23815 - Strategic Housing Specialist - South West Prison Group in Bristol

The successful candidate will be based at either HMP Bristol or HMP Leyhill. This is a 6-month, fixed-term opportunity, with the potential to be extended to 12 months subject to business need. Applicants must ensure they have obtained their line manager's agreement before applying. As this is a South West Prison Group role, whilst the post holder will primarily work across HMP Bristol and HMP Leyhill, there will be an expectation to travel occasionally to other establishments across the South West Prison Group to support colleagues, attend meetings and engage with key stakeholders as required.

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• The Strategic Housing Specialist will be responsible for co-ordinating the strategic response of a cluster of prisons to improve housing outcomes for prison leavers and people in prison.
• They shall strengthen and support partnership working between the prison, all relevant housing stakeholders and other key resettlement agencies.
• They will identify existing structures/partnership working to address homelessness from custody in the region, and work to develop new solutions to homelessness from custody.
• They will champion delivery of the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) and Duty to Refer (DtR), Offender Pathway (Wales) within the prison(s).
• This to include:
• Working with partners to ensure referrals under the DtR are as efficient and effective as possible.
• Design and deliver (or coordinate the delivery of) training related to homelessness within the prison and relevant statutory criminal justice agencies, so staff understand accommodation issues, increase their knowledge around the HRA and DtR, can identify related needs and have the knowledge to respond appropriately.
• Promote the HRA and DtR amongst prisoners to address unhelpful myths, set realistic housing expectations and encourage engagement with the commissioned rehabilitation service, prison housing stakeholders, and local authorities.
• Developing pre-release assessments with Local Authorities in response to DTRs, through telephone, video and in-person assessments.
• Promote the work of the Accommodation Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS) within the prison and support these services by representing the prison on any joint engagement with external partners, such as local authorities or HPTs or local homelessness board.
• Contribute towards Accommodation CRS becoming successfully embedded into the prison and promote their work to the prison’s Senior Leadership Team.
• Help to find solutions to issues that arise in relation to practical challenges in service delivery and an understanding of the role of CRS with all relevant staff groups.
• This role will act as an enabler and will not manage, or duplicate efforts of, the Accommodation CRS.
• Working alongside Probation Regions delivering the Community Accommodation Service - Tier 3(CAS3) temporary accommodation provision:
• Ensure processes are in place to make sure the Duty to Refer has been discharged appropriately and that all other accommodation options have been fully explored before a CAS3 referral is made.
• Work with the Regional Probation team and their Homelessness Prevention Team to maximise use of the accommodation offer for those at risk of homelessness, so that they can access interim accommodation at the point of release.
• Support and upskill staff across the agency (including CPPs and POMs) to ensure accommodation needs are identified and addressed appropriately, to understand relevant referrals and troubleshoot any issues which may arise.
• Promote work within the prison to help prepare prison leavers to sustain accommodation in the community, in line with the Prime Minister’s accommodation target, such as developing and delivering training solutions on tenancy readiness or prisoner’s housing rights.
• Support prisons, PGDs, and relevant partner agencies (such as HPTs) to improve the quality and use of data where it relates to prisoners and housing outcomes, including the use for research and service design and provision.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and/or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.