Criminal Justice Lead Practitioner

Waythrough was formed in 2024 following the merger of Humankind and Richmond Fellowship. Together, we’ve created one of the largest mental health and social support charities in England. 

Every year, we support around 125,000 people through nearly 200 services – and it’s all made possible by our 3,500 brilliant staff and volunteers.

Are you passionate about helping others live safer, healthier, more independent lives? Join our team at Waythrough and support people facing challenges around mental health, substance use, housing or domestic abuse. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to build meaningful relationships and create lasting change. 

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Lead practitioner for our dynamic leadership team. 

The role will provide leadership support for the Criminal Justice team which provides support and advice for individuals in Criminal Justice settings who are experiencing problematic substance use, to promote harm reduction, encourage ownership and promote positive change for the individual, their families, and the wider community. As part of our multi-disciplinary team, you will work flexibly and creatively to establish what is needed to have the most positive impact for all who are referred to our service.

Lead Practitioners are an integral role in ensuring an effective service provision for our service users by creating a focussed culture, engaging staff to provide an innovative and continually improving service and provide leadership, support, and development to a wide range of staff.   

In a multi-disciplinary approach working with partner agencies such as the Police, Probation, the Liaison and Diversion team, Prisons, and many others, you will support the team to provide a targeted approach for service users, from harm reduction, brief interventions through to structured treatment, ensuring that every recovery journey is tailored to the individuals’ priorities.

• →Implement, develop and assist in the management of services delivered by the team within a defined specialist area.
• →Support the Service/Area Manager to develop, deliver, monitor and improve processes, control systems and work environments to meet quality requirements and contractual needs including KPIs.
• →Develop, deliver and operationally lead quality service delivery elements, pathways and resources that meet service and local need.
• →Manage, mentor, coach and ensure the development of staff reporting to you, including volunteers. This includes involvement in delivering appropriate training, recruitment, induction, monitoring performance, managing absence and appraisals/supervisions.
• →Manage a caseload of service users, completing and reviewing high quality and comprehensive assessments, risk assessments and support plans, including liaising with family members, significant others and professionals / agencies as appropriate.
• →Maintain accurate and up to date records and reports and provide written and verbal reports as required.
• →Analyse information and utilise this analysis to continuously improve the service.
• →Work as part of the local management team and participate in working thematic groups and corporate activities.
• →Contribute to the delivery of company strategy by communicating and implementing objectives and priorities at project level.
• →Take responsibility for Health & Safety issues in the working environment.
• →Actively engage service users in future service design/changes to delivery.
• →Ensure all services delivered are accessible paying particular attention to underrepresented groups.
• →Reduce substance related harm to the individual and wider community.

Essential:

• Experience of leading and developing people, including providing effective and regular supervision.
• Understanding of and ability to implement evidenced based interventions, including brief interventions MI, PSIs, CBT and ITEP.
• Experience of completing service user assessments including comprehensive risk assessments.
• Knowledge and experience of the Criminal Justice System.
• Experience of working with best practice frameworks e.g. NICE, DOH, NTA, NMC, Care Quality Commission & Caldicott Standards.
• Experience of maintaining confidentiality and working within professional boundaries.
  

Desirable:

• Driving licence and access to a vehicle.
• Relevant professional qualification e.g. addiction studies, counselling, social work, therapeutic qualification.
• Experience of working with drug/alcohol users and delivering 1-2-1 and group evidence based interventions.
  
  

To view the full job and person specification, please click here.

Waythrough is proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, especially those with lived experience of the issues we support. 

We have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme  - all applicants are welcome, and adjustments can be made to enable fair participation.

If you need adjustments or support to apply, please email our recruitment team: recruitmentteam@waythrough.org.uk 

Closing Date: