Job Introduction
We have a great opportunity to join our Youth Justice and Support Service in a key role to help safeguard and support children involved in offending, as well as their parents, carers and others affected by their behaviour.
As a Youth Offending Team Officer, you’ll work directly with young people and their families to help children and young people achieve better outcomes and to keep communities safer. Our service has a focus on areas that directly impact on young people’s lives and the wider community.
This role is part of our proactive knife crime project pilot ACT-NOW (Achieving Change Together - Now) launched earlier this year with Thames Valley Police. As part of this, we intervene at the earliest opportunity (for instance, immediately after someone has been arrested for a knife offence) so that an intervention plan can be developed with the person, their family, carers at a ‘reachable’ and highly ‘teachable moment’.
You’ll ideally have a qualification in Youth Justice or relevant field and/or at least two years’ experience working with young people in a relevant field (Health, Education, Criminal Justice, Social Care, Police).
Main Responsibility
- Provide a responsive and reactive service to children and young people whilst they are in Police custody.
- Ensure that the likelihood of offending and risk of harm to others is reduced by effective assessment and risk management.
- Planning and delivering interventions in line with Criminal Justice, Children’s and other relevant legislation and in accordance with National Standards, Government guidance and local policy.
- Ensure that all children who are offending or at risk of offending are safeguarded and their wellbeing is promoted effectively, in line with national legislation and policy, enabling them to live safely within their family wherever possible.
- Work in partnership with key agencies, ensuring collaboration and information sharing for the benefit of the child or young person, victims of crime and the community at large and provide a quality youth justice service to the criminal courts as required by legislation and national standards.
The Ideal Candidate
- A recognised qualification and significant experience of working with young people.
- Understanding of the complexities of adolescence.
- An understanding of the Youth Justice System.
- Excellent communication skills and can quickly build rapport and relationships.
- Ability to assess, plan and complete direct work with young people.
- Flexible
- For this role you are required to have a full UK driving licence and provide evidence of your vehicle insurance with business cover and use of a vehicle. If you are successful, you will be required to supply evidence of your licence prior to starting the role.
- Should you be offered the role, as part of the pre-employment checks an Enhanced DBS will be actioned for you (unless you are on the DBS Update Service).
Package Description
In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:
- Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
- Excellent pension – everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
- A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support and a childcare subsidy.
- Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
- Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.
Our roles are either designated ‘site based’ or ‘home based’. ‘Site based’ roles can include up to two days a week working from home whilst ‘home based’ roles are based at home four days a week. Of course, managers designate which category roles are in based on the needs of the service and the circumstances.
About The Organisation
Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.
We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.
We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.
We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.
If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.
