2844 - Probation Services Officer - Offender Personality Disorder - Thames Valley Wide - Slough
The service covers Hampshire Area of the South-Central Probation Service. The IIRMS intervention service works directly with men and women who screen into the OPD pathway and require a higher level of support to successfully integrate into the community.
The work starts pre-release, continues through release and for a significant period thereafter. Working primarily in the IIRMS part of the service, you will work directly with the service users, using a collaboratively developed ‘formulation’ and intervention plan, actively supported by, and in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team from both the NHS and the Probation Service.
Your formal base will be a Probation Office near your home location, but you will be expected to travel to work in Probation Offices in the 3 Hampshire/IOW PDU’s as well as Ravenswood House (Knowle) where the HMAPS team are based. You will be line managed by a Senior Probation Officer within the local OPD partnership.You will work in a multi-disciplinary team alongside probation officers, forensic and clinical psychologists, clinical nurse specialists, health care support workers and an Occupational Therapist. Support will be provided in working effectively with people with personality/relational difficulties.
There will be opportunities to develop areas of expertise with benefits, housing and/or substance misuse. We welcome applications from experienced PSO's with backgrounds in any of these areas.
The role requires a high degree of motivation and commitment to a relational, compassionate, attachment-based approach with clients. There is a strong ethos towards team collaboration and working. The HMAPS team works with People on Probation pre-release whilst in prison, including collaboratively developing support plans for release, then into the community for an extended period.Therefore, the role will require some work in Prisons and at local Approved Premises. It may also require supporting and accompanying clients to external appointments such as GP registration, bank account set up, benefits assessments and to pursue employment, hobbies, and sports activities.
As such a flexible approach is required, with a willingness to travel. Responsibility for case management of IIRMS clients remains with the community practitioner so this is generally an interventions focused role.
Specific Responsibilities:
Working in partnership with HMAPS colleagues in the delivery of services as part of IIRMS and the Core OM work to people on probation, both face to face and outside of office environments as required.
Ensuring that risk management stays at the forefront of all interventions whilst delivering the OPD pathway services as part of IIRMS or in APs.
Working directly with service users with complex needs in a multi-agency and multi-disciplinary context.
Contribute to developing psychologically informed regime within APs in the locality.
Participate in the development and delivery of the Intensive Intervention and Risk Management Service (IIRMS), including the staffing of the community “Hub” and delivering group work in Approved Premises, or the Hub, as required with other HMAPS colleagues.
Employing a relational, compassionate and warm, empathic, boundaried approach with service users and modelling this approach to other PS staff.
Communicating with PS staff in relation to the OPD pathway, referrals and access to services
Working to innovate and develop the service where required
Working closely with colleagues across the partnership, to ensure effective service delivery.
Ensuring the aims, objectives and values of the pathway underpin all work delivered
Contributing to improving probation staff’s understanding of the OPD pathway and the people it supports.
To engage in weekly team supervision and regular Reflective practice
Overview of the job
The job holder will undertake the full range of work with people on probation before and after sentence. This will include assessment, sentence implementation, offender management and producing reports. The job holder will provide case management support to a full range of people on probation utilising service procedures and practice directions that underpin professional judgement.
Summary
To assess and manage the risk (including risk management plans and escalation) posed by people on probation to protect victims of crime and the general public by:
- Liaising, providing information and advice to criminal courts, criminal justice agencies and other partner agencies.
- Supervise and manage risk of those people on probation subject to community sentences, during and after custodial sentences.
- Work with other agencies and groups to prevent crime and meet the needs of victims and people on probation.
In line with PS policies and procedures, the job holder must at all times demonstrate a commitment to equality and inclusion and an understanding of their relevance to the work they do.
The post holder must adhere to all policies in respect of the sensitive/confidential nature of the information handled whilst working in this position.
If relevant to the role, some out of hours working may be required (i.e. Courts, Approved Premises, programmes, evening reporting etc.).