Family Engagement Worker (First Nights)
| Posting date: | 23 May 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £25,725 per annum FTE, £15,435 per annum actual earnings |
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 22 June 2025 |
| Location: | Exeter, EX4 4EX |
| Company: | Prison Advice and Care Trust |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 1726 |
Summary
Role overview
Are you passionate about supporting families and improving lives? Do you thrive in dynamic environments where no two days are the
same? If you're ready to make an immediate and lasting difference from the very first night someone arrives in custody, we want to
hear from you.
At the heart of our mission is the belief that strong family connections are key to rehabilitation and well-being. As a Family
Engagement Worker (First Nights), you’ll be the vital link between men entering custody and the loved ones they leave behind —
ensuring safety, support, and humanity in a challenging moment.
What You’ll Do:
Be the First Point of Contact – Meet all new receptions into custody and triage their family needs, offering immediate reassurance
and connection.
Deliver Meaningful Casework – Assess risks and needs, plan support strategies, and empower individuals to strengthen ties with
their families or carers.
Collaborate for Care – Work alongside healthcare and safer custody teams to ensure those with mental or physical health needs
receive vital family support.
Be a Voice for Families – Advocate on behalf of families, making sure their concerns are heard and acted on — keeping them
informed, involved, and reassured.
Ensure Continuity Across Transfers – Create seamless support plans for men moving between establishments, ensuring family
engagement doesn’t skip a beat.
Respond to Risk – Act quickly and compassionately to concerns about family breakdowns that may pose self-harm or suicide risks.
Support Resettlement and Safety – Feed into safer custody and ACCT plans, helping men leave custody with stronger, healthier
connections.
What You Bring:
Compassion, resilience, and the ability to build trust in sensitive situations
Experience working with vulnerable individuals or families (in justice, health, or social care settings preferred)
A collaborative spirit and excellent communication skills
The confidence to navigate prison environments and advocate effectively
A strong belief in the power of family to transform lives
What Pact Offer:
Pact offer a wide range of employee benefits including free confidential advice and counselling service, cycle to work scheme,
Life Assurance, Spec Saver eye care vouchers plus more.
You will undergo a thorough induction process attend training to further develop yourself as a front line services worker and be
supported by a friendly and enthusiastic team.
How to Apply:
If you feel that you meet the requirements for this role, please complete an application form by clicking the `apply now` button.
* We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are
interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Other information:
Pact is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all applications including those with a criminal conviction (appointment to
post is subject to a risk assessment).
This post is subject to a 6-month probationary period, verification of identity and proven right to work in the UK, satisfactory
references from previous employers covering a 3-year period, declaration of any unspent criminal convictions (and where
appropriate a satisfactory risk assessment), Prison Vetting and a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Please note that being
bankrupt or having County Court Judgments may affect your ability to be successfully vetted to work in a prison.
If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (in the past 10 years while aged 18 or over), we will also require a
certificate of good conduct from the Police Force of the country of residence.
Are you passionate about supporting families and improving lives? Do you thrive in dynamic environments where no two days are the
same? If you're ready to make an immediate and lasting difference from the very first night someone arrives in custody, we want to
hear from you.
At the heart of our mission is the belief that strong family connections are key to rehabilitation and well-being. As a Family
Engagement Worker (First Nights), you’ll be the vital link between men entering custody and the loved ones they leave behind —
ensuring safety, support, and humanity in a challenging moment.
What You’ll Do:
Be the First Point of Contact – Meet all new receptions into custody and triage their family needs, offering immediate reassurance
and connection.
Deliver Meaningful Casework – Assess risks and needs, plan support strategies, and empower individuals to strengthen ties with
their families or carers.
Collaborate for Care – Work alongside healthcare and safer custody teams to ensure those with mental or physical health needs
receive vital family support.
Be a Voice for Families – Advocate on behalf of families, making sure their concerns are heard and acted on — keeping them
informed, involved, and reassured.
Ensure Continuity Across Transfers – Create seamless support plans for men moving between establishments, ensuring family
engagement doesn’t skip a beat.
Respond to Risk – Act quickly and compassionately to concerns about family breakdowns that may pose self-harm or suicide risks.
Support Resettlement and Safety – Feed into safer custody and ACCT plans, helping men leave custody with stronger, healthier
connections.
What You Bring:
Compassion, resilience, and the ability to build trust in sensitive situations
Experience working with vulnerable individuals or families (in justice, health, or social care settings preferred)
A collaborative spirit and excellent communication skills
The confidence to navigate prison environments and advocate effectively
A strong belief in the power of family to transform lives
What Pact Offer:
Pact offer a wide range of employee benefits including free confidential advice and counselling service, cycle to work scheme,
Life Assurance, Spec Saver eye care vouchers plus more.
You will undergo a thorough induction process attend training to further develop yourself as a front line services worker and be
supported by a friendly and enthusiastic team.
How to Apply:
If you feel that you meet the requirements for this role, please complete an application form by clicking the `apply now` button.
* We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are
interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Other information:
Pact is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all applications including those with a criminal conviction (appointment to
post is subject to a risk assessment).
This post is subject to a 6-month probationary period, verification of identity and proven right to work in the UK, satisfactory
references from previous employers covering a 3-year period, declaration of any unspent criminal convictions (and where
appropriate a satisfactory risk assessment), Prison Vetting and a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Please note that being
bankrupt or having County Court Judgments may affect your ability to be successfully vetted to work in a prison.
If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (in the past 10 years while aged 18 or over), we will also require a
certificate of good conduct from the Police Force of the country of residence.