Approved social worker jobs

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for an Intervention Worker to play a pivotal role in our Criminal Justice Service in Battersea.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

Approved Premises (APs) work with high-risk people released from prison, providing a vital element in public protection arrangements. APs offer a level of contact, support and supervision within the community that is unique within the Criminal Justice System. This is an opportunity to be part of a dedicated, enthusiastic staff team at our male Approved Premises in Battersea, playing a key role in pro-social modelling, rehabilitation and community reintegration for those ready to make positive choices.

Working closely with Probation Officers and other community services such as police, health, housing and substance misuse, we provide a stepping stone from prison into the community.

As a member of the Approved Premises team, you will model pro-social behavior and foster a positive, respectful culture with both clients and colleagues. You will actively engage with residents, supporting communal activities such as meal preparation, and contribute to the delivery of individual sentence plans in collaboration with probation officers, police, and external agencies.

Your role will involve providing administrative and practical support, ensuring daily tasks are completed, and following all operational protocols. You will encourage compliance and enforce rules relating to curfews and drug and alcohol testing as required. Keeping colleagues, multi-agency partners, and management informed is essential.

You will be responsible for monitoring and maintaining the health, safety, security, cleanliness, and well-being of the premises and residents, utilizing tools such as CCTV, observation, and direct personal contact. Accurate, timely record-keeping and appropriate information sharing with respect for confidentiality are critical components of this role.

Using your initiative, you will identify and address additional tasks or emerging issues, working within the service to maintain an enabling environment. Adherence to the Approved Premises Manual, Hestia policies, and relevant justice service requirements is expected, alongside consistently demonstrating The Hestia Approach.

This role involves working closely with high-risk offenders transitioning from prison to community life, providing a unique level of daily support, supervision, and tailored interventions. You will empower residents to take responsibility for themselves while maintaining appropriate boundaries and supervision. The position operates on a rolling rota covering early, late, weekend, and night shifts to ensure continuous support and public protection.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

Here's what the team will be looking for

The ideal candidate will have a strong ability to engage and communicate effectively with others, demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness in their approach. They should maintain an optimistic outlook regarding people's capacity for change and the possibility of positive outcomes. A quick learner who can efficiently gather information and make well-founded decisions is essential.

The candidate must be able to maintain firm boundaries and exercise authority legitimately while working in a pro-social and positive manner. Competence in receiving, processing, and accurately recording detailed information is required, along with ensuring appropriate sharing of information within confidentiality guidelines. An understanding of the emotional and behavioral impacts of trauma is important, as is the ability to work sensitively with individuals who display a wide range of emotions, behaviors, and communication challenges.

The candidate should be a team player who leads by example and takes a practical, hands-on approach to tasks such as cooking, gardening, household chores, and leisure activities. Finally, knowledge of safeguarding principles and the ability to identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns are essential.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.