Do you believe that every individual who is arrested for an allegation should be sent to prison and the key thrown away? If so, this is not the job for you.

However if you recognize that a person’s past experiences and health needs can be contributing factors in them getting involved with the Criminal Justice System, and that by identifying and reducing health needs, individuals can make positive changes and, in doing so, reduce the risk of them reoffending. Then please continue reading, we would love to hear from you ….

Aggressive? Or suffering from a mental health condition?

Uncooperative? Or lacking communication skills?

Substance misuser? Or suffering from a head injury?

Resistive? Or scared?

Repeat offender? Or victim?

A risk to the public? Or a child?

When you’re a Liaison and Diversion Practitioner you need to call on all your expertise and skills to identify the vulnerabilities of people in custody or court. Often, your decision will contribute towards the course of action. Plus, Police Officers will be waiting for your assessment.

This makes this job of the most challenging – but also rewarding – roles you can have.

Liaison and Diversion Practitioner Youth Pathway, Staffordshire
Band 5 Full-Time (37.5 hours - rota)

The Staffordshire Liaison and Diversion Service are looking to recruit a Band 5 Liaison and Diversion Practitioner (Social Worker/Mental Health Nurse/Registered General Nurse/ Learning Disability Nurse/Speech and Language therapist or Occupational Therapist).

The Liaison and Diversion Service youth pathway operates across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent: It is commissioned through NHS England and delivered by Midland Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Within police custody, individuals are referred to Liaison and Diversion Practitioners by Staffordshire Police. Individuals may be referred to the service when they present with a range of vulnerabilities, which may include: mental illness, alcohol and substance use, homelessness, acquired brain injury, learning disabilities, physical health issues, speech and language communication difficulties.

Following screening and assessment, staff may make recommendations for safe and fair criminal justice processes and outcomes. This may require liaison with a range of allied professionals including the police, probation, solicitors, court judiciary, mental health teams, GP surgeries, local authorities, etc. Individuals are assessed at the earliest opportunity. This means that the Liaison and Diversion role within custody is, at times, fast pace and highly demanding. The assessments are holistic covering all areas of need. Close multi-agency working required with police to ensure that needs and risks appropriately assessed; where required clear plan indicated to address needs or risks identified.

You will also have knowledge and/or experience of working with one or more of the above identified groups of people and this could be in the NHS, the Local Authority, CAMHS, or other services such as alcohol and substance misuse services. Most importantly, you will be dynamic and persevering in your work, be naturally enquiring and inquisitive, have excellent risk assessment and report writing skills, and the ability to quickly establish and develop rapport with service users and careers.

Alongside multi-agency working with Police colleagues, Liaison and Diversion Service also works closely with criminal justice partners within Court.

A large area of the Liaison and Diversion Service is within the Outreach Pathway. After initial assessment within Custody or Court; individuals may be referred to Outreach Pathway where needs have been identified. The role of Outreach is to refer to and empower individuals to engage with services in order to address unmet need, support through elements of the Criminal Justice Process and to monitor for changes in risk. The Outreach role required collaborative working with wider services.

The Liaison and Diversion role demands good working relationship with the police and healthcare in custody, alongside other Criminal Justice Partners and wider agencies / services. The team is looking for a dynamic, proactive, enthusiastic and highly skilled professional who is confident to make sound clinical decisions and give appropriate recommendation. Due to the working patterns, there is a proportion of autonomous working and community based working.

The service operates Monday to Friday 9am until 5pm it does not operate 24hrs however will provide extended hours to fit the service needs if young people can only see you before or after school. Should you wish to understand more in relation to the rota or shift patterns, please contact: nicola.forster@mpft.nhs.uk

The post holder will be based in Stafford. The successful candidate will be expected to complete complex assessments within police custody and court settings, alongside assessments and support within the community. The post holder will be expected to make clinical decisions on complex and, potentially, high risk clients.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the Community.

Alongside Trust requirements of an Enhanced DBS Check, the post holder will be required to be vetted by West Mercia Police and post will be subject to vetting being approved.

For an informal discussion, to arrange a visit, or for further information please contact Nicola Forster, Team Leader, at nicola.forster@mpft.nhs.uk

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

301-VA-22-144991