Team Leader

Post Information Pack

Service

West Midlands Arrest Referral Service

Location

Coventry, Sandwell, Wolverhampton.

The Cranstoun Group is a charity empowering people to live healthy, safe and happy lives. Our skilled and compassionate teams work with service users, families and communities, helping them to make positive changes. We offer a wide range of services across England, including community-based outreach, treatment and recovery, detox, supported housing, and specialist services for young people and families and carers. We’ve been making a difference since 1969 by combining our expertise with innovative approaches, and putting people at the heart of what we do.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job purpose / Context:

· To lead a team within a custody setting to provide advice and information to offenders subject to Required Assessments or those that request to speak to a substance misuse worker.

· Assist the Service Manager in managing the designated Service, to ensure high standards of practice in service delivery, in accordance with Cranstoun polices & procedures.

· Provide leadership to the team.

Responsible to: Service Manager / Borough Manager

Responsible for:

· Working within the team, provide leadership to all members of the team in relation to shift cover, training needs, supervision, performance management and welfare.

· Liaise with relevant community based treatment providers to ensure smooth working practices.

· Liaise with all West Midlands Police based partners to advertise and promote Cranstoun Custody Services.

· Work with the team members to develop service user-focussed services in line with contractual requirements and legislation.

· Prepare reports as and when required.

· Take the lead on specific projects as identified by the Service Manager/Deputy Director

1. Service Delivery (General duties)

Engagement and Assessment

· Demonstrate good customer care skills providing; warm welcoming services to all users and referrers.

· Have a good understanding of and implement the referral pathways from West Midlands Police to the Arrest Referral service.

· Ensure all staff are able to deliver and record brief assessments at the location which best meets the needs of the service user.

· Ensure that assessment and reviews are holistic, user appropriate and recovery plans are based on assessment of assets, social accrual, potentials and risks

· Outreach to promote the service and conduct service user assessments, to a variety of locations such as service user’s home address, hostels and other services when appropriate.

· Contribute to the development of advice and information packs for service users.

· Contribute to the development of educational group packages to increase knowledge and understanding of substance use and their effects.

· Provide advice and information to service users in a variety of settings including community centres, medical centres, homeless hostels, mental health venues and other satellite venues.

· Provide specialist advice and consultation to partner agencies.

· Support the use of a variety of interventions such as Brief Therapies, Motivational Interviewing, ITEP/BTEI to engage service users in a process of behaviour change

· Support the team to develop competencies in the specialist assessment of service users with a history of problematic drug and alcohol use.

· Assess service users understanding of the range of services available, referral and access routes.

· Identify and prioritise needs and issues to be addressed arising from the assessment interview and on-going reviews.

Harm Reduction

Contribute to the development and provision of harm reduction within the service including but not limited to service delivery in the following areas

· Needle exchange to service users engaged in injecting behaviour

· Enable individuals to adopt safe practises associated with substance use through effective communication of harm reduction issues as appropriate.

· Support service users to understand and manage interactions between substance misuse and other forms of risk taking behaviour such as sex, gambling, domestic violence, self-harm and so on.

· Support individuals in reducing substance use and other risk behaviour.

· Undertake Overdose Prevention work in both group and one to one settings

· Use MI and ITEP to help service users identify small changes in behaviour to reduce risk to themselves and others

Risk Management / Safeguarding

· Identify risks using Cranstoun CJ Assessment Tool.

· Complete Risk Management Plan for identified risks and communicate with relevant parties including the service manager and use the MDT to review risk management plans.

· Comply with the Confidentiality Policy and process of disclosure in cases where a risk warrants breach of confidentiality.

· Attend Social Care meetings for children designated ‘At Risk’.

· Prepare reports for safeguarding / social care meetings.

· Keep safeguarding records in accordance with local policy and procedure.

· Report any concerns of risk to children in accordance with Cranstoun policy and procedure

2. Human Resources

· Assist the Service Manager in the recruitment, selection, induction & training & development of staff.

· Manage team duties to ensure the efficiency & effectiveness of service to clients, ensuring that Cranstoun policies & procedures are adhered to.

· Monitor staff attendance & time keeping, reporting to the Service Manager as required.

· Provide supervision to Team Members (with reference to the Service Manager where required) ensuring their support & development needs are met.

· Provide feedback relating to team and individual performance to staff to ensure the contractual requirements of the service are met.

· Work with the Service Manager to facilitate effective team communication, both within the Service & across the organisation.

· Deputise for the Service Manager as & when required.

· Provide monthly written reports/ data for submission to the contract report.

3. Health, Safety & Facilities

· Ensure the service provides a good quality working environment.

· Ensure the Service has a safe, quality & conducive environment for employees to work & clients to use.

· Ensure all relevant policies, procedures and contractual agreements are adhered to with regard to the management of the property and physical environment.

· Shall ensure that any dangerous situations, occurrences and incidents are appropriately reported and investigated.

· Work within Cranstoun environmental plan in order to achieve environmental best practise within this sector.

4. General

· Undertake specific tasks and projects as directed by the Line Manager.

· Adhere to the terms and conditions of employment agreed with Cranstoun, working within the general operational policies of the organisation.

· Undertake any additional duties as may be reasonably required and requested from time to time by the Line Manager or members of the Senior Management Team.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Experience

· Two year’s demonstrable experience of working with drug users or a comparable client group.

· Experience of managing service delivery, ensuring standards are maintained.

· Experience of supervision.

· Experience of production of reports for Courts, statutory services etc.

· Experience of developing a new service.

Abilities and attributes

· Commitment to the rights of drug users to determine their own choices.

· Commitment to Equal Opportunities in service delivery and an understanding of

The impact of race and gender on drug users.

· Ability to deliver a high quality service

· Ability to work effectively and efficiently within a team.

· Ability to meet targets & deadlines

· Initiative

· Diplomacy

Skills

· Effective leadership skills.

· Excellent written, oral & presentation skills.

· Effective communication skills.

· Effective listening skills.

· Report writing skills.

· Organizational skills.

· Administration skills.

· Effective IT skills.

Knowledge

· Understanding of the Drug Intervention Programme or Criminal Justice based substance misuse services.

· Demonstrable knowledge of harm reduction principles and practice.

· Understanding of the links between crime and substance use.

· Skills and knowledge in assessment and care planning for drug users.

· An understanding of group work practice.

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