Reconnect Practitioner — Remote | 6-Month Maternity Cover

Forward Trust; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Family-friendly policies

Training and development opportunities

Cycle to work scheme

Health benefits

Death in service payment

Job summary

The Forward Trust is seeking a motivated RECONNECT Practitioner for a 6-month maternity cover, delivering a comprehensive, person-centred service to people leaving prison. You will assess needs, develop tailored care plans, coordinate with partner agencies and support clients up to six months post-release.

You will work remotely with occasional travel to training, meetings, and partner locations, building strong relationships with health and community services to ensure safe transitions back to

Qualifications

• Experience of working within mental health, emotional wellbeing, substance misuse or related support services.
• Experience of completing comprehensive assessments and designing SMART care plans.
• Experience of delivering structured interventions to service users.
• Experience of facilitating groups is desirable.
• Experience of using motivational interviewing techniques in 1:1 and group settings.
• Strong IT skills and the ability to use IT effectively to support case management and project management.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build and maintain effective professional relationships with partner agencies and services.
• Flexibility and the ability to respond positively to changing needs of the service.
• Ability to work independently while also contributing to a wider team.
• Ability to travel for training, meetings and other business requirements.

Responsibilities

• Process referrals and provide timely updates to referrers regarding assessment outcomes.
• Conduct comprehensive and in-depth needs assessments for referrals.
• Develop and implement individual, person-centred SMART care plans based on identified needs.
• Maintain regular contact with service users in preparation for release and up to six months post-release.
• Ensure service users are connected with health, wellbeing and community services prior to release.
• Develop and maintain relationships with external agencies and healthcare providers.
• Implement and maintain clear referral pathways with prison services and healthcare teams.
• Provide holistic support that is safe, inclusive and responsive to individual needs.
• Use motivational interviewing to engage and empower service users.
• Share knowledge and best practices with colleagues; engage in safeguarding and record-keeping.

Skills

Mental health experience

Assessments & SMART plans

Structured interventions

Facilitating groups

Motivational interviewing

IT skills

Communication & interpersonal skills

Stakeholder relationships

Flexibility & adaptability

Independent working in a team

Travel for training/meetings

Job description

The Forward Trust is seeking a motivated RECONNECT Practitioner for a 6-month maternity cover, delivering a comprehensive, person-centred service to people leaving prison. You will assess needs, develop tailored care plans, coordinate with partner agencies and support clients up to six months post-release.

You will work remotely with occasional travel to training, meetings, and partner locations, building strong relationships with health and community services to ensure safe transitions back to