Youth Justice Practitioner

Job Introduction
**Are you passionate about children's outcomes?**

**Do you have experience of engaging complex, hard to engage children in positive and meaningful professional relationships?**

**Do you have a experience of understanding the complexities around trauma informed practiced and supporting children who have entered the criminal justice system?**

We are looking for a strong and confident advocate to support our children within the YJS access opportunities that will help to divert them from offending and shape their future.

Mainstream adolescents face difficulties and challenges in engaging in Education, Training or Employment opportunities navigating their way into adulthood, and with YJS young people the barriers they face increase further due to being involved with the criminal justice service. They are often complex children with multiple needs experiencing difficult and sometimes dangerous situations. You will be responsible for ensuring we have an accurate picture of the child and be a key link for partners to ensure we support children to overcome barriers that are impacting on their engagement in society.

The Youth Justice Service is part of the specialist adolescent team with a remit to support children who are involved within the criminal justice system and where possible divert them from becoming criminalised. As a statutory service responsible for delivering the Youth Justice Boards (YJB) national objectives we work with complex children with a range of needs. We seek to empower children to make change whilst being safe from criminal exploitation and having their basic needs met.

The Youth Justice service (YJS) has a committed, experienced and dedicated team who seek to engage children using Child First principles and trauma informed practice. We work to ensure that under 18’s are seen as children within the criminal justice system as part of child first principles, whilst maintaining supervision standards that meet national requirements as set out in accordance with the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the Children’s Act 1989 and associated legislation. This includes assessment, report writing and direct work with children and young people with complex needs, including those at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation and those who present the highest risk to the community.

This role requires you to work across the county as well as in your locality team to actively support young people within the Youth Justice service, both on your caseload and as part of duty responsibilities such as court. You have the opportunity to think creatively to engage hard to reach young people and support them in understanding the impact of their behaviours on themselves, victims and the wider community. We adopt a strong strengths based practice approach and seek to engage children in a meaningful way to seek diversionary activities and opportunities for them. You will support Young People whilst ensuring key performance indicators for both the YJS and the East Sussex County council are met. This gives the role holder the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of children and their future outcomes.

It involves working in partnership with police, schools, courts, Mental health Services, Children's social care, colleges, alternative education providers and commissioned services to ensure that YJS children can access the same opportunities as their peers. This requires skill in creating and maintaining robust relationships that allow open conversations and at times challenge to ensure that we are working in a child first way.

Please see the full job description for a list of all criteria.

Interviews will take place in-person unless travel makes this unrealistic. Interviews will be taking place on Tuesday 5th March. If you are unavailable on this date, let us know and we may be able to schedule an alternative date to interview you.

This role is an exciting and unique opportunity to have a real impact on complex children's resilience and motivation to change, in order to give them the best chance of reaching their full potential going forward and making a lasting impact on their lives.

We offer a diverse range of benefits to help and support you during your employment. More information can be found on our benefits page.
- ._**_For work that makes a difference_**

Additional Information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.

Due to the restrictions we cannot guarantee that individuals that meet the requirements of the Points-based Immigration System will be issued with clearance to obtain work permits.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, due to disability, to enable you to participate fully in the process please contact the hiring manager on the contact details above.

Company Information

Package Description