Specialist Criminal Justice Worker

Job Summary
We are looking for a dynamic and motivated Criminal Justice Engagement Worker to join our team, working with individuals within the criminal justice system to deliver high-quality, evidence-based interventions. This is an exciting opportunity to make a tangible difference by addressing substance misuse and supporting individuals on their journey to recovery.

In this role, you will engage with service users across Custody Suites, Prisons, and Probation services, facilitating harm reduction initiatives, promoting visible recovery, and collaborating with a multi-disciplinary team to achieve positive outcomes. Your work will focus on reducing drug and alcohol-related harm, building recovery capital, and ensuring continuity of care through scheduled appointments and partnership working.

This position is ideal for someone passionate about making a difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals while contributing to a safer and healthier community.

Main duties of the job

• Provision of drug & alcohol treatment to Service Users who are engaged in the criminal justice system within the locality.
• Provide in reach to a range of criminal justice settings to engage offenders in drug treatment
• Holding a caseload of service users and being responsible for offering a range of interventions to those individuals.
• Supporting service users through their treatment journey
• Engaging service users with wider Inclusion Community Services as suitable
• Embracing the concept of recovery and demonstrating this in your clinical work
• Ensuring that your work is evidence based, up to date and in accordance with current policy and legislation
• Keeping up to date and accurate records and documentation

About Us
Inclusion, created in 2002 is part of the Specialist Services Care Group of Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT). We provide caring and effective services across England, including, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, East Midlands, West Mercia, Thames Valley, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Thurrock, Essex. We support individuals, families and communities who are affected by addiction, crime, mental health or need treatment for their sexual health.

We believe that the individuals and families who use our services should receive high quality, committed and inclusive care, realising all the benefits a modern NHS organisation can provide. We work with patients and our staff teams to achieve the best outcomes we can. We invest heavily in training and development, and the wellbeing of our people, both staff and service users is central to who we are.

Here at MPFT, we are proud of the comprehensive wellbeing and lifestyle support offer available, in addition to in-house training and coaching support. Our services are robustly governed, evidence-based, inclusive, and designed and provided in conjunction with service users. We are committed to providing the best service we can, and if you share our values, we want you on our team

Details

Date posted

03 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

301-IT

Job locations

STaRS Newcastle-under-Lyme

Broad Street

Newcastle under Lyme

ST5 2BQ

Job Description
Job responsibilities

Please see the attached job description for the full list of duties and responsibilities. Here is a summary:

• To deliver effective brief interventions
• To work with service users in attendance and manage day today issues which arise upon release from custody or prisons etc
• To signpost to local services and empower service users to build their community networks and recovery capital.
• To promote visible and contagious recovery to service users within the criminal justice systems.
• To work collaboratively with all service users/partner agencies/stakeholders to identify the barriers that prevent people from all communities accessing a full range of services, including substance misuse mental health wellbeing and primary mental health services.
• To create and maintain a local Recovery Assets Register suitable for service users within the criminal justice systems
• Ensure all clients have scheduled appointments according to their needs and discern when issues are/are not an emergency which requires immediate action.
• Empower service users to develop their networks and recovery capital.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached job description for the full list of duties and responsibilities. Here is a summary:

• To deliver effective brief interventions
• To work with service users in attendance and manage day today issues which arise upon release from custody or prisons etc
• To signpost to local services and empower service users to build their community networks and recovery capital.
• To promote visible and contagious recovery to service users within the criminal justice systems.
• To work collaboratively with all service users/partner agencies/stakeholders to identify the barriers that prevent people from all communities accessing a full range of services, including substance misuse mental health wellbeing and primary mental health services.
• To create and maintain a local Recovery Assets Register suitable for service users within the criminal justice systems
• Ensure all clients have scheduled appointments according to their needs and discern when issues are/are not an emergency which requires immediate action.
• Empower service users to develop their networks and recovery capital.

Person Specification

Experience
Essential

• Professional development within area Foundation Degree / HNC in related field which may include counselling, social work, nursing, psychology, human resources, social studies Or Equivalent experience
• Considerable experience of working with drug users.
• A sound experience of working with techniques such as CBT, Motivational interviewing and Solution focused therapy

Skills
Essential

• A commitment to and understanding of harm reduction & recovery approaches to working with drug users.
• A sound knowledge of drugs and their effects: Knowledge of blood borne viruses and sexual health.
• Counselling skills, case management experience & the ability to work under pressure.

Person Specification

Essential

• A commitment to and understanding of harm reduction & recovery approaches to working with drug users.
• A sound knowledge of drugs and their effects: Knowledge of blood borne viruses and sexual health.
• Counselling skills, case management experience & the ability to work under pressure.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Inclusion

Address

STaRS Newcastle-under-Lyme

Broad Street

Newcastle under Lyme

ST5 2BQ

Employer's website

(Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Inclusion

Address

STaRS Newcastle-under-Lyme

Broad Street

Newcastle under Lyme

ST5 2BQ

Employer's website

(Opens in a new tab)