Probation Officer - Offender Personality Disorder Pathway

Ministry of Justice; Peterlee; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Leave

Pension

Training

Flexible working

Job summary

Ministry of Justice North East OPD Pathway invites applications for a Probation Officer role supporting an IIRMS caseload across the Durham and Cleveland areas. You will assess risk, provide professional reports to courts, and work with partner agencies to reduce reoffending.

The role offers hybrid working, good leave and pension arrangements, and opportunities for professional development in a collaborative national framework.

Qualifications

• Probation Officer qualification and registration.
• Graduate Diploma or CQSW or equivalent in Probation/ Social Work.
• Knowledge of the Criminal Justice System and Probation Service.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and National Standards.
• Knowledge of Evidence Based Practice and risk/needs assessment tools.

Responsibilities

• Provide information and advice to courts and partner organisations.
• Supervise people on probation subject to orders and licences.
• Contribute to risk management and inter-agency collaboration.
• Provide professional advice and assessment including written reports to courts and boards.
• Undertake offender management tasks across varying risk levels.
• Maintain records using computer systems within timescales.
• Foster referrals and relationships between teams and external agencies.

Skills

Decision Making

Change & Improve

Teamwork

Delivery Pace

Communication

Education

Probation Officer qualification

Graduate Diploma or equivalent in Probation

Knowledge of Criminal Justice System

Legislation & National Standards knowledge

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity to join the North East OPD Pathway team in a regional role. The role involves predominantly supporting an IIRMS caseload across the Durham and Cleveland areas, while working closely with PICS teams. The successful candidate will have a good understanding of complexity and trauma. Expertise in Personality Disorder is not essential, although an interest in this area would be advantageous., To assess and manage the risk posed by people on probation to protect victims of crime and the general the public by:

Responsibilities

• Providing information and advice to criminal courts, other criminal justice agencies and partner organisations.
• Supervise people on probation subject to community orders and licences and during custodial sentences.
• Contribute to the management of risk.
• Work with other agencies and groups to prevent crime and meet the needs of victims and people on probation.
• To provide professional advice and assessment, including written reports to courts, the Parole Board, other criminal justice agencies and partner organisations.
• To undertake the full range of offender management tasks with people on probation assessed at all levels of risk of serious harm including high and very high.
• To use computer based systems to produce, update and maintain records and other documentation within agreed timescales.
• To ensure timely and effective referrals to, and relationships between, offender management, court teams, victim contact units, interventions, Approved Premises, prisons and external agencies to enhance positive outcomes, manage risk and reduce reoffending.
• To attend professional meetings and represent the PS at appropriate partnership forums e.g. MAPPA, MARAC.
• To work collaboratively with colleagues, maintain effective team relationships and provide professional guidance and support to Probation Services Officers (PSOs) and other staff as appropriate.
• To provide cover within your team and to other teams as required.
• To undertake prison, home or other alternate location visits as required.
• To deliver and co-lead accredited programmes commensurate with grade.
• To conduct mandatory alcohol and drug tests as required, and to follow prescribed medication procedures.
• Carry out safeguarding children duties in accordance with the PS statutory responsibilities and agency policies.
• Demonstrate pro-social modelling skills by consistently reinforcing pro-social behaviour and attitudes and challenging anti-social behaviour and attitudes.
• To work within the aims and values of PS and HMPPS.

Skills & Experience

• Experience of working with a wide variety of people who have experienced a range of social/personal difficulties.
• Experience of working with diverse communities including promoting equality and valuing diversity.
• An understanding and appreciation of equality.
• Experience of working with individuals and groups in order to motivate and change offending behaviour.
• Experience of working with people who have committed offences.
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

The role provides probation expertise within the partnership, contributing to risk management, relational practice, and collaborative working across the wider OPD partnership and NE PDUs. You will be skilled in building strong professional relationships with both probation and health colleagues, working effectively as part of a team and also being confident working independently. The role requires strong report-writing skills that can be transferred into formulation-informed practice and offers opportunities to contribute to service development, workforce development, and the ongoing delivery of PICS.

Qualifications

• Probation Officer qualification or be a qualified Probation Officer.
• PQF Honours Degree/Graduate Diploma and Level 5 Diploma in Probation Practice; or Diploma in Probation Studies; or Diploma in Social Work (Probation option); or CQSW (Probation option).
• Knowledge and understanding of the work of the Criminal Justice System and the Probation Service.
• A working knowledge of relevant legislation and National Standards.
• Knowledge of Evidence Based Practice and risk/needs assessment tools.

Working Arrangements

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone's circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre‑employment checks. Some of MoJ's terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part‑time, flexible and job‑sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part‑time, flexible and job‑sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS' Flexible Working policy.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service will be expected to join at the entry point salary for the advertised band Existing Civil Servants will have their salary calculated in accordance with the Department's pay on transfer / pay on promotion rules. This post is currently advertised without VISOR Vetting to enable appointment to take place as soon as possible, however, VISOR vetting will be required to be completed in due course.

Benefits

• Annual Leave: Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years' service, plus public holidays. Leave for part‑time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro‑rata basis.
• Pension: The National Probation Service is covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) run through the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF). Please visit www.gmpf.org.uk for further information. Please note: Any current Civil Servant who is a member of the PCSPS, by accepting an offer of employment to the National Probation Services will be opted out of the PCSPS and auto enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Training: The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
• Networks: The opportunity to join employee‑run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
• Eligibility: All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.
• Family Friendly policies: A range of 'Family Friendly' policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Flexible benefits: Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• Childcare support: For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
• Paid leave: Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Health: Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

EEO & Inclusion

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

Diversity & Inclusion: The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans: The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces. For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme: Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.