Youth Justice Liaison and Diversion Practitioner
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
In our quest to deliver patient-focused quality care we are looking to recruit a highly motivated, innovative & enthusiastic Youth Justice Liaison and Diversion Practitioner (RMN, OT or Social Worker).
The primary function of the role is to screen all young people who have been arrested for an extensive range of mental health, emotional and social needs, completing ongoing specialist assessments as required, and identifying and referring on to appropriate interventions to meet assessed need. The screening and assessment will inform the charging decision, thus diverting some young people from the criminal justice system or ensuring that their needs are met within it.
Main duties of the job
1. To ensure all young people referred to YJLD are offered timely screening and specialist assessment for mental health problems, neuro-developmental issues, conduct disorder, learning difficulties or disabilities, or other vulnerabilities.
2. To provide risk assessment and appropriate risk management for young people referred to YJLD with mental health problems, neuro-developmental issues, conduct disorder, learning difficulties or disabilities, or other vulnerabilities.
3. To ensure access to appropriate services to support children and young people referred through the YJLD scheme, acting as a care coordinator/lead practitioner, to identify needs and facilitate complex care plans, referring to health and social care agencies as required.
4. The YJLD practitioner will take a proactive role in ensuring young people engage with services they have been referred to, and that regular follow-ups with these services are undertaken to check the progress and engagement of the young person.
5. To liaise with Police, Crown Prosecution Service, and other Court stakeholders as appropriate with regard to children and young people's level of engagement and consent, in line with the protocol agreed between Youth Justice Services, Police, and Crown Prosecution Service.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
* Qualified Registered Mental Nurse, Mental Health Social Worker, or Occupational Therapist with current registration with the relevant professional body.
* Substantial evidence of continuing professional development and post-registration training.
Previous Experience
* Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary/multi-agency team.
* Post-registration experience in a community or forensic psychiatric setting at Band 6 or equivalent or above.
* Experience of crisis work and risk assessment.
* Experience of working in forensic psychiatry.
* Experience of the assessment of clients with drug/alcohol-related problems and clients with a history of transience or homelessness.
* Experience in Liaison and Diversion.
Skills and Knowledge
* Effective written and verbal communication skills.
* The ability to make comprehensive psycho-social assessments and good report writing skills.
* Ability to make sound and safe risk assessments.
* Evidence of effective time management and organisational skills.
* Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary/multi-agency team.
* Evidence of effective networking and liaison experience.
* Ability to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach that considers the needs of the whole person.
* Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills.
* Skills in assessing people with forensic history or need.
* Knowledge of current legislation relating to community mental health provision and forensic psychiatry.
* Knowledge of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 and PACE Codes of Practice 2004.
* Ability to promote users' involvement.
* Experience of working with vulnerable children and young persons.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
£51,883 to £58,544 a year per annum inc HCAS (pro rata if P/T)
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