Social Worker (Justice)

City of Edinburgh Council; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading authority is seeking a Temporary Women's Justice Social Worker for the Willow Service in Edinburgh. The role involves working in a multi-disciplinary team to provide trauma-informed care to women in the justice system, requiring strong knowledge of the justice system and related issues. Candidates must have a Social Work qualification and be registered with the SSSC, committed to high-quality service delivery and continuous professional development.

Benefits

High level of training and support for professional development

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Experience as a social worker in justice settings.
• Knowledge of adult support and protection legislation.
• Qualified and eligible for registration with the SSSC.

Responsibilities

• Provide trauma informed, gender specific services to women in the justice system.
• Contribute to a multi-disciplinary team to deliver interventions.
• Work within legal frameworks and assess/manage risk.

Skills

Understanding of the justice system

Knowledge of mental health issues

Ability to assess and manage risk

Experience in trauma-informed care

Education

Social Work qualification recognized by SSSC

Job description

Temporary Women's Justice Social Worker - fixed term until 31/03/2026
Willow Service

Office: Women's Justice Centre

Units C&D New Kirkgate Shopping Centre

Edinburgh, EH6 6AD

Edinburgh Justice Services are committed to providing high quality services while ensuring a compassionate approach to people accessing our services and supporting staff wellbeing. We offer a high level of training to support continuous professional development and to deliver a broad range of interventions, including established accredited group work programmes. We are implementing Trauma Informed Care, Safe & Together and Restorative Justice practice models and interventions across our services. We have established a Women's Centre, where all Justice Services for women are delivered from, to reduce barriers and meet the needs of women involved in the Justice System.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the Willow Services, working from the Women's Justice Centre where we offer trauma informed, gender specific services and operate in line with the evidenced based key principles. Women that are aged 18 and above can attend as part of a statutory Order or voluntarily, including women entitled to support due to their partner's/ex-partner's involvement with the Caledonian system.

The team is multi-disciplinary and includes support workers, social workers, psychologists, nursing staff as well as key 3rd sector partners and peer supporters, all of whom contribute to the delivery of a range of interventions and support offered to the women in an integrated way. This includes the provision of one to one and group work interventions as well as community outreach support.

The post holder will contribute to a broad range of provision alongside colleagues from other disciplines/services. The post holder will be an experienced social worker, with an in-depth knowledge of the justice system and understanding about the specific issues facing women. They will have worked with people experiencing mental health difficulties and affected by complex trauma and have an understanding of best practice approaches. The post requires experience in the assessment and management of risk, working within various legal frameworks within justice including utilising knowledge of adult support and protection legislation.

The post is open to female candidates only (Occupational Requirement exception under Equality Act 2010).

Candidates will have a Social Work qualification recognised by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and be registered, or eligible to register, with the SSSC.

This post is regulated work with children and/or protected adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check. Where an individual has spent a continuous period of 3 months or more out with the UK in the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check. An unconditional offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of both these pre-employment checks being deemed satisfactory.

We're committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included and able to be their best at work, and we recognise the benefits that a diverse workforce with different values, beliefs, experience, and backgrounds brings to us as an organisation.

As part of our goal to improve our organisational culture and create a great place to work together for the people of Edinburgh, we want to make sure that we're bringing the best people into our roles, not just in their skills and experience but also in their approach to work.

To help achieve this, we're changing the way we interview and assess candidates by moving from a competency-based interview approach to a behavioural and technical (skills for the job) based approach. This new way of interviewing will allow us to assess how you think and how you would bring Our Behaviours of Respect, Integrity and Flexibility into your ways of working.

Our salary range typically reflects the initial starting salary and annually increases until it reaches the top of the range.

Happy to talk flexible working.

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