Company Description

Catch22 exists to help build a society where everyone has a good place to live, good people around them, and a fulfilling purpose. We call these our '3Ps'.

We achieve this in two ways. First we improve lives on the frontline through delivery of public services. Secondly, we use our knowledge to change 'the system', to fix the complex web that can trap and disempower those it was set up to help. With the heart of a charity and the mindset of a business, we are uniquely placed to deliver on this challenging agenda.

National Leaving Care Benchmarking Forum (NLCBF)

NLCBF is made up of over 130 local authority leaving care teams and aims to improve services and support for care experienced young people. At the heart of our work is our Young People’s Benchmarking Forum – ensuring that the voices and priorities of care experienced young people shape our work.

NLCBF’s main activities include running 9 hybrid events each year for leaving care professionals and care experienced young people; facilitating online events and workshops throughout the year and working to influence policy and decision makers in government and other public bodies.

Job Description

NLCBF have just secured funding for the post of a ‘Leaving Care Criminal Justice Lead’ – a new role funded for 12 months to focus on this particular area of practice. We are open to applicants taking a secondment from their existing roles and will work to secure continuation funding for the role.

The Leaving Care Criminal Justice Lead will play a crucial role in addressing the over-criminalisation of care-experienced young people. This position aims to improve communication and understanding between Police, HMPPS, and local authority leaving care teams, and to play a role in implementing best practices nationally.

The post holder will:

• Serve as a point of contact between justice services and local authority leaving care teams, making the most of the network of 133 NLCBF members and relationships with HMPPS, the Police and Catch22 Justice services.
• Share and promote good practices around protocols and practices, including data sharing, police alerting leaving care teams, and joint planning for release from custody.
• Develop and deliver a distinct training package for leaving care professionals, police, prison, and probation staff, incorporating the voices of care-experienced individuals.
• Deliver training to Catch22’s Justice colleagues & wider professional network on supporting care experienced young people
• Deliver training to NLCBF member Local authorities on supporting care experienced young people in contact with Justice services
• Facilitate online and in person workshops and networks to share good practice
• Amplify the voices and key messages of care-experienced young people involved in the justice system, in collaboration with the Young People’s Benchmarking Forum.
• Explore tech options for improving communication links between leaving care services and Justice services.

NLCBF have worked closely with HMPPS for many years in their work developing their strategy to support care experienced offenders & we have facilitated sharing good practice about supporting care experienced young people in contact with the justice system through our events. We have also advised on projects in this area such as the ‘Always Hope’ initiative.

This post has been joint funded by Catch22’s Innovation Fund, Catch22’s Justice services and NLCBF.

Qualifications

Please see the Job Description & Person Specification for full details.

Additional Information

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Darren Bishton, NLCBF Practice Lead on Darren.bishton@catch-22.org.uk or Hannah McCowen, NLCBF Manager on hannah.mccowen@catch-22.org.uk.

Screening: Enhanced DBS

Location: Homebased, with regular national travel

Hours: 22 hours/week, funded for 12 months, would consider a secondment.

Salary: £40,508 (Pro Rata, based on a 37 hour working week)

Closing Date: 5pm, 12th March

Interviews: Online, 25th March

As part of Catch22's commitment to the Care Leaver Covenant, care experienced applicants who meet the essential criteria will receive a guaranteed interview and the offer of a mentor's support. This information will not be shared with the hiring manager.

See the benefits of working for Catch22 here.

Unless otherwise stated, interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised.

At Catch22 we value equality, diversity and inclusion. We are wholeheartedly committed to the principle of equality of opportunity, both as an employer and as a provider of services. Diversity and Inclusion is part of what we do every day, working to deliver our vision to build a strong society where everyone has good people around them, a purpose, and a good place to live.

Catch22 is committed to rigorous safeguarding and safer recruitment practices; ensuring that every individual within the organisation has been safely and appropriately checked.

If you are applying for this role and are care experienced/care leaver, Catch22 offers a mentor to assist with the application process. Please contact cath.forshaw@catch-22.org.uk if you would like to find out more about this support. This information will not be passed to the team recruiting for this position. For more information about the Propel Programme and a guide for candidates who wish to join the programme, please see here. You can also watch an animation on the programme here.