Liaison & Diversion Support Worker

NHS; Kendal; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional health service provider is seeking a Liaison & Diversion Support Worker in Kendal. This full-time role involves supporting vulnerable individuals within the Criminal Justice System, ensuring access to health and social care services. Candidates should be experienced in community work, and have knowledge of the criminal justice system and local vulnerabilities. A Level 2 NVQ or equivalent is required, and applicants must clear NPPV Level 2 Police Vetting. Flexible work arrangements are encouraged.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Supportive working environment

Qualifications

• Educated to Level 2 NVQ or equivalent experience.
• Ability to read/write proficiently, navigate IT systems.
• Must have knowledge of local community and vulnerabilities.

Responsibilities

• Support access to health and social care services.
• Develop short term plans for individuals in custody or the community.
• Promote hope and optimism for individuals' health and wellbeing.

Skills

Knowledge of the criminal justice system

Navigating IT systems

Experience with vulnerable individuals

Education

Level 2 NVQ or equivalent experience

NVQ Level 3 Diploma in relevant field

Job description

Overview

Go back Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Liaison & Diversion Support Worker

The closing date is 17 February 2026

Important: This post requires successful candidates to undergo NPPV Level 2 (full) Police Vetting of which successful clearance is essential in order to fulfil the role. As part of this vetting process the candidate is required to have been resident in the UK for at least three years.

Please note further to recent national updates regarding Certificates of Sponsorship issued after 9 April 2025 the minimum salary threshold for skilled workers has increased to £25,000 per year. The increase also applies to the Health and Care Visa route for those occupations paid by NHS bands.This means that entry-level Band 3 roles will not be eligible for sponsorship.

An opportunity has arisen within the Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services The Bay Liaison & Diversion team for the role of Support Worker based in Kendal Police Station.

This key position of Support Worker within the established Liaison and Diversion Service for Custody suites and Magistrates Courts will be offered as a full time, substantive post.

The Liaison and Diversion service work with adults and young people in contact with the Criminal Justice system.

The Liaison and Diversion Support Worker will have the responsibility for providing quality services for vulnerable individuals in contact with Criminal Justice system under the supervision of a Liaison & Diversion practitioner.

Informal visits are encouraged.

Main duties of the job

L&D is not itself a treatment service, but it is an identification, assessment and referral service offering brief intervention to support engagement.

The post holder will be responsible for supporting access to health and social care services for potentially vulnerable adults and Children and Young People in the community.

They will value experiential learning and will work with the person to identify, navigate and engage with opportunities that may improve their health, personal wellbeing, social inclusion and social functioning.

They will promote hope and optimism, working with strengths rather than deficits in working towards developing a short term plan at the point of referral; this may be within Custody or Court settings, or within the community. The plan will be based onneeds identified during assessment by Liaison and Diversion Practitioner in Custody, Court or community setting. The aim of the intervention is to support and empower the individuals to reach identified goals and attend initial appointments with identified services. This will involve the individual in planning and prioritising their needs.

Pathways to care and support will be across a range of health and social care services for adults and young people, including but not limited to Housing, Drug and Alcohol Services, Mental Health and Physical Health care and other services specific for Women, Veterans, Gambling, Police, Courts, Youth Offending Services, Probation, Prisons.

About us

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.

For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT

Job responsibilities

Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role

Person Specification

Education

• Educated to Level 2 NVQ or equivalent experience.
• Ability to read/ write proficiently Ability to navigate I.T. systems
• NVQ Level 3 Diploma within a relevant field e.g. health, psychology, criminology etc. (or equivalent qualification/ reflected experience).

Knowledge

• Must have knowledge of the local community and have an understanding of the criminal justice system and identified vulnerabilities
• Awareness of a range of vulnerabilities. An awareness of the impact of vulnerabilities on individuals.
• Basic knowledge of signs and symptoms of a range of mental disorders and its effects on individuals.

Experience

• Experience working with individuals with a complex range of health and social care needs.
• Experience and/or sound knowledge of the Criminal Justice System.
• Experience of working in a community based setting.

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.

Employer name

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust