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West Sussex Youth Justice Service (YJS) is a high performing multi-agency statutory partnership which provides services before and after court to meet the statutory requirements of the youth justice system. Its primary aim is to prevent offending and reduce reoffending by children. Further, the service seeks to repair the harm caused to victims and communities by addressing the root causes of offending and reoffending by children.

Salary: £28,371 - £31,099
Working Pattern: Full Time (37 hours)
Contract Length: Fixed Term until 31/03/2025
Location: Worthing (however work will be countywide)

Children who use substances and alcohol often experience significant difficulties in school. We are looking for someone to work alongside education providers for children not in mainstream school who often have the worst outcome both educationally but also more generally. This role will support children either individually or in groups who are known to YJS and experiencing difficulty in their educational provision as a result of substance use.

The post holder will work proactively to provide intervention and support within the education setting, trying to ensure that identified children remain in education and are able to access the same
opportunities as their non-substance using peers.

This post will provide support and consultation to education providers working with children where substance misuse is a concern, helping them to develop best policy and practice in this area, and will deliver training to education professionals with the aim of improving education outcomes for this
group of vulnerable children.

Key Skills:

• Good interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to explain information to others and use advisory, negotiation and persuasion skills to influence the actions of others
• Ability to gain trust and respect, and work in partnership with children, parents, carers, colleagues and external agencies to deliver an effective service, and work creatively and sensitively in a problem-solving way
• Ability to research, assess, analyse and interpret information and data from varying sources, prioritise needs and identify strengths, to effectively formulate collaborative plans for substance use intervention and service provision, including the voice of children and families
• Ability to act in an appropriate manner, with discretion, whilst hearing confidential, sensitive or disturbing information
• Good organisational skills and the ability to prioritise your workload to effectively respond to unanticipated problems, whilst recognising the limit of your own accountability and responsibility and when to seek appropriate support, advice and supervision
• Ability to design, deliver and evaluate substance use training packages / workshops

Qualifications and/or experience:

• Degree level qualification, or equivalent qualification, in a relevant field, for example, psychology, child/social care, youth work or criminology, or equivalent demonstrable experience of working within these fields with a good theoretical, practical and procedural knowledge of the theory and principles of addressing substance use
• Qualification in Adult Training, for example, DTTLA or equivalent – Desirable
• Experience of training, teaching, presenting and/or facilitating groups
• Experience of delivering substance use interventions to children
• Experience of multi-agency working
• Experience of writing reports to a high standard
• Experience of working/volunteering in youth justice services, schools, or residential establishments - Desirable

As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.

In addition to working within a great team and a brilliant opportunity you will receive:

• A competitive salary
• 26 days annual leave + bank holidays
• A generous pension scheme
• Training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring
• Flexible working
• A range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers with the opportunity to save over £1,000 (Including: Argos, Samsung, Asos, B&Q and many more)
• Free access to employee assistance programmes
• Discounted membership at selected local sports and fitness centres
• A range of commuting and business travel discounts and initiatives

For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.

The reference number for this role is CAFHE04149 .

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact [email protected]. For issues or queries regarding your application please contact [email protected].

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and cover letter. In your cover letter outline your motivations for applying and explain how you meet the key skills listed in full and the experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to an enhanced SWE Registration, DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.

West Sussex County Council is an equal opportunities employer committed to promoting an environment that is inclusive and free from all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination and values the diversity of its people. We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and take every possible step to ensure that no individual will be disadvantaged.

For information regarding your eligibility to apply for this role under our Disability or Veteran’s Guaranteed Interview Scheme, this can be found on our application help page.