Relief Bank - Family Liaison Worker

Social Interest Group; Peacehaven; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

A charity focused on social support is seeking a Family Liaison Worker to facilitate visits for families at HMP Altcourse. This role includes managing the Visitors' Centre, supporting children during visits, and building relationships with families. Candidates should have experience working with children and good IT skills. Flexibility in shift patterns is required, with a focus on weekend work. Training will be provided.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• Positive, non-judgemental attitude essential.
• Experience in a prison or similar environment desirable.

Responsibilities

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the Visitors’ Centre.
• Lead structured play sessions for children visiting parents.
• Build strong relationships with families and prison staff.

Skills

Experience of working with children and their families

IT Proficiency

Ability to build trust and motivate others

Understanding of safeguarding

Education

Professional qualification in related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Title: Relief Bank - Family Liaison Worker

Location: Based at HMP Altcourse

Salary: £12.24 per hour plus 12.07% annual leave accrual

Shift Pattern: Flexible to the service needs - Mainly weekend shifts.

ABOUT THE ROLE

At SIG Safe Ground, we understand that visiting a loved one in prison can be a difficult and emotional time. Our team helps to make a challenging time easier by offering practical and emotional support, clear information, and signposting – ensuring that the people visiting our service feel seen, heard, and supported.

As a Family Liaison Worker, you’ll be the first point of contact for families and significant others visiting a loved one at HMP Altcourse. You’ll be responsible for the day-to-day running of our Visitors’ Centre, creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for everyone who comes through the door.

Family Liaison Workers ensure visits are processed smoothly and efficiently, while building strong, collaborative relationships with families, the wider team, and key prison staff to help deliver a wraparound, person-centred service.

You’ll also lead structured play sessions with children of all ages who are visiting a parent or loved one in prison, making sure they feel safe, engaged, and cared for during their visit.

Rota: Flexible to the service needs - Mainly weekend shifts.

ABOUT YOU

You have excellent communication, IT, organisational, and support skills. You view relationships as central to personal development and approach your work with a positive, non-judgemental attitude. You’re confident working both within a team and in collaboration with a range of stakeholders.

Safe Ground’s practice is reflective across all aspects of service delivery, so it's important that you are naturally reflective and genuinely curious about people, relationships, and personal growth.

Training will be provided for this role, including Security and Key Training through the Criminal Justice Service.

OVERVIEW OF KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the Visitors’ Centre service to appear, operate, and deliver to the quality standards of Safe Ground, Social Interest Group, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Welcome, book in, and share relevant information with visitors attending the Visitors’ Centre, including those visiting a prison for the first time.
• Take an active role in planning, promoting, and delivering meaningful and memorable family visits.
• Develop and maintain child-friendly spaces and play areas across the Visitors’ Centre, Visits Hall, and other designated areas within the prison.
• Implement and supervise varied, age‑appropriate play activities, tailored to the developmental needs of children visiting the prison, ensuring a safe and engaging environment.
• Promote Safe Ground’s programmatic work, and identify opportunities for collaboration with community partners via joint interventions, referral routes, or signposting.
• Work closely with the wider Safe Ground team to meet performance targets and objectives.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external persons and partners, including but not limited to: Governors, Offender Management Units (OMU), Wing Staff, Education Staff, Family Services, Induction, Resettlement teams, and other key HMP and community stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively within the team to monitor, gain feedback, evaluate, and develop the service for continuous improvement.
• Complete safeguarding and other referrals where required.
• Participate in reflective practice, clinical supervision, and other arranged meetings.
• Undertake varied administration duties, including maintaining confidential records and handling information in accordance with relevant statutory and organisational policies.
• Other responsibilities than those described above may be required to be undertaken from time to time and will be expected to be performed as long as it is within the capability and level of the position.

KEY CRITERIA

What we are looking for:

• Experience of working with children and their families.
• IT Proficiency, ability to learn new software programs, basic Microsoft experience.
• Ability to build trust, motivate others, and encourage positive engagement.
• An understanding of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

Desirable but not essential:

• Understanding and/or practical knowledge of the social and societal stigma that is attached to people within the criminal justice setting and their family members.
• Experience within a prison or other criminal justice setting, and/or within a similar role.
• Have, or be working towards an appropriate professional qualification.

Please refer to the JDPS attached for more details on the vacancy and our requirements/key criteria.

WORKING FOR US

OUR VALUES

• Ambition – Eager to succeed and to accomplish as much as possible for our people
• Empowerment – Giving staff and the people we support the tools, training, and information they need to achieve their potential
• Transparency – Upfront and visible about our actions and open to scrutiny from stakeholders, service users, and staff
• Inclusivity – Listening to, understanding, and including all our stakeholders to ensure we make a difference and get things right