Prison Social Worker - Justice - EDN30523

Children’s, Education and Justice Services

Social Worker HM Prison Edinburgh

Salary: £37,626 - £44,257 (plus environmental allowance)

Hours: 36 per week

An exciting opportunity has arisen to recruit a Social Worker within Justice Services. This social worker post is located within the Prison Based Social Work Team, providing services to those subject to statutory obligations while in or when leaving custody undertaking a wide range of tasks including (but not limited to):

• Report writing and developing robust risk assessments;
• Contributing to multi agency risk and safety planning and management, including preparation for progression or release;
• Contribute to a duty system, including adult and child protection tasks as required;
• Promote effective communication and working relationships with Scottish Prison Service and Community Based Social Work team colleagues.

The post holder will adhere to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Scottish Prison Service and City of Edinburgh Council. The post holder will demonstrate excellent skills in engaging with service users in line with relevant legislation, National Outcomes and Standards, public protection and other departmental policies, practices and procedures.

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 Practice, Safe & Together™ and Restorative Justice practice models and interventions across our services, and are establishing a Women’s Centre, in partnership with NHS Lothian, to reduce barriers and meet the needs of women involved in the justice system.

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. In addition, they will be trained in and have extensive experience of using risk assessment tools and leading risk management processes.

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.

You can find out more on Our Behaviours web page Our Behaviours – The City of Edinburgh Council.

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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