Overview

Criminal Justice Recovery Worker – Medway

Permanent

£26,000-£28,000

We are looking for a compassionate, resilient and motivated Criminal Justice Recovery Worker to join our Medway RIVER Treatment and Recovery Service. This is an exciting opportunity to work with adults involved in the criminal justice system, supporting them to access treatment, reduce offending behaviour and achieve sustainable recovery.

About the Role

Working within Medway RIVER Treatment and Recovery Services, you will provide specialist drug and alcohol support to adults aged 18 and over who have had contact with the criminal justice system and require support to address their substance use and improve their health, wellbeing and recovery outcomes.

Medway RIVER delivers integrated substance misuse treatment across Medway, providing a range of clinical, psychosocial and recovery-focused interventions. As a Criminal Justice Recovery Worker, you will engage individuals referred through police custody, probation services, prisons, courts and other criminal justice pathways, supporting them to access and remain engaged in treatment.

You will manage a diverse caseload, carrying out comprehensive assessments, risk assessments and recovery planning. Working collaboratively with each individual, you will develop SMART care plans that reflect their strengths, needs and goals, delivering structured one-to-one and group interventions that promote recovery, reduce substance-related harm and support long-term behavioural change.

Building strong partnerships is central to this role. You will work closely with probation, police, prison healthcare teams, courts and a wide range of community agencies, including housing, employment, healthcare and social care providers, to ensure service users receive coordinated, person-centred support.

This role requires flexibility to deliver services across a variety of community and criminal justice settings, including outreach locations, probation offices and prisons across Medway and Kent, where required.

Key Responsibilities

  • Manage a caseload of individuals accessing criminal justice substance misuse services.
  • Complete comprehensive assessments, risk assessments and recovery plans.
  • Develop and review SMART care plans that support recovery and reduce reoffending.
  • Deliver high-quality one-to-one and group interventions.
  • Promote harm reduction, recovery and healthier lifestyles.
  • Support service users to access housing, healthcare, employment, education and other community resources.
  • Work collaboratively with criminal justice partners to improve outcomes.
  • Maintain accurate, timely and confidential case records.
  • Contribute to safeguarding and risk management processes.
  • Promote equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of service delivery.

About You

We’re looking for someone who is empathetic, proactive and committed to supporting people with complex needs to achieve lasting change. You’ll be able to build trusting relationships while maintaining professional boundaries and managing risk effectively.

You’ll have excellent communication and organisational skills, be confident working independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, and remain calm and professional when working with individuals who may present with challenging behaviours.

Essential Criteria

  • Experience of working with vulnerable adults within health, social care, criminal justice or substance misuse services.
  • Ability and willingness to travel either by car or public transport to prison locations in Kent for inreach work
  • Experience of carrying out assessments and developing SMART care or recovery plans.
  • Understanding of individuals with multiple and complex needs, including co-occurring mental health and substance misuse issues.
  • Experience delivering one-to-one interventions that support positive behaviour change.
  • Ability to engage, motivate and build positive relationships with people experiencing multiple disadvantages.
  • Good understanding of substance misuse, harm reduction and recovery approaches.
  • Knowledge of safeguarding procedures relating to vulnerable adults and children.
  • Experience of managing and prioritising a varied caseload.
  • Ability to work confidently and patiently with individuals who may be reluctant to engage or display challenging behaviour.
  • Strong administrative, recording and report-writing skills.
  • Good IT skills, including experience using Microsoft Office and electronic case management systems.
Please note: This role requires HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) prison security vetting, which typically takes 4–8 weeks to complete. Applicants who have lived outside the UK for 6 months or more within the last 5 years may be required to provide overseas police clearance certificates, which could extend the vetting process.

About Us

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits – 

  • Flexible working
  •  Support for Families – We support our employees through every stage of family life by offering enhanced maternity and paternity pay for eligible employees who have completed 26 weeks’ continuous service, alongside family-friendly policies and a supportive, inclusive workplace. If you’d like more information about our family-friendly benefits, please contact our Recruitment Team at recruitment@forwardtrust.org.uk 
  • Training and development opportunities
    • Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
    • Season Ticket Loan Scheme 
    • Cycle to work scheme
    • Crisis Loan Scheme
    • Electric Car Scheme
    • 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata’d for part time employees)
    • Access to Blue Light Card
    • 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays 
    • Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter 
    • Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary) 
    • Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)
    Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
     
    Diversity at Forward Trust
    The Forward Trust commits to providing opportunities to everyone. We want to ensure we have a diverse team with a range of lived and professional experiences. This includes those with ‘Lived Experience’ of addiction, offending, or homelessness. Some of our roles may require a minimum period of sustained recovery (normally around 3 years). This is assessed on a case-by-case basis, and exceptions may be considered depending on the role and individual circumstances.

    When we recruit, we welcome applications from everyone. This is inclusive of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or belief, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity and socio-economic background. Where operationally possible, we will consider flexible working requests and make reasonable adjustments for all roles.

    To find out more about Forward’s commitment to being an inclusive employer and our current EDI strategy click here.  

    We want our recruitment process to be accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage, please let us know.
     
    Employee Screening and Eligibility to Work
    Dependent on role you may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service Check, details of which will be shared with you at interview.

    If successful in your application, you will be required to provide eligibility to work evidence in line with the ‘Eligibility to Work in the UK’ requirements.

    Our Commitment to Safeguarding
    We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk. Forward Trust follow safer recruitment practices and support a culture of openness and accountability.

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