Social Worker, HMP Perth - PKC13429

Working within Perth & Kinross Council is more than a job, it's about being part of something meaningful. It's about being part of an organisation that puts people at the heart of all we do and provides opportunities to make a real difference by enhancing every life we touch.

This post is based in HMP Perth Social Work Department. HMP Perth houses a population of adult males, including individuals who have been placed on remand as well as those serving short term, long term or indeterminate sentences.

We are a small, busy team composed of qualified Social Workers and Business Support. Our role is to provide a quality social work service to statutory prisoners. We also provide a Duty social work service that all prisoners can access.

A significant element of our role within the prison is to assess and manage potential risks that individuals may pose at different stages in their sentences, as they pass through closed conditions and prepare for access to open conditions and/or release on Licence or a Supervised Release Order. We do this by providing reports to the Parole Board and attending Parole Oral Hearings.

We also take part in multi-agency decision making forums such as: Risk Management Team (RMTs); Integrated Case Management (ICMs); Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA); and Programme Casework Management Board (PCMB). We work in partnership with the Scottish Prison Service and community social work agencies to support and manage all statutory offenders.

The Team is based within the prison setting and has access to hybrid working.

Skills & Experience Required

The successful candidate will be highly motivated to deliver a quality social work service in partnership with colleagues based in the community and the Scottish Prison Service. You will have relevant experience of justice social work, and an understanding of risk assessment and risk management including use of relevant tools; accreditation in use of LS/CMI and ROSH, RM2000, SA07, SARAv3 would all be desirable.

The successful candidate will also have a good understanding of the legislative framework and changing landscape of justice social work and will be able to work collaboratively in partnership with other statutory and third sector organisations; both internal and external to the prison environment.

The successful candidate must possess strong communication, negotiation, and report writing skills. You will be required to have an understanding of the potential opportunities, rewards, and challenges of working within a prison setting for the client group, staff group, and overall service delivery. You will have a relevant social work degree qualification. This role requires you to be registered as a Social Worker with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

Working at Perth & Kinross Council

Our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of our key priorities. In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours.

Here's what we can offer you:

• A generous annual leave package
• 6 days public holiday and an additional discretionary day
• Eligibility to join our pension scheme
• Family friendly and positive work/life balance policies such as Flexible Working, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave, time off for volunteering and our Wellbeing Framework
• Flexi time
• Access to a range of benefits

We recognise there can be benefits to flexible working and where individual jobs allow, we seek to support this. You are encouraged to discuss potential options with the recruiting manager, if this is of interest to you. A healthy work life balance is important to us and we provide supportive management and, where possible, flexible working arrangements to help you achieve that balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

Next Steps

We would love to hear from you and would encourage you to get in touch with Carol Casey, Team Leader on 01738 458172 or at carol.casey@prisons.gov.scot to find out more.

External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 references, including email addresses. One of these must be your current or most recent employer.

We welcome applications from everyone and as a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential requirements of the post. Please contact the hiring manager above or the Recruitment Team on (01738) 475555 or recruitment@pkc.gov.uk to discuss any reasonable adjustments.

Diversity is important to us and although some of our jobs may be perceived to be traditionally gender specific, we welcome applications from everyone and would encourage you to apply if you meet the job requirements. That includes welcoming applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

Working with children and/or protected adults is regarded as a regulated role and under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 you will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check. If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (continuous or total) within the last 10 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check.

A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of the above mentioned mandatory pre-employment checks (including references) and will also include eligibility to work in the UK, qualifications and fitness to undertake the post.