Health & Wellbeing Practitioner - HMP Downview - Sutton in London

Looking for a role where you can make a genuine difference every day? Join The Forward Trust as a Health & Wellbeing Practitioner based at HMP Downview in Sutton, working full-time (37.5 hours per week).

As part of our integrated Health & Wellbeing team, you'll support women in custody to overcome substance misuse and low-level mental health challenges through trauma-informed, gender-responsive care, helping them build healthier futures both in prison and as they prepare for release.

What you'll be doing:

• Managing a varied caseload and delivering personalised recovery plans.
• Carrying out assessments and risk assessments to support treatment journeys.
• Providing structured 1:1 interventions and facilitating group sessions.
• Offering harm reduction advice and practical wellbeing support.
• Supporting release planning and through-the-gate continuity of care.
• Working closely with healthcare, mental health and prison colleagues.
• Maintaining accurate case records and contributing to service performance targets.
• Undertaking second signatory duties and supporting clinical colleagues where required.

What we're looking for:

• Passion for supporting people to achieve positive change.
• Experience working within substance misuse, mental health, criminal justice or health and social care settings.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage a busy caseload and prioritise effectively.
• A collaborative, solution-focused approach with excellent record-keeping skills.

The Forward Trust delivers integrated clinical and psychosocial substance misuse services across Surrey prisons in partnership with NHS healthcare providers. Our teams work within a trauma-informed, recovery-focused framework, delivering compassionate, person-centred support tailored to each individual's needs.

If you're passionate about supporting people to make lasting positive change, we'd love to hear from you.

All prison-based roles are subject to enhanced DBS checks and HMPPS security vetting. These checks can take up to 5 months to complete. Any offer of employment will be conditional upon the successful completion of both checks.

Please note if you have lived overseas within the last 5 years then checks may take longer.

About Us

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community. We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity.

Joining us as an employee, we will offer you the following benefits:

• Flexible working
• Training and development opportunities
• BHSF Cashback Scheme (optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
• Contributory Pension Scheme - Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years service and up to 9% thereafter
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Diversity at Forward Trust

The Forward Trust commits to providing opportunities to everyone. We want to ensure we have a diverse team with a range of lived and professional experiences. This includes those with Lived Experience of addiction, offending, or homelessness. Some of our roles may require a minimum period of sustained recovery (normally around 3 years). This is assessed on a case-by-case basis, and exceptions may be considered depending on the role and individual circumstances.

When we recruit, we welcome applications from everyone. This is inclusive of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or belief, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity and socio-economic background. Where operationally possible, we will consider flexible working requests and make reasonable adjustments for all roles.

To find out more about Forwards commitment to being an inclusive employer and our current EDI strategy click here.

We want our recruitment process to be accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage, please let us know.

Employee Screening and Eligibility to Work

Dependent on role you may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service Check, details of which will be shared with you at interview. If successful in your application, you will be required to provide eligibility to work evidence in line with the Eligibility to Work in the UK requirements.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk. Forward Trust follow safer recruitment practices and support a culture of openness and accountability.