Witness Care Officer

Witness Care Officer

Closing Date: Tuesday 2 April 2024
Work Type: Full Time (37 hours) – Permanent
Salary: £24,921 - £27,789 per annum
Department: Joint Justice Services
Location: Carmelite House, Norwich – Hybrid (Rota)

Please quote Ref: L3428 on application form

Activities and Responsibilities of the Post

Principle Purpose of the role

Working within the Criminal Justice Team, based at Carmelite House, Norwich, as a Witness Care Officer you will deliver all aspects of victim and Witness Care in accordance with legislation and relevant codes of practice, service level agreements, policies and procedures whilst keeping victims and witnesses of crime updated throughout the criminal justice process. This Job is about making a difference to victims as a single point of contact.

Principally you will be communicating with victims and witnesses from a variety of different backgrounds with wide-ranging needs and capabilities. You will assess their needs and provide information about court and giving evidence. The role demands a high level of initiative and problem- solving skills, in particular co-ordinating witness arrangements or requirements whilst communicating with other internal and external agencies. This is a fast- paced role, frequently requiring reaction to last minute changes in the court listing and delivering difficult news.

You will need to Meet Statutory obligations under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (Victims Code).

You should have previous experience of working with people from a variety of backgrounds and have excellent communication skills. You will be adaptable and be able to work to tight deadlines. You should have good numeracy and literacy skills with a Grade C or equivalent GCSE Maths and English. An Understanding of mental health awareness would be an advantage.

Main Activities of the Role

• Provide victims and witnesses with a single point of contact
• Ensure accurate and timely updates to victims and witnesses, responding to enquiries regarding the progress of a case and explaining any outcomes at court in accordance with statutory requirements of the Victim’s Code of Practice and the Witness Charter
• Complete Standard Needs Assessment with every victim and witness who is required to give evidence at court in accordance with statutory requirements of Victim’s Code and the Witness Charter, including; special measures, victim personal statement and Business Impact Statement, including arrangements for reading at court
• Provide victims and witnesses with access to a range of support options through the Victim and Witness Support Contact Directory
• Liaise with Prosecutors, Courts, front line police officers, Victim Support and other specialist departments on victim and witness issues and resolving any difficulties
• Liaise with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Finance Department regarding any financial assistance required for victims and witnesses attending court
• Respond to requests for further work from CPS, initiating additional enquiries and obtaining further information
• Update and manage paperwork and IT systems as directed, logging details in accordance with the Victims Code, the Witness Charter and Force Policy
• Organise and obtain information to establish Remote Live Links for witness from locations other than the trial venue, form the UK and Abroad
• Ensure compliance with the National File Quality Framework Assessment, in relation to Victim Personal Statements, Business Impact Statements and application for orders on conviction or acquittal
• Maintain effective working relationships with police officers, supervisors, Resource Management Unit, staff and other criminal justice partners
• Maintain professional competence by keeping up to date with changes to relevant legislation, codes of practice, policy and guidance and communicating this to colleagues
• Any other duties that are commensurate with the role and grade as may reasonably be requested by line management

Person Specification

It is essential that applicants meet the following criteria:

• Good numeracy and literacy skills
• Demonstrate an understanding of the Criminal Justice System
• Experience of dealing with the people from a variety of backgrounds, with wide-ranging needs and varied capabilities
• Demonstrate the ability to work in a customer focused environment
• Ability to work under own initiative to find solutions whilst working to set standards
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience of working to high levels of accuracy and quality standards
• Problem solving and decision-making skills with the ability to interpet information from a number of sources identifying any deficiencies or shortcomings
• Administrative and organisational skills to prioritise and manage workloads within given deadlines
• Good keyboard skills with a sound knowledge of Microsoft Office, in particular Word, Outlook and Excel

It is desirable that applicants meet the following criteria:

• Knowledge of data protection principles
• An understanding of the impact of crime on the different communities the team serves
• Understanding of mental health awareness
• Knowledge of equalities and diversity principle

Hours of work 37 per week Monday to Friday. This post is offered on a permanent basis.

Special conditions / Points to note

• The purpose of this job description is to indicate the general level of the duties and responsibility of the role, the duties may from time to time vary without changing the general character of the role or the levels of responsibilities
• Whilst the role is normally based at the aforementioned location, you may be required to work at other establishments across both Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies as may be reasonably required. Police Staff Conditions of Service will be adhered to in such instances
• All duties must be carried out in accordance with relevant Health and Safety legislation and good practice. A ‘No Smoking in the Work Place’ policy applies.
• All duties must be carried out in a manner that supports the Constabulary’s commitment to equality and inclusion

Norfolk and Suffolk constabularies are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

Consideration will be given to whether the post can be delivered on either a part time or job share basis, in line with the organisational requirements of this role.

The recruitment criteria for all posts are subject to reasonable adjustment in line with the Equality Act 2010.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £24,921.00-£27,789.00 per year

Benefits:

• Work from home

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: L3428