Senior Accommodation Support Officer

RSR Justice is a market leading recruitment business dedicated to providing top quality candidates and services to the offender rehabilitation and supervision work sectors.
RSR are currently recruiting for a Senior Accommodation Support Officer.
Our client, a charity dedicated to providing residential accommodation for vulnerable men, is urgently seeking Senior Accommodation Support Officer to join their current team at HMP Lewes, The Senior Accommodation Support Officer would provide support to our established team as they assist our participants with their housing needs through effective interventions. Our team of Accommodation Support Officers work with a caseload of adult males within the criminal justice system, in either a custodial or community setting. As a senior, you'll be on hand to provide advice and guidance to the team where needed, and we'll ask you to take care of a small amount of our more complex cases.
Location: HMP Lewes (Hybrid working, managing cases across Cawley and Guildford and occasional coverage at HMP Lewes) Travel around local area when required to attend meetings and participant appointments.
Contract: Permanent, Full Time
Work hours: Full time, 37 hours per week
Salary: £26,150 per annum starting salary
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Assist the Accommodation Team Support Manager in continuous improvement to practice and the delivery of a high-quality service.
To provide specialist housing law/process advice and guidance in Housing to participants, accommodation staff and other employees where required.
To provide coaching, mentoring and workshops to all members of the team to develop their standards of practice and knowledge.
To ensure the maintenance of up-to-date knowledge and skills in relation to housing advice, law and support for participants.
To provide a link between the work of the Excellence and Effectiveness (E&E) Directorate and frontline practice.
Work in close partnership with Probation Practitioners in order to understand and respond to the housing needs of participants, carrying out initial assessments and constructing a housing resettlement plan, taking account of risk and the needs to facilitate appropriate actions and outcomes.
Build and maintain an effective relationship with actual and potential referral agencies, authorities, stakeholders and organisations in order to facilitate referrals to programmes/ activities/ services as required and support participants housing needs.
Maintain responsive, accurate and timely use of the Authority case management system to ensure probation practitioners are aware of any contact and progress.
Maintaining contact on a regular basis with participants, actively and collaboratively engaging with them in relation to decisions that affect them, ensuring they have input in shaping the nature of services delivered to them.
To forge effective relationships with housing law experts in order to increase successful housing outcomes for participants.
To work with individuals and groups of staff in the team to identify learning needs and areas for development both in terms of housing and the skills required to work effectively with participants in custody and the community.
To provide regular supervision to a team of Accommodation Support Officers and to manage and monitor caseloads to meet contractual requirements.
There will be a requirement to attend Prisons on a regular basis to support custody-based employees. This will require prison vetting.
To coach and mentor staff to develop specialist housing skills, knowledge and understanding to deliver a high quality, outcome-based service.
To facilitate workshops, action learning sets and case discussion among colleagues to support more formal learning, peer learning and professional development.
To work directly with a caseload of individuals who, in particular require specialist advice to overcome legal barriers to gaining housing.
To countersign written practice as appropriate and contribute to dip sampling, auditing and other quality assurance activity to observe practice and provide feedback with the aim of improving quality of practice and service delivery.
To support improvement plans instigated by the Accommodation Support Team Manager at a team or individual level.
To liaise and attend meetings and work collaboratively with the E&E and wider Dynamic Framework team, to benchmark standards and approach to quality.
To assist the Accommodation Support Team Manager in the delivery and implementation of any new or local policies, guidance or initiatives
To identify and take the necessary actions to protect children and vulnerable adults and promote their welfare in accordance with safeguarding policies and procedures
Person Specification:
Essential to have a good working knowledge of the Housing Act 1996 and a thorough knowledge of housing options.
A thorough understanding of the homelessness reduction act 2017
A good understanding of the work of the Probation and Prison Service
Clear understanding of equal opportunities
Knowledge of the challenges faced by those leaving custody
Comprehensive knowledge of legal aid eligibility rules
Good understanding of learning styles and staff development techniques
An understanding of safeguarding.
You will require a DBS check for this role. We are able to process a DBS Check for you for you which is a requirement for this position.
If you would like to apply or want further information please contact .
Due to the high volume of applications received, if you do not hear from us within 7 working days, I am afraid your application has been unsuccessful.
RSR Justice is member of the Red Snapper Group.
The Red Snapper Group acts as an employment agency (permanent) and as an employment business (temporary) - a free and confidential service to candidates.
The Red Snapper Recruitment Group is an equal opportunities employer.
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: £26,150.00 per hour
Schedule:
8 hour shift
Day shift
Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person