Liaison & Diversion Specialist Practitioner

Job Summary

Important: This post requires successful candidates to undergo NPPV Level 2 (full) Police Vetting of which successful clearance is essential in order to fulfil the role and as part of this vetting process the candidate is required to have been resident in the UK for at least three years.

Key Responsibilities:

This post is to work across the 3 Liaison and Diversion teams covering The Bay; Barrow in Furness, Kendal and Lancaster police stations.

The Liaison & Diversion service operates an All Age (from age of criminal responsibility - 10yrs), all Vulnerability model based on the National Liaison & Diversion operating model produced by NHS England and are based in police stations working and supporting individuals coming into police custody. The Bradley Report provides the basis for the development of these services locally and nationally.

Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services identify people who have substance misuse, mental health, learning disability or other vulnerabilities when they first come into contact with the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants or offenders.

The service can then support people through the early stages of criminal system pathway, refer them for appropriate health or social care or enable them to be diverted away from the criminal justice system into a more appropriate setting, if required.

This is an 'all age' service and so you will be required to work with people from the age of 10 years upwards who are detained within custody or referred via the Voluntary Attendance pathway however all practitioners are expected to see both Children and Young People and adults.

The main things that L&D services do for the people we see are identification, screening, assessment and referral to other services.

• We work in Police Custody Suites and Courts throughout Lancashire & Cumbria and offer assessments to individuals within the Criminal Justice system including Voluntary Attendees.
• We look to identify unmet need and vulnerabilities that often lead to or exacerbate offending behaviour, offer onward referral and signposting as appropriate.
• We liaise across agencies to support onward planning and intervention to address needs.
• We offer some brief community based intervention to maximise service user access and engagement with those appropriate services.
• We help to inform decision makers with relevant and timely information to support sentencing and disposal outcome.

About Us

The Liaison and Diversion Specialist Practitioner is someone with a clinical qualification and experience and knowledge of Liaison and Diversion and/or with specialist knowledge and experience of working with groups likely to be disadvantaged by their involvement in the criminal justice system. The role will be to support the day to day management of the team, to provide supervisions, to support the work of the Team Manager, deputising in their absence.

The Specialist Liaison and Diversion Practitioner will be a professionally registered practitioner to work within the Criminal Justice Pathway, providing assessment of Mental Health, Learning Disability, Complex Health and social needs and Capacity, liaison, referral and guidance for persons who have come to the attention of the Criminal Justice Agencies.

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

Date Posted: 15 April 2025

Pay Scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 6

Salary: £37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum (subject to confirmation)

Contract: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full-time

Reference Number: 351-SPS1389-MS

Job Locations: Liaison & Diversion The Bay, Lancaster, LA1 1YB

Job Responsibilities:

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.

For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential:

• Professional recognised qualification such as RMN, Learning Disability Nurse, Social Worker, and Occupational Therapist.

Desirable:

• Specialist knowledge and experience of working with groups likely to be disadvantaged due to Health and Social needs and vulnerability or by their involvement in the justice system.

Knowledge Essential:

• Ideally AYSE or preceptorship.
• IT knowledge/ experience.

Desirable:

• Experience and knowledge of supervising staff. Providing supervision.

Experience Essential:

• Two years post qualifying experience.

Desirable:

• Leadership experience.

Skills Essential:

• Leadership skills.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check:

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer Details

Employer Name: Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Liaison & Diversion The Bay, Lancaster, LA1 1YB

Employer's Website: https://www.lscft.nhs.uk/