Youth Justice Worker

We have a fantastic opportunity available for a Youth Justice Worker to join our Prevention and Youth Justice Service (PYJS) here at Wokingham Borough Council on a part time, fixed term contract. We have a strong focus on Prevention and the remit of this role is to specifically support the delivery of our reputable Exclusion Prevention Programme. The programme aims at reducing school exclusions linked to offending type of behaviours. We are a trauma informed service, who work compassionately and restoratively, with a child first guiding principle. We are a small, hands on team, who work creatively with children, listening to them and involving them in shaping our service. We like to learn and develop so we hold workshops and training events every month. We care about our staff by providing development opportunities and promoting a healthy work/life balance.

As a youth justice worker supporting the Exclusion Prevention Programme, you will work one to one with relevant children. You will also have responsibility for delivering workshops in schools to address emerging offending type of behaviours.

Benefits:

• A generous annual leave entitlement of 28 days (rising to 33 days after 5 years continued local government service), plus Bank Holidays
• Enrolment to an excellent local government pension scheme
• An employee assistance programme including 24/7 wellbeing helpline
• A range of local & lifestyle discounts
• Use of a free onsite gym (located at Shute End office)
• Salary sacrifice car & cycle to work schemes
• And much more!

Key Aspects of the role:

We work with children who are at risk of offending or who have already offended to reduce the chances they will offend again and support them achieve their full potential. In your role, you will have to write an assessment of the child and co-produce an intervention plan with them. All your work with the child has to be timely recorded. There is a lot of case management and record keeping is an essential part of our job. We have a duty to safeguard our children whilst also protecting the public: safety assessments, safety management and safeguarding and welfare of the children we work with is an essential aspect of our role. We work in a multi-agency team and context: we support children as part of a network so you must be good at communicating with others to overcome barriers and achieve better outcomes for our children. Our role involves adherence to many pieces of legislation, frameworks, and guidance which you will have to learn and become familiar with to be able to deliver your role.

Candidate Requirements:

There is an essential requirement for this role to have a qualification in Social Work, Probation Services or Professional Certificate in Effective Practice (PCEP). Consideration for candidates without qualification will only be on the basis of them being currently employed as a youth justice worker in another service and to have held that post for a minimum of 6 months. For this particular role, candidates with a Teaching Qualification will also be considered, as well as anyone who has current experience of working with children in schools. Candidates that do not meet this essential requirement will not be shortlisted. You are knowledgeable about the Child First framework, trauma informed approaches. It is also desirable that you have knowledge of relevant criminal youth justice legislation, National Standards for Children in Youth Justice and Youth Justice Board best practice guidance. You are familiar with Restorative Justice and the support that victims of crime need. You can relate and engage with children and families.