Family Support Worker

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

Benefits offered by this job

Contributory pension

Eye care scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Generous holiday entitlement

Training and development opportunities

Induction and supportive team

Job summary

Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) is recruiting for a Family Support Worker (Visits Centre Assistant) at HMP Maidstone. You will welcome families, offer information, and organise activities for children to make visits positive and stress-free.

Based in the visitor centre, you will work with colleagues to ensure safeguarding, support people in distress, and provide guidance throughout visits. The role offers a supportive team and opportunities for training and development.

Qualifications

• Organised, approachable and compassionate; ability to work with families in stress
• Experience with safeguarding procedures is desirable
• Strong communication and information-provision skills

Responsibilities

• Welcome families at the Visits Centre and provide information and guidance
• Organise activities for children and ensure refreshments are available
• Support safeguarding and child protection procedures
• Work with partner agencies to improve family support services

Job description

Salary: £26,227.50 per annum full time earnings, £7,343.70 actual earnings

Join us as a Family Support Worker (Visits Centre Assistant) at HMP Maidstone, 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:

• free advice, information and counselling service
• contributory pension
• corporate eye care scheme
• cycle to work scheme
• 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.