Specialist Prison and Probation Advocate

Role:               Specialist Prison and Probation Advocate 

Based:            HMP Bronzefield

Rate:                  £18 - £20 umb

Start Date:      ASAP

Duration:        Temp ongoing

Hours:             Full-time

Our client, an award-winning and innovative women-only organisation, is looking to recruit a Specialist Prison and Probation Advocate

Synopsis of Duties:

• Ensure effective access to the service for women and encourage their engagement with services, through multi-agency working, service flexibility, and developing prison and
• community referral pathways, where required, from other professionals across specialist services. 
• At the point of entry into the prison- triage, support, and create action plans in collaboration with the woman; to support in addressing their multiple and individual needs and enable them to engage with services, which will result in timely and prescribed outcomes being achieved. 
• Hold a caseload with high turnover and within a fast-paced prison environment; conducting comprehensive assessments and delivering support that includes delivery of high-quality face-to-face crisis intervention, information, and advocacy. 
• To assist clients with maintaining or accessing suitable accommodation, finance, benefits and debt, family, and social inclusion support including negotiating terms on behalf of the women
• Ensure that interventions are responsive to and meet the needs of women from diverse and minoritised backgrounds 
• To be a single point of contact and support women to plan effectively for their release, the day of release including access to welfare grants and facilitating onward referral to an appropriate Women’s Service provider in their locality including Advance. 
• To support on the day of release, providing advice and guidance on release including ‘through the gate’ support. 
• To liaise with prison staff, including health care and security staff to ensure close cooperation to support women coming into custody. 
• To be responsible for identifying safeguarding and supporting ACCT documents. 
• To be a responsible keyholder within the prison setting and to follow health & safety and security processes within the prison. 
• Attend regular events and SMT meetings with relevant services within the prison
• Facilitating and co-facilitating in structured group work and delivering interventions, such as intervention screening in prison 
• Work towards contractual targets and outcomes within agreed timescales and in line with specified quality standards. 
• Using agreed CRM and prison databases to record all activity relating to caseload ensuring all information is recorded within agreed deadlines 
• Work with the Senior Services Manager, Service/Team Manager, and Data Insights Analyst to ensure all monitoring and evaluation for the project is accurate and fully maintained, keeping managers informed of any issues and successes. 
• Work effectively in close collaboration with partner services, and external agencies. 
• Use appropriate institutional advocacy to maximise positive outcomes and use the appropriate reporting mechanisms to highlight persistent or recurring issues that arise. 

Essential Requirements:

• Knowledge of issues facing women offenders and those at risk of offending; both in and out of prison custody.
• Knowledge and understanding of the requirements of managing a caseload including maintaining and updating internal and prison records, remaining focused on action plan goals, and keeping to deadlines
• Working with vulnerable people, preferably women with multiple needs.
• DBS on the update service
• Full Prison Vetting
• Available immediately

Supporting Futures Consulting acts as both an employer and an agency.