Vacancy Information
Division / Department - Criminal Justice
Grade - Grade E
Status - Part Time
Contract Type - Fixed Term Contract
Salary Grade Range - £26,109 - £29,654
Working Hours - 18.0 Hours per Week
Shift Allowance -
Politically Restricted -
The starting salary for this role will usually be at the bottom of the salary range and will be pro-rata if the working hours are less than full time.
The Role
The purpose of this role is to provide an efficient and effective independent service to survivors of non-intimate stalking across Surrey. The post holder will be responsible for providing needs-led, trauma informed, strengths-based advocacy and support to individuals experiencing stalking and harassment and ensuring that the survivor’s voice is at the centre of their work.
You will act as a single point of contact for victims of non-intimate stalking. Providing practical advice to victims to support and assist victims in the cope and recovery phases of their experience. The nature of service required will vary depending on the needs and circumstances of each individual victim. This will range from shorter term interventions to deal with specific issues, to longer term, on-going support addressing a range of needs and/or supporting individuals through the criminal justice process. Support the empowerment of the survivors and assist them in recognising the features and dynamics of stalking present in their situation, in order to help them regain control of their lives.
You will manage and maintain contact throughout the victim journey, where victims have identified support needs. This includes face to face visits, incoming and outgoing phone calls, text messages and emails in order to ensure the victim is supported, informed and updated, via agreed timescales and their preferred method of contact. Caseworker will ensure compliance with the minimum requirements of The Victims Code of Practice. Providing trauma informed, strengths based advocacy, emotional and practical support and information to survivors in relation to legal options, housing, health and finance.
You will undertake a detailed needs assessment with all victims upon referral to establish their needs and identify appropriate support mechanisms, and deliver a tailored needs led support package. This may include making subsequent referrals to specialist support agencies, signposting or working with peers in other agencies who are engaged in supporting service users. Provide a proactive intervention service through individual safety planning and personal support. Work with survivors of stalking to help them access services to increase their safety, their children and “secondary” survivors. The Caseworkers work with a range of external partners, including statutory agencies and other third sector organisations developing strong links in the community to meet the needs of service users.
You will actively manage a caseload, ensuring each survivors receives the appropriate service, individual to their needs. Proactively identify knowledge gaps and training opportunities, aswell as attending core refresher training to ensure skills are kept up to date.
Key Responsibilities
1. Undertake victims needs assessments.
2. Deliver a support plan.
3. Ensure appropriate and dynamic risk assessments are conducted throughout the lifespan of all support cases, and escalate any issues of concern or risk matters to the Victim Liaison Team Leader, to ensure that necessary or proportionate steps are made to manage and deal with the risk.
4. Ensure safeguarding issues are appropriately dealt with and local safeguarding procedures followed.
5. Carry a caseload and provide direct support to victims who have been affected by crime against an agreed support plan, recording progress and monitoring outcomes achieved.
6. Maintain an awareness of victim progress and respond appropriately, by amending support plan and/or liaising with other service providers/statutory agencies. Input case notes and client information on case management system according to agreed timescales.
7. Understand multi-agency partnership structures and work within a multi-agency setting where possible, supporting effective risk management strategies, while maintaining an independent role on behalf of the survivors, keeping their safety central to any response.
8. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, both statutory and third sector in both formal and informal interactions in order to achieve the highest standard of service and support for victims, share data and open lines of communication. Liaise with and respond to and queries from other support agencies and parties involved in supporting victims of crime (i.e. Housing/Social Services).
9. Support victims through the criminal justice system, where support needs have been identified. This will include support in attending court, explaining the benefits of attendance at court, as well as the statutory consequences of not doing so. Listening to victims and witnesses to recognise issues which prevent court attendance at short notice and working with victims to overcome these. This may include attending court as an advocate on the day.
10. Responsible for prioritisation of own workload and effective time management in order to ensure the needs of the victim, and partner agencies are met. Ensure own knowledge and expertise is maintained and developed in to victim care, policy and initiatives.
11. Participate in appropriate and relevant local meetings as necessary to represent the needs and interests of victims and the service. Deliver any training, as necessary to key stakeholders or peers to raise awareness of the service. Offer guidance to key agency stakeholders to ensure the safety of survivors is paramount and safety measures are implemented.
12. Proactively research local support agencies to develop new links/referral pathways to meet the needs of victims.
13. To attend regular team meetings and contribute effectively and positively, bringing local issues, feedback and learning to share with the team.
14. When required, coach and train new members of staff in aspects of the Caseworker role.
15. Maintain awareness of support services available to victims and witnesses and ensure current understanding of how external organisations can assist victims and witnesses
16. Contribute to the implementation of initiatives within the Victim and Witness Care Unit, proactively suggest ideas in order to improve the experience of, and service provided to, victims and witnesses and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of processes and performance.
17. Support colleagues and partner agencies, through awareness raising, presentations, training delivery and institutional advocacy, in order to provide the best possible service for survivors of stalking.
18. Responsible handling and sharing of sensitive information. Maintain accurate case management records and databases
19. Maintain strict professional boundaries and security procedures.
Skills & Experience
Essential Skills:
1. Demonstrable experience in dealing with people in a customer focussed environment or supportive network for at least a period of approximately 12 months ▫
2. Demonstrable experience of supporting and encouraging customers to take personal action, along with the ability to adapt communication accordantly is critical. Ideally, including experience of dealing with vulnerable victims / witnesses
3. Excellent case management and administrative skills and ability to assimilate a thorough knowledge of practices and procedures that relate to the work involved ▫
4. Demonstrable well-developed interpersonal and verbal communication skills to liaise courteously with internal colleagues and partner agencies whilst maintaining confidentiality
5. Experience of being self responsible for decision making and managing a high caseload
6. Demonstrable experience of having an awareness of risks and the ability to know when to escalate them. Understand the principles of risk assessment, and ideally safety planning and risk management for victims of stalking, both primary and secondary victims.
7. Attention to detail combined with the ability to work to strict timescales as stipulated by the Victims Code
8. Ability to cope with pressure, work unsupervised and manage time effectively with the skill to deal with several issues at once
9. Demonstrable experience of working within a team of people and sharing knowledge
10. Good working knowledge of computer and the ability to produce clear, concise and accurate records
11. Experience of working within a multi-agency and legislative framework.
12. Ability to maintain professional knowledge and expertise to remain current as procedures and technology advance with a willingness to embrace and make suggestions for improvements in relation to criminal justice legislation, policy and initiatives
13. The post holder must have relevant experience or be willing to undertake necessary training or study
14. you must have strong crisis management skills and the ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations.
15. Be compassionate and empathetic
16. Show initiative and be proactive when managing your case load and interacting with your clients and agencies you’re working with.
17. Act with integrity and respect when working with all clients, agencies and individuals.
18. Work flexibly as part of a team.
19. Be optimistic about the possibility of personal growth and change.
20. Motivate individuals and agencies to move through courses of action and decision making processes.
Desirable Skills:
1. A good understanding of stalking including the impact of domestic abuse, sexual violence and gender based violence on victim/survivors and their children
2. Theoretical, practical and procedural knowledge of civil and criminal justice remedies for victims of stalking.
3. Understand child protection issues, and the legal responsibilities surrounding these issues.
4. Understand the remits and resources of relevant statutory bodies and voluntary agencies.
5. Understand and be committed to equal opportunities and diversity issues in policy and practice.
5. Experience of working with vulnerable people.
6. Experience in assisting with on the job training and coaching
7. Experience of working for a public funded body and responsibility for small expenditure and the impact that this has for overall budgets
8. Awareness of the impact of crime on a victim and the needs of victims
The post holder will be required to be vetted for security clearance.
The post holder will be required to undertake training in the use of secure communications systems.
Potential for some travel.
Further Information
For information that is not provided in this job application please contact:
Rachel.Roberts@surrey.pnn.police.uk
Daisy.Gibson@surrey.pnn.police.uk
The role is 18 hours a week based at Guildford Police Station. Starting salary is £23,204 per annum, pro rata.
Additional Information
Following submission of your application you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your application attached. Occasionally emails from this address can fall into spam/junk folders so please ensure this is checked regularly. You may wish to consider adding noreply@surreysussexpolice.as.recruitmail.com to your address/contact list to ensure you receive all communications.
This post is being advertised in parallel with Force redeployment processes. Any redeployees who are identified will be given preference. This may result in the post being withdrawn at any point during the recruitment process.
Please note that not all jobs are available for internal candidates across both Forces, the current agreed recruitment principles are;
- vacancies in collaborated units are available to all officers and staff across both Forces
- vacancies in non-collaborated units are only available to officers and staff within the Force with the vacancy unless it is advertised externally.
If the vacancy is advertised externally and an officer or member of staff from the other Force is success it will result in a transfer of employment
Surrey Police and Sussex Police Special Constables, Volunteers and Agency Staff (excluding self-employed workers) covered under the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) are eligible to apply for internal advertised posts.
Diversity Statement
We are only as good as our people. It's really important that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we know that as an organisation we'll grow from the variety of thinking, approach and skills that diversity brings; all of which help us deliver a better policing service. We strive to ensure how we deliver our services, provide information and how we recruit is open and accessible to all.
We have multiple staff support groups who help to improve our understanding of minority issues and ensure they are reflected in our work. We are proud members of the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and Disability Confident, a signatory of the Race at Work Charter and aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.
We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities. Regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status or religious beliefs, we would love to hear from you.