About the Role
Working within an integrated healthcare framework, you will provide person-centred support to individuals aged 18 and over who are experiencing drug and alcohol misuse issues within a custodial setting.
The service delivers a range of psychosocial drug and alcohol interventions and accredited treatment programmes for individuals entering prison who have been identified as experiencing substance misuse issues. Our approach combines harm reduction and abstinence-based treatment, tailored to the individual needs, circumstances and recovery goals of each person.
As a Drug and Alcohol Recovery Practitioner, you will manage a caseload of service users, undertaking assessments, developing and reviewing SMART care plans, providing harm reduction advice and guidance, and delivering structured one-to-one and group interventions. You will also facilitate therapeutic groups and structured treatment programmes, where appropriate to the service you are working within.
A key part of the role will be supporting individuals to develop the skills, knowledge and strategies needed to address their substance misuse, build resilience and make positive changes. You will promote recovery through evidence-based interventions, practical counselling skills and an understanding of the 12-step approach to addiction recovery.
Working collaboratively with partner agencies is essential to ensuring individuals receive coordinated support throughout their time in custody and as they prepare for release. You will develop effective working relationships with transitional services, housing, employment, gym services, healthcare, probation and external Drug Intervention Teams to promote continuity of care and successful resettlement.
You will contribute towards service delivery objectives and performance targets set by Forward and local commissioners, with a particular focus on achieving positive outcomes for service users. This will require effective partnership working, accurate recording and a commitment to monitoring and evidencing progress.
To complement the clinical provision within the service, you may also be required to undertake second signatory responsibilities and oral swab testing.
Flexibility is essential, as the role may involve occasional evening and weekend working. With reasonable notice, you may also be required to travel to other projects within your service cluster to support service delivery and ensure continuity of care.
About You
We are looking for a compassionate, motivated and recovery-focused practitioner who is passionate about supporting individuals affected by drug and alcohol misuse to achieve positive and sustainable change.
You will have experience working within substance misuse services and possess a recognised counselling qualification, alongside a sound understanding of counselling theory and practical counselling approaches.
You will be confident in engaging individuals with complex needs, building positive therapeutic relationships and delivering structured interventions that support people to understand and address the challenges associated with their substance misuse.
You will have a good understanding of the criminal justice environment and the issues faced by individuals involved in the justice system. You will also demonstrate a strong knowledge of the 12-step recovery process and the role of 12-step fellowship meetings in supporting long-term recovery.
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
Essential Knowledge
- Knowledge and understanding of the criminal justice sector and the issues faced by individuals experiencing substance misuse.
- Knowledge and understanding of 12-step fellowship meetings and their role in supporting recovery.
- A sound understanding of counselling theory and its practical application.
- The ability to guide and support individuals in developing the skills and strategies needed to manage their problems and overcome barriers to recovery.
- A thorough knowledge of, and commitment to, the 12-step process of recovery from addiction.
Essential Skills and Experience
- Experience working within substance misuse services.
- Experience undertaking assessments and developing, implementing and reviewing SMART care plans.
- Experience delivering structured psychosocial interventions to service users.
- Experience facilitating therapeutic groups and supporting group-based recovery work.
- Experience applying practical counselling skills to support individuals with drug and alcohol-related issues.
- The ability to build effective working relationships with service users and partner agencies.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage individuals in a supportive, empathetic and non-judgemental manner.
- The ability to work independently, manage a caseload and contribute effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Essential Qualifications
- A recognised counselling qualification.
Above all, you will share our commitment to helping individuals overcome the challenges associated with substance misuse, develop meaningful recovery goals and build the skills and confidence needed to sustain positive change both in custody and following release.