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Youth Offending Team Officer

Please Note: The application deadline for this job has now passed.

Job Introduction

We have an exciting new position at the Youth Offending Service, initially, on a 12 months Fixed-Term Contract.  The successful candidate will work 37 hours a week.

Being a Youth Offending Team Officer (YOT) is a pivotal role in the work of the Youth Offending Team (YOT) responsible for working in a multi-agency/ multi-disciplinary team to ensure that children at risk of or who have become involved in offending, their parents/carers and those directly affected by their behaviour (including identified victims) are effectively safeguarded and supported, enabling them to lead positive lives. The Youth Offending Service (YOS) has changed as part of a wider restructure bringing together other key services including the multi-agency Missing and Exploitation Hub (ME Hub), the Stay Safe Team and the Young People’s Drug and Alcohol (YPDA) Team to join the Youth Offending Team in providing a broader based cohesive service that can focus on key areas that directly impact upon young people’s lives and the wider community.

This post is funded as part of an exciting new pilot project being launched by the Youth Offending Service in partnership with Thames Valley Police. ACT-NOW (Achieving Change Together) is a proactive and responsive child-focused approach to reducing knife crime in Milton Keynes. The key elements of this approach include providing an immediate response to young people arrested for knife offences whilst in Police custody. Intervening at the earliest opportunity allows for a timely assessment and intervention plan to be developed in partnership with young people and parents/carers and other key organisations, at a reachable and teachable moment.

The successful candidates will work directly with young people and their families in the community to address identified risks and needs to support children and young people to achieve better outcomes and to keep communities safer.

The caseload will require the post-holder to manage competing priorities and demands for complex young people who are likely to present with a variety of risk and need factors. The role includes close partnership working with the wider YOS team and professional colleagues in Police; Children Social Care; Probation; Health and Education.

The successful candidates will require an Enhanced DBS check and hold a current driving licence. All members of staff are required to go through Safer Recruitment checks before joining the service.

Interviews will take place on 18th and 19th July 2022.

Main Responsibility

  • To provide a responsive and reactive service to children and young people whilst they are in Police custody.
  • To ensure that the likelihood of offending and risk of harm to others is reduced by effective assessment, 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.
  •  To 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
  •  To 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

  • The successful candidate will have a recognised qualification and substantial experience gained in Social Work, Policing, Education, Youth Work, Youth Justice / Criminal Justice or Health relevant setting.
  • A sound knowledge of Criminal Justice Legislation and the Youth Justice System, including Out of Court Disposals (OOCD).  
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills and good IT skills with the ability to complete and present holistic assessments to assess likelihood of offending, risk of harm to others and risks to children and young people’s safety and wellbeing. This includes the requirement to analyse, summarise and write / record relevant information clearly and concisely so that it is easily understood by service users and colleagues.
  • Able to collect, analyse and make judgements in high risk / complex cases and to use these to develop, implement, monitor and enforce effective interventions that are child and family centred and treat all with respect and with empathy whilst balancing the needs of victims and the community. Ability to question, challenge, solve problems and complete complex tasks with limited day to day guidance.
  • Able to make considered decisions, analyse and evaluate information in high-risk cases with limited management oversight.
  •  Able to manage own work, prioritise, plan and use time efficiently and to take responsibility for co-ordinating designated areas of the service including planned work of others, with the flexibility and ability to support other staff when need arises.
  • Ability to work as part of a multi-agency / multi-disciplinary team working co-operatively in partnership with other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of the child / young person parents and / or victims.
  • Must be a self- motivating, self - directed and resilient individual with the ability to display initiative but also to work under direction according to guidance policy and Standards for Children in the Youth Justice System.
  • Take responsibility for quality and completion of own work within standards, with the flexibility to adapt to change and contribute significantly to, and lead service development in designated areas.
  • Able to find imaginative and cost-effective solutions to meet service users needs. Flexible and willing approach to working hours.
  • A strong commitment to person-centred, anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice.

Package Description

​We are really proud of the benefits we are able to offer our staff here at Milton Keynes Council, including:-

  • Local Government Pension Scheme, considered to be one of the best employer contribution rates of 18.8%
  • 27 days annual leave per year in addition to statutory and public holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years
  • Holiday Purchase Scheme
  • Our Professional Development Centre provides access to courses such as in-house management development programmes endorsed by the Institute of Leadership, Apprenticeship Programmes (junior and senior), coaching and mentoring and access to our Smarter Learning portal
  • Cycle to Work Scheme
  • Health Cashplan
  • MK Advantage benefits package – a range of savings on a wide range of retail, leisure and entertainment products and services such as Pizza Express, M&S, B&Q, John Lewis and Arriva Travel.
  • SmartGo – Aimed at encouraging low-carbon transport and healthy lifestyle with discounted travel e.g. Halfords, Arriva, Europcar, National Railcards and Stagecoach.
  • Homebuy Scheme (for eligible roles)
  • Smarter working which provides the opportunity to work from various locations including from home for a proportion of your role (subject to business needs)
  • A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Paternity entitlements
  • Childcare Subsidy

About The Organisation

Milton Keynes is a diverse, welcoming, and expanding place, built on smart ideas with even bigger plans for the future. We have world class attractions, beautiful open spaces, and a great standard of living.

Milton Keynes Council is one of the largest employers in the region, making a difference every day for local people. We’re responsible for all local government services in MK including education, housing, highways, and social services - around 240 services in all.

Our values are to be dedicated, respectful, and collaborative. If this sounds like you, join us for a stimulating and fulfilling career measured on results, and a rewarding work-life balance.

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