Youth Justice Officer

ABOUT US

We are committed to improving our services for the children and families we support in West Sussex. In May 2023 Ofsted Inspectors praised West Sussex County Council's Children's Services for its 'relentless approach to improving practice,' giving the service an overall rating of 'requires improvement', with 'good' judgements for children in care and leadership and management. The judgements on children needing help and protection and children leaving care are they 'require improvement to be good'.

Inspectors recognised the 'strong, determined and cohesive leadership team' who have made significant improvements since 2019 and their commitment and focus to make further improvements.

For further information about us and about working in Children's Social Care at West Sussex County Council, please visit Careers in children's social work in West Sussex.

JOB DETAILS

West Sussex Youth Justice Service (YJS) is a high performing multi-agency statutory partnership which provides services before and after Court to meet the statutory requirements of the youth justice system. Its primary aim is to prevent offending and reduce reoffending by children. The service works in partnership with a variety of agencies to ensure children are offered appropriate intervention to address their risks, meet their needs and build on their strengths.

As a Youth Justice Officer you will be passionate about making a difference to high risk, complex and vulnerable children at risk of prosecution, on bail / remand, or subject to Court Orders; ensuring children involved in the youth justice system receive the right intervention at the right time to achieve and sustain best outcomes.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

Key Skills:

• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to explain complicated information to others and use negotiation and persuasion skills to influence the actions of others.
• Excellent literacy, numeracy and sound IT skills.
• Able to research, assess, analyse and interpret information and data from varying sources, prioritise needs and identify strengths.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise your workload.
• Able to gain trust and respect, and work in partnership with key stakeholders.
• Able to act in an appropriate manner, with discretion, whilst hearing confidential, sensitive or disturbing information.

Qualifications and experience:

• Relevant professional qualification recognised by one of the YJS statutory partner agencies (Social Work, Probation, Education, Health, Police), e.g. Social Work Degree, Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP), BA (Hons) Youth Work, Diploma in Counselling/Careers Guidance, PGCE, Registered Nurse qualification, Police Sergeant Level. (NB - Social Work qualified staff are required to be HCPC registered).

OR

• Youth Justice Effective Practice Certificate (YJEPC) and the Foundation Degree in Youth Justice, plus relevant training, and to have practised as a qualified Youth Justice Officer.
• Theoretical knowledge, practice, and skills in terms of youth justice and child/ adolescent behaviour, e.g., attachment and developmental trauma, child development, restorative practice, good lives model, desistance theory, RNR.
• Excellent assessment skills and experience of case management.
• Demonstrable experience of writing reports and presenting to a high standard in a Court/formal setting, being able to defend case and confidently challenge when appropriate.
• Extensive experience of multi-agency working to address the needs and risks of adolescents and their families.
• Training and development skills with the ability to successfully transfer bespoke knowledge and "up-skill" new colleagues to enhance and maximise their capabilities.

Please see the job description for more information.

BENEFITS

In addition to working within a great team and a brilliant opportunity you will receive:

• A competitive salary
• A generous pension scheme
• Training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring
• Flexible working

For a full list of the benefits, you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and cover letter. In your cover letter outline your motivations for applying and explain how you meet the key skills listed in full and the experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.