VFESS Caseworker
EAST BERKSHIRE AREA
Hours FT: 37.5
Salary: £23,369
Planned Start Date 01/03/22 This role is offered on a fixed term contract basis until March 2023.
Victims First Emotional Support Service – Caseworker
Postholder Reports to: The Victims First Emotional Support Service Manager
Job Description and Personal Specification
Thames Valley Partnership is an established registered charity of 27 years’ operating a range of support programmes across the three Thames Valley counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. The Victims First Emotional Support Service (VFESS) is one of these services, offering support to victims of crime. The programme works closely with the Victims First Hub (operated by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner Thames Valley) as is this is the main route for victim referrals into the VFESS service.
Role: The Victims First Emotional Support Services (VFESS) is a programme offering support to victims of crime, working under the umbrella of the Thames Valley Partnership charity. Reporting to the VFESS Service Manager, the role will provide bespoke one-to-one support to victims in their locality including developing and managing a small team of volunteer caseworkers. The post holder will ensure that victims receive the support required to cope and recover from their experience and navigate their journey through the Criminal Justice system. This role is home-based, close to the locality within which the caseworker will work.
Key Tasks:
- To ensure that each victim receives individual tailored support that meets their needs based on a casework approach
- To ensure timely onward referral to specialist and other services including safeguarding processes if appropriate
- To respond to an average of 4- 5 new referrals a week
- To make initial personal contact with victims within 10 working days and establish their preferred method of support (face-to-face/telephone/Zoom) and follow a needs/risk assessment process
- To organise work load around likely referral peaks and troughs for referrals
- To develop use of text/email/telephone contact according to client preference and confidentiality considerations.
- To keep regular and effective records of client work undertaken and log data as required
- To oversee volunteers who will be recruited to support this role and admin processes
- To contribute to the development and use of the Outcomes Star (outcome monitoring tool) and to receive training in its use and implementation
- To identify and build links with partner organisations that can provide additional and specialist support services for victims and contribute to the development of a Victims’ Directory of Services
Personal Specification
Skills, Knowledge and Abilities
Essential
- Needs assessment, motivational and action planning skills
- Knowledge of or willingness to learn evidenced based models of casework interventions
- Demonstrable ability to advocate on behalf of clients/victims
- Excellent listening and communication skills – verbal and written
- A wide knowledge of Victims’ Services within the Criminal Justice sector
- Ability to collect and share information effectively
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
- Good knowledge of office/administrative IT systems and social media
- Knowledge of risk management and safeguarding issues
- Ability to keep regular and up to date records/client contacts when working under pressure
- Skills and knowledge necessary to work effectively with staff from other agencies.
- Knowledge of best practice in the support of Volunteers
Personal Characteristics
Essential
- An ability to demonstrate empathy and understanding of a victim’s situation
- Flexible thinker with a concern to promote positive change and innovation in service delivery
- An ability to demonstrate commitment to anti-discriminatory practice
- A people-centered approach. Ability to work at pace, absorb pressure and keep to tight deadlines
- Commitment to Continuous Professional Development and Learning
Other
- Required to travel within and outside of Thames Valley on occasions
- Be willing to work flexibly outside office hours
- Be willing to undertake stand-by on call cover for emergencies on a rota basis
- Be able to deal with all information on a confidential basis
Thames Valley Partnership is an equal opportunities employer; the aim of our policy is to ensure no job applicant, employee or worker is discriminated against either directly or indirectly on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religious belief, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age or disability. We do not disbar applicants with criminal convictions and are mindful of the requirements of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974
How to apply
A full Job Description can be downloaded from the Thames Valley Partnership website via https://thamesvalleypartnership.org.uk/news
Application deadline: 18/02/2022
Web link: https://thamesvalleypartnership.org.uk
Phone number: 01844202001
More about Thames Valley Partnership
Thames Valley Partnership was established to support people impacted upon by the Criminal Justice Sector. We look after victims of crime, offenders and their families.