RAPS Engagement and Liason Caseworker

Cardiff

Salary range  £22,950 - £24,225 per annum depending on experience

Permanent,  Full Time (37.5 hours per week)

G4S in Wales are a key provider of criminal justice services- operating in both the custodial and community sectors.  We pride ourselves on the quality of our provision and we consistently seek to work alongside and in partnership with a range of other providers in the voluntary (third), public and private sectors.

We now have an opportunity for a RAPS (Rapid Access Prescribing Service) Engagement and Liason Caseworker to join our team based in Cardiff.

 As a member of our RAPS team, you will play a critical role in enabling people with complex and problematic housing and substance misuse histories to build positive futures and healthy lifestyles. Your main focus will be to engage, encourage and stabilise people in drug treatment to reduce the risks associated with illicit drug misuse and homelessness.

The MDT team will refer individuals to the service and you will work alongside MDT caseworkers and outreach teams to engage and support them to access the support they need to move into active recovery. Our aim is to build strong professional relationships and help stabilise them so that they can progress to accessing more mainstream treatment services.

You will work directly with the RAPS nurse and Health Care Assistant to ensure referrals, appointments and records are kept accurately. You will need to be able to undertake assessment, brief interventions,planning and management of substance misusers seeking to enter the service.

For this to be effective, you will need to demonstrate an approachable, energetic, and compassionate disposition. The ability to keep accurate records and contribute to a monthly progress and development report is critical to the role to ensure effectiveness of services. You will also provide a key liaison role with Criminal Justice Services, (prisons, probation and police custody suites) where the service user may be offending  or transitioning between CJ, resettlement and Homeless services.

Some of the key responsibilities of this role are:

• Manage a diverse caseload of people with housing and substance misuse needs, taking responsibility for all engagement needs, including substance misuse care planning processes, assessing treatment need and readiness, treatment sequencing, goal planning, clinical treatment and ‘shared care’ provisions.
• Contribute to the delivery of the Cardiff RAPS MDT support and treatment programme, including carrying out detailed personal and risk assessments against criteria and enabling access to treatment pathways.
• Liaise with criminal justice Dyfodol teams, prisons, police custody and probation staff to ensure any ‘through the gate’ needs are met.
• Support service users by promoting harm reduction and stabilisation by undertaking activities to engage, motivate and retain/re-engage people to reduce risks of harm, reduce illicit substance misuse and make healthier lifestyles choices.
• To work with the Services Healthcare team to assess suitability for prescribing services, working concurrently with the team to reduce drug related deaths by promoting safe injecting, overdose prevention and the risk of blood borne diseases.
• During all contacts with participants, consider relevance to the Hidden Harm Agenda and any issues that may affect young people.
• Support participants during transitional stages to onward services such as the Cardiff Addictions Unit or EDAS.
• Enable  access to Accommodation, ETE, Healthcare, Financial and Family/Relationship support services by signposting to Cardiff Council Caseworkers as necessary.
• Ensure that all data records are completed, submitted and distributed in accordance with policies utilising data and case management systems including the Cardiff Council SPG, enabling the Service to maximise positive outcomes for the participant.
• To promote the Service to service users, partner agencies and referral agencies through representation, attendance and participation in any meetings required.
• Sustain required qualifications (which may include enhanced training) that enable continuous eligibility for the tasks within this job specification.
• To undertake required dry blood spot testing for blood borne viruses (training provided).
• Work in partnership with external agencies.

Essential Skills

• Knowledge of substance misuse and related issues.
• Knowledge of local and national agencies for support individuals who are homeless
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Good report writing and note keeping skills.
• An ability to work as part of a team.
• Prepared to work out of a variety of setting when required including Police Station, home visits and other community bases. The post will also involve evening and weekend working

Equality and Diversity is an important part of G4S Care and Rehabilitation Services. We actively encourage applications from all backgrounds and are a fully inclusive employer who aims to support all employees to be their true selves. We are happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments for either the role or during the recruitment process.

G4S Care and Rehabilitation Services is committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children and adults at risk and each employee is expected to support these goals.

Please note that these vacancies are subject to a 5 year checkable history and the strict vetting standards set by G4S and the Secretary of State for the Home Office.

You must be eligible to work in the UK and must have been resident in the UK for a minimum period of 3 years. You will also need to provide full details of your employment and education history for the last 5 years as part of the security screening process for this role.

Please note that applicants must complete a 500 - 700 word statement outlining their suitability for the role and clearly outlining how your skills, experience and knowledge would apply to this post.