings and training.

Skills

Women offenders knowledge

Assessments experience

Boundaries

Crisis management

Caseload management

IT/digital systems

Engagement of hard-to-reach users

Networking

De-escalation

Values alignment

Advocacy

Problem solving

Tools

DBS EL1/HMPPS vetting

Job description

Triage Community Keyworker

Rate: £20-£22 per hour (contract)

Hours: 28 per week, part time

Location: Hertfordshire or Essex (Watford or Chelmsford centres). One day a week on site, the rest remote.

The Opportunity

A triage role at the front door of a specialist women's criminal justice service. You will complete the initial assessments for women on probation, then pass them to a team of Community Keyworkers for ongoing one-to-one support. The service takes a gendered, feminist approach, built on listening, empowerment and breaking the cycle of offending.

Key Responsibilities

• Book initial assessments by phone or email, within contractual targets
• Complete risk and need assessments for women on probation (community disposals and custody releases)
• Provide one-to-one advocacy, support and advice across all 9 pathways to offending
• Process assessments on the case management database and report them for keyworker allocation
• Deliver prison in-reach by video, phone and face to face in the 12 weeks before release, and meet women at the gate
• Develop and review individual support plans
• Attend local probation offices, build relationships with probation staff and promote the service
• Keep the local services directory up to date
• Maintain accurate records and prompt uploads to the Ministry of Justice portal
• Cover keyworker caseloads for first sessions, leave and capacity
• Attend a women's centre if staffing requires, and travel to London head office for meetings and training

Person Specification

Essential

• In-depth knowledge of issues facing women offenders and women at risk of offending
• Experience of needs and risk assessments and risk management, alert to changes that signal increased risk of serious harm
• Experience setting professional boundaries, de-escalating tension and responding to challenging behaviour
• Strong crisis management skills and resilience under pressure
• Ability to manage a varied caseload, prioritise, and cope with lone working and remote management
• Strong interpersonal, written and administrative skills, confident with digital systems
• Track record of engaging hard-to-reach service users, with a future-focused, self-efficacy approach
• Ability to network, advocate, influence and problem solve
• Ability to challenge appropriately and build creative, monitored support plans
• Commitment to the charity's values: listen and support, empower, innovate, collaborate, quality and accountability

Desirable

• Thorough understanding of violence against women and girls and its links to the criminal justice system
• Partnership working with statutory and voluntary organisations
• Flexible team player
• Significant experience with women facing homelessness, substance misuse, domestic abuse or mental health issues, ideally in a criminal justice setting
• Pre-Employment Checks Enhanced DBS EL1 HMPPS vetting
• References
• Right to work in the UK