Recovery Support Worker (Forensic)

About us and Fitzneal House

Diverse Services Ltd provides supported living for adults in London. We support people with learning disabilities, serious mental illness and forensic histories. Our services include CQC-registered support, step-down pathways from hospital and, now, forensic supported accommodation.

Fitzneal House is our first dedicated forensic service. It supports men moving on from secure hospitals, prison or other restrictive settings. Many live with serious mental illness, personality disorder or learning disability, and some are subject to Ministry of Justice restrictions, Community Treatment Orders or MAPPA arrangements.

Why join us

• A career you can see. Training and support to progress, with new senior and lead roles filled from our own people first as our forensic services grow.
• You’re not a number. The Director knows your name. Your ideas are heard and credited, and supervision happens monthly, properly.
• Meaningful, specialist work. Forensic support is skilled, structured work that builds expertise general support work cannot.
• A growing company. We are opening new services. Joining now means rising with us.

Purpose of the role

This is a specialist role for experienced practitioners who want to do skilled forensic work, not general support work. You will help the men at Fitzneal House rebuild settled, safe and independent lives in the community, while keeping them, staff and the public safe.

We pay a specialist rate because we expect more: sound judgement, firm and consistent boundaries, excellent recording and a real belief that people can change.

Key responsibilities

1. Support and recovery

• Deliver person-centred, recovery-focused support in line with each person’s support plan, risk management plan and positive behaviour support plan.
• Run structured key-work sessions that build daily living skills, tenancy skills, budgeting, healthy routines and meaningful activity, education or work.
• Support people to engage with their care coordinator, community forensic team, probation, GP and other professionals, and to attend appointments.
• Prompt and support medication in line with policy and each person’s assessed needs.

2. Risk management and boundaries

• Know each person’s risk history, triggers, relapse indicators and early warning signs, and act on them promptly.
• Monitor and uphold any licence conditions, Ministry of Justice restrictions or CTO conditions, and report concerns or breaches immediately through the agreed route.
• Keep firm, fair and consistent professional boundaries at all times.
• Use de-escalation skills to prevent and calmly manage incidents, and take part in debriefs and reflective practice afterwards.
• Carry out room and building checks, curfew and sign-in monitoring, and environmental safety checks as required.

3. Recording and communication

• Write clear, factual, timely daily notes, incident reports and key-work records that would stand up to scrutiny by commissioners, MAPPA or a court.
• Contribute evidence to support plan and risk reviews, Care Programme Approach meetings and professionals’ meetings.
• Give accurate handovers so the next shift knows exactly what has happened and what to watch for.

4. Safeguarding and compliance

• Recognise and report safeguarding concerns without delay, protecting the people we support, staff and the public.
• Follow all policies on lone working, confidentiality, information sharing, medication, health and safety and fire safety.
• Keep mandatory and specialist training up to date.

5. Teamwork and development

• Work as a reliable member of a small, close team, covering the rota fairly and supporting colleagues.
• Attend monthly supervision and an annual appraisal, and agree your development goals.
• Model high standards for newer staff and, once ready, mentor them.

Pay, progression and benefits

Pay: £15.50 per hour, the same for every shift, including nights, weekends and bank holidays. At 36 hours a week this is about £29,100 a year.

Progression: support to work towards the Level 3 Diploma, then Senior Support Worker, a forensic lead role, Team Leader and beyond. As our forensic services grow, new senior roles are advertised to our own staff first.

What we offer

• Specialist forensic training: risk management, de-escalation, trauma-informed practice and mental health, recorded as training badges on your record.
• Monthly one-to-one supervision and team debriefs after incidents.
• An Employee Assistance Programme for confidential advice and counselling.
• 28 days’ annual leave, including bank holidays (pro rata for part time).
• A workplace pension.

Person specification

The £15.50 rate is for proven, experienced practitioners. Candidates must meet every essential criterion. We will keep the post open rather than appoint below this standard.

Safer recruitment

Diverse Services is committed to safeguarding. Every appointment is subject to:

• an enhanced DBS check with the adult barred list;
• two satisfactory references, including your most recent employer in support work;
• proof of your right to work in the UK;
• a full employment history, with any gaps explained.

Selection includes a values-based interview with forensic scenarios, a short written recording exercise and a paid taster shift at Fitzneal House.

Diverse Services is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from everyone, including people with lived experience of mental health or the justice system. Having a criminal record will not automatically rule you out. We will judge each case fairly against the needs of the role.

How to apply

Send your CV and a short note about a time you managed risk well to recruitment@diverseservices.co.uk, or fill in the application form on our careers page. We aim to get back to every applicant within 3 to 5 working days.