Detention Custody Officer - Yarlswood VB

Mitie Cleaning & Hygiene Services; Bedford; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4-week paid training course

Pension & Life Assurance

MiDeals discounts platform

Cycle-to-work

Job summary

Mitie Cleaning & Hygiene Services is hiring a Detainee Custody Officer (DCO) based at Yarlswood VB. The role involves escorting and transporting immigration residents, driving a minibus-sized vehicle, and maintaining strict security and safety standards with respect for residents.

No experience required; full training will be provided, leading to a Level 3 Apprenticeship in Detention and Custody. A 24/7 operation is involved, with day and night shifts.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Calm, non-judgemental approach.
• Strong problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to stay composed under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Escort and transport immigration residents within the UK.
• Drive a small minibus-sized vehicle and ensure safe transport.
• Maintain high security and safety standards with dignity and respect.
• Provide care to residents at a fixed location.

Skills

Strong communication

Interpersonal skills

Calm under pressure

Problem solving

Job description

Join Us and Make a Difference

Better places, thriving communities.

Salary £32,168 based on 40 hours per week

Who We're Looking For

We're looking for respectful, caring, and resilient individuals to join our team. If you have:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• A calm and non-judgemental approach
• Great problem-solving abilities
• The ability to stay composed under pressure

Then this could be the perfect role for you!

Detainee Custody Officer – Yarlswood VB

Vehicle base DCO

Salary £32,168 based on 40 hours per week

What You'll Be Doing

• Escorting and transporting immigration residents within the UK
• Driving a small minibus-sized vehicle and ensuring the safe transportation of those in your care
• Maintaining high security and safety standards while treating residents with dignity and respect

• Providing care to immigration residents in a fixed location
• Maintaining high security and safety standards while treating residents with dignity and respect

This role requires flexibility, as you will work a mix of day and night shifts, covering a 24/7, 365-day operation.

No Experience? No Problem!

No prior experience or qualifications are needed—full training and support will be provided. If you have experience handling challenging situations or working with people in distress, it would be a plus.

Your journey begins with a 4-week paid training course, including a control and restraint training course. Over the next 13 months, you'll receive on-the-job mentoring and assessments, leading to an accredited Level 3 Apprenticeship in Detention and Custody.

Due to the safety‑critical nature of this role, we require that employees are not under the influence of any substance—including prescribed medication that may impair their ability to perform their duties safely. This includes any THC‑based prescriptions due to the lack of reliable evidence on safe levels of THC in the system.

If you are currently prescribed medication that may affect your ability to carry out safety‑critical tasks, we encourage you to discuss this with us as part of the recruitment process. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments where appropriate and in line with our obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

To ensure the highest standards of safety and compliance, we operate a random drug and alcohol testing programme. By applying, you acknowledge that participation in this testing is a condition of employment.

Why Join Us?

• Work‑life balance – structured shifts for stability, up to 1 year in advance so you can plan your goals and travel.
• Career growth – start with a Level 3 Apprenticeship, with opportunities for leadership roles
• Continued personal development with full support given to enhance your career.
• Free parking and uniform
• Training: 4‑week fully paid training course
• A great selection of benefits incl. Access to online GP services, share options and a generous holiday allowance.
• Pension and Life assurance
• Reward & Recognition scheme.
• Discounts which include cinema, online shopping discounts, leisure centre memberships, holidays, and Health & Wellbeing Benefits.
• And as a DCO, you can apply for a Blue Light discount card.

Essential Requirements

To apply, you must:

• Be a UK Citizen, with indefinite leave to remain (not through marriage), or an EEA Citizen
• Hold a valid UK passport (expired visas in out‑of‑date passports cannot be accepted)
• Have lived in the UK continuously for the past 3 years, with no single absence over 3 months
• Pass an Enhanced DBS check, employer referencing (last 5 years), and Counter‑Terrorist Check (CTC) vetting
• Hold a full UK manual driving licence (at least 12 months of experience)
• Have fewer than 7 points on your licence and no driving bans in the last 12 months
• Be over 21 years of age
• Important: If you do not have a valid UK passport and a full UK manual car driving licence, we cannot proceed with your application.

Application Process

Successful candidates will be invited to an assessment process which includes:

• Interview
• Capability assessments
• Full vetting screening

Our market‑leading offering provides you with benefits that suit your lifestyle.

We have a virtual GP on hand for you and members of your household. So you can get expert advice by video or phone without leaving your home. We offer financial wellbeing assistance through our Salary Finance scheme. For example, you could access 50% of your earned pay before payday for a small fee. Salary Finance also offers competitive loans.

When you join us, we’ll give you a link to our flexible lifestyle benefits platform, Choices. You might choose to purchase up to five extra days’ holiday each year. You might buy critical illness insurance, seek dental treatment or buy technology products at an affordable cost. There are many choices!

We give you access to high street discounts from thousands of well‑known retailers, gyms and more through our MiDeals platform. And we have a cycle‑to‑work scheme. Life cover of up to four times your salary is available. We also offer enhanced pension contributions, a save‑as‑you‑earn scheme, and a Mitie Matching Share Plan (you could even be awarded free shares in Mitie).

We award our employees with Mitie Stars as recognition for their hard work. There are cash prizes up for grabs each month and at the end of the year there’s a chance to scoop a top prize of £10,000!

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you have a disability or long‑term condition (for example dyslexia, anxiety, autism, a mobility condition or hearing loss) and need us to make any reasonable adjustments, changes or do anything differently during the recruitment process, please let us know by emailing at .

Since 1987, Mitie’s 84,000 employees have been maintaining companies globally. We are the UK’s leading facilities management and professional services company, and our clients range from household names in banking, critical government sites as well as hospitals and schools.

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