Family Support Worker

Prison Advice and Care Trust; Hemel Hempstead; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free counselling service

Contributory pension

Eye care scheme

Cycle to work

Generous holiday entitlement

Job summary

Prison Advice and Care Trust in Hemel Hempstead is seeking a Family Support Worker (Visits Centre Assistant) to help families visiting loved ones in prison. Based in the visitor centre, you’ll create a welcoming environment, offer information and guidance, organise activities for children and ensure refreshments are available.

You’ll work closely with colleagues and partner agencies, ensure safeguarding and child protection procedures are followed, and contribute to improving our family support

Responsibilities

• Welcome visitors in the family visits area and provide information and guidance
• Organise activities for children and ensure refreshments are available
• Support families during visits with calm and sensitive handling
• Work with colleagues and partner agencies to ensure safeguarding and child protection procedures are followed
• Contribute to ongoing improvements in our family support services

Job description

Salary: £26,227.50 per annum full time earnings, £9,616.75 actual earnings.

Join us as a Family Support Worker (Visits Centre Assistant) at HMP The Mount, where you will play an important role in supporting families visiting their loved ones in prison.

Based in the visitor centre, you’ll help create a welcoming and supportive environment for adults and children. From offering information and guidance to organising activities for children and ensuring refreshments are available, you’ll contribute to making visits as positive and stress‑free as possible.

This is a varied and rewarding role where no two days are the same. You’ll support families during what can often be a challenging time, using your experience of working with people facing difficulties to handle situations calmly and sensitively.

You’ll also work closely with colleagues and partner agencies, ensuring safeguarding and child protection procedures are followed at all times. Your input will help us continue to improve our family support services.

If you’re organised, approachable, and passionate about making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

What we offer:

Pact offers a range of benefits including a free advice, information and counselling service, contributory pension, corporate eye care scheme, cycle to work scheme and generous holiday entitlement. You will have the opportunity to attend training events to further develop yourself as a professional training and interventions worker. You will undergo a thorough induction process and be supported by a friendly and enthusiastic team.

Other information:

Pact is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all applications including those with a criminal conviction (appointment to post is subject to a risk assessment).

This post is subject to a 6-month probationary period, verification of identity and proven right to work in the UK, satisfactory references from previous employers covering a 3-year period, declaration of any unspent criminal convictions (and where appropriate a satisfactory risk assessment), Prison Vetting and a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Please note that being bankrupt or having County Court Judgements may affect your ability to be successfully vetted to work in a prison.