Family Liaison Worker

At SIG Safe Ground, we do things differently. Safe Ground is an Arts-based therapeutically informed charity with over 30 years' experience working across the criminal justice system. We support people in custody and their families to build stronger and more fulfilled relationships, reflect on behaviours, and navigate change without shame.

Job Title: Family Liaison Worker

Location: Based within HMP Altcourse, Fazakerley, Liverpool. Step Free access is available at this service.

Salary: £26,200

Shift Pattern: 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday 07:30 - 17:30. Please be aware that you may be required to work outside these hours as per participant and service requirements including bank holidays.

The Visitors Centre is open 7 days a week from 07:30 - 17:30. Family visits take place four times a day currently.

About the Role

Are you ready to do things differently, and make it count?

Safe Ground isn't your typical charitable organisation, it's not your regular 9-5. Safe Ground do things differently. We work inside prisons, using creative, therapeutic approaches to strengthen relationships between men and their families. Our work is rooted in connection, reflection, and real change, often in environments that aren’t designed for either. We are dedicated to ensuring that everyone is treated with dignity and respect, without discrimination , stigma or judgement. 

We're hiring a Family Liaison Worker to join our team based in HMP Altcourse. In this role, you will act as the first point of contact for visitors attending the service. You will support in the development of a welcoming, comfortable, and conductive space which will support meaningful engagement for both, adults and children. The role will focus on ensuring a timely and efficient processing of all visitors, whilst supporting collaborative partnerships between family members and key prison teams towards a person-centred service. You’ll also lead structured play sessions with children of all ages who are visiting a parent or loved one in prison, making sure they feel safe, engaged and cared for during their visit.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Support the Visitor’s Centre service to appear, operate and deliver to the quality of standards of all relevant stakeholders.
• Welcome and book in visitors attending the centre.
• Develop and maintain a child-friendly space and interventions in the visitors centre, visits hall, and prison. 
• Manage and support in the in prison children’s play area.
• Plan and deliver activities to engage and create meaningful and memorable family visits.
• Promote Safe Grounds programmatic work, collaborate with the team and support with activities and interventions. 
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with various teams, such as wing staff, governors, family services, resettlement teams, and other HMP partners and other relevant stakeholders.
• Work to meet KPIs and targets as a team, and individually. 
• Admin will vary, including using computerised systems to confidentially log and store information on our online portals as appropriate.

About You

• You will be comfortable working within a prison environment
• Previous professional or lived experience supporting men in custody, alongside experience of working with children and their families is desirable but not essential.
• Willingness to undertake required training, including experiential programme training and Criminal Justice Service security and key training
• Ability to engage with people from different backgrounds, build rapport, and empower them to achieve their personal goals
• Understanding of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults 
• Ability to work with confidential information, maintain accurate records and write accurate reports
• Ability to use, learn and adapt to IT at an intermediate level, including Microsoft and other software programs
• Ability and willingness to show flexibility of working patterns, responding to the needs of the service and residents
• Alignment with our values of Ambition, Empowerment, Inclusivity, and Transparency

Please refer to the JDPS attached for more details on the vacancy and our requirements/key criteria.

What we Offer

• 25 days (Full time equivalent) annual leave, increasing with the length of service
• Employer Pension Contribution
• Eligibility to register with Blue Light Discount Card
• Access to discounted tickets for music events, shows, sports and more
• Reflective Practice regular sessions with a therapist provided by an external provider to support Mental Health and Wellbeing at work
• Training and Development, including access to courses, upskilling, and progression plans
• Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Annual Staff Awards
• EDI Ambassador programme

About Social Interest Group (SIG)

SIG is a not-for-profit organisation providing thousands of people with good-quality support and care in residential, drop-in centres, community floating support settings, probation settings, and hospitals. We do so across London, Brighton, Bedfordshire, Luton, Kent and Liverpool. Our goal is to transform lives through empowering change. 

We believe good care and support improves lives with the vision to create healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities. Join us on our mission to empower independence through trauma-informed solutions and dynamic partnerships that keep people out of prison, out of hospital, and off the streets.
Want to know how we work? Watch our short Theory of Change video to see how we support people towards a brighter future: Theory of Change Further details can be found on our website here: Theory of Change - Social Interest Group - Social Interest Group. 

Additional Information

Please note that this job advert may close early due to screening applications on an ongoing basis. We advise applying as soon as possible for your application to be taken into consideration at the early stages.

Please note that as part of our process, we complete an enhanced DBS check, some roles may require further vetting. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us on the details below. 

For Recruitment related enquiries, or if you need support with making your application for example due to learning needs or a disability, please email recruitment@socialinterestgroup.org.uk or call our central office on 020 3668 9270 to request a call back. Please note that this will take you through to our Central Administration team, who will then communicate your enquiry with us and we will arrange to call you back. 

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide sponsorship, please ensure you have full right to work in the UK prior to applying to our positions.