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Ministry of Justice; York and North Yorkshire, Leeds; On-site; CAD 45,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

The Probation Service, part of the Ministry of Justice, invites applicants for a Residential Worker position at Approved Premises. The role involves 24/7 on-site staffing, contributing to risk management, and supporting residents re-engaging with the community.

A mobile grade may require coverage across sites, with shift patterns including nights and weekends. Applicants should demonstrate empathy, patience and resilience; a good level of numeracy and literacy is required.

Qualifications

• Experience with people who have social or personal difficulties is desirable.
• A good level of numeracy and literacy is required.

Responsibilities

• Provide 24/7 on-site coverage at Approved Premises.
• Contribute to risk management and sentence plan objectives.
• Report significant changes related to risk and non-compliance.
• Work as part of a team to ensure safety and security during shifts.
• Attend face-to-face interviews and participate in enforcement procedures as required.

Skills

Empathy

Patience

Resilience

Numeracy

Literacy

Job description

22849 - Approved Premises - Residential Worker - PIPE (York and Leeds)

Southview Approved Premises (York) and Holbeck House Approved Premises (Leeds) are a specialist Psychologically Informed Planned Environment (PIPE) Approved Premises, jointly funded by the NHS to work with men who have experienced long custodial sentences and who have Personality Disorders. PIPE staff work alongside, and receive additional training and support from, onsite psychological practitioners, to help them work psychologically and relationally with the men. However, you will be required to submit your availability to your Line Manager three months in advance, which must include a mix of night, weekend and weekday shifts. Please note that this role does not include any working from home.

Approved Premises deliver a critical public protection service and Residential Workers are required to be on-site. You will work shifts on a rolling rota, covering 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including weekends and all bank holidays. As this is a forward facing role, you will be expected to attend a face to face interview, during which you will be introduced to the Approved Premises environment. This is a mobile grade, meaning you may be required to cover shifts at sites other than your home base. Any such arrangements will be made in accordance with policy.

All appointable candidates from this campaign who cannot be offered immediate positions, will be held on a merit list for 12 months. This will be used to fill future Residential Worker vacancies at the Approved Premises.

To find out more about Approved Premises:

Helping to keep the public safe. Giving people the chance to turn their lives around. Building a rewarding professional career. It’s an extraordinary role.

There are many reasons to join the Probation Service. What will yours be?

Our Residential Workers work within Approved Premises, working with offenders who are on release from prison and making the transition back into the community.

Approved Premises are primarily for offenders who have been released on licence and who require a high level of supervision.

Important: This role is based within an Approved Premises. Hybrid or home working is not available for this position.

This role is not eligible for a new Skilled Worker visa, in accordance with current immigration rules. Further details are within the advert.

About the role:

The job holder will work as part of a team providing 24 hour cover at an Approved Premises (AP) including security and monitoring services. The job holder will undertake a full range of work with the people on probation whilst resident at the Approved Premises. This will include; providing support in contributing to the risk management and sentence plan objectives and reporting any significant changes relating to risk and/or re-offending to any non-compliance within agreed enforcement procedures to ensure that people on probation resident at an AP and the fabric of it are kept safe and secure throughout their shift.

For further information on the summary, responsibilities, activities, duties of the role and the Civil Service Success Profile Criteria which will be used in the assessment process, please refer to the full Job Description Attachment.

You’ll play an important role in offenders’ rehabilitation, encouraging them to make positive changes in their lives and successfully resettle into their communities.

It’s an opportunity to build a rewarding professional career. You’ll gain experience of working with offenders, making a real difference to residents, the public and the wider community.

What's it like working as a residential worker?

Read our blog: https://prisonjobs.blog.gov.uk/2021/01/28/my-experience-as-a-residential-worker-at-an-approved-premises/

This role operates on a mobile grade, which means you may be required to work across different Approved Premises sites as needed. This could involve covering shifts at locations other than your usual base. Any such arrangements will always be made in line with policy.

If you are successful in the recruitment process to join the Probation Service, your starting salary will be £28,064, Pro-Rata.

Residential Workers role requires substantial out of hours work, both waking night duty and weekend work. Regular unsocial hours which attract premium rates of pay in addition to advertised annual salary.

Monday to Friday: 7pm to 8am premium payment of 30%.

Public/Bank Holidays :8am to 8am premium payment of 50%: in addition, time off in lieu for actual hours worked is applicable.

Overview of the approved premises role - Prison and Probation Jobs (URL link).

About you

You do not need a degree for this role. We are much more interested in your personal qualities. Ideally, with experience of working with people who have social or personal difficulties, you will be empathetic, patient, and resilient. A good level of numeracy and literacy is also required as the role involves some report writing.

About us

The Probation Service works with offenders who are pre-release or post-release from prison or serving community sentences. Our role is to support their rehabilitation and protect the public. People come from all walks of life to form one team in the Probation Service. Join us and you will be part of a supportive team that thrives on sharing knowledge and expertise.

The work is varied, challenging and meaningful and comes with job security, great benefits and career progression opportunities - not to mention the chance to make a real difference to people’s lives and our communities.

Right to work in the UK

You must have the right to work in the UK and Civil Service (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules).

Skilled Worker visa changes from 22 July 2025

In accordance with current immigration rules, this role is not eligible for a new Skilled Worker visa.