Criminal Justice Engagement Worker

About the role

We are recruiting a Criminal Justice Engagement Worker to join our team at Newcastle Treatment & Recovery. We support individuals experiencing problematic substance use and aim to strengthen Criminal Justice pathways into treatment for those affected by opiate, non-opiate and alcohol use. In this role, you will act as a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for a caseload involved in the Criminal Justice System, providing specialist, tailored support to help individuals make positive changes to their lives. You will work closely with external partners including Probation, Prisons and Courts. You will: Act as a key point of contact for Continuity of Care, using strong administrative skills to process referrals and complete associated documentation. Maintain and update the prison tracker daily to monitor releases, liaising with prisons, and developing strong working relationships to ensure effective Continuity of Care pathways and appropriate support on release. Assertively support service users into treatment following release from prison, completing comprehensive assessments at Plummer Court or other locations, including outreach to satellite offices where required. Complete weekly suitability assessments for Alcohol Treatment Requirements (ATR) and Drug Rehabilitation Requirements (DRR), preparing court reports and liaising with Prison and Court staff as needed. Provide tailored guidance to reduce harmful behaviours and support continued engagement with the service, offering personalised initiatives to encourage treatment uptake and contribute to the prevention and reduction of offending. Support key service functions by participating in drug screening, duty work, BBV testing and immunisation, prescription management, community needle exchange services, and the delivery of appropriate alcohol and drug harm reduction interventions. Essential criteria Hold an NVQ Level 3 in Health & Social Care (or above, or equivalent), or be willing to work towards this qualification in post. Be proficient in the use of Microsoft Office programmes. Demonstrate an understanding of, and ability to deliver, evidence-based interventions including brief interventions, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Psychosocial Interventions (PSIs), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and ITEP. Have experience of working with carers and families. Full job description and person specification available upon request from the recruitment team. For an informal discussion regarding this role, please contact Rachael Bolton at rachael.bolton@cntw.nhs.uk Please feel free to take some time to watch over this video which gives a great insight into our team here at Newcastle Treatment & Recovery: https://youtu.be/Ndb6JzU1vTQ?si=Vklo8Q-906rpIimD Please note that here at Newcastle, we have parking permits available on a rota basis for all staff members. We are aware of the ongoing works on the Tyne Bridge and we are happy to say that we are flexible with working hours due to this, as we understand it may possibly make commuting difficult at times. Please be aware that due to the nature of the service, this role requires on site working only.