Social Worker - Low Moss Prison

Job Summary

Please note that salary will be pro-rated for part-time hours.

Social Worker - HMP Low Moss

Prison-Based Social Work Team

Be part of a new chapter in Prison-Based Social Work

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Prison-Based Social Work Team at HMP Low Moss as we embark on a significant expansion of our service.

Recent collaboration between the Scottish Prison Service, Scottish Government, Social Work Scotland and Local Authorities has reaffirmed the vital role that Prison-Based Social Work plays in supporting individuals throughout their custodial sentence and preparing them for successful reintegration into communities.

As a result of this national recognition and investment, we are recruiting:

• 1 x Part-Time Social Worker

This post will support our transition to a strengthened casework model, bringing prison-based practice more closely in line with community justice social work and allowing practitioners to build meaningful, professional relationships with individuals throughout their sentence journey.

Why Choose Prison-Based Social Work?

Prison-Based Social Work offers a unique opportunity to work with people during some of the most significant periods of change in their lives.

As part of our team, you will:

• Undertake meaningful casework with individuals serving custodial sentences.
• Contribute to risk assessment, risk management and public protection processes.
• Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary environment alongside prison staff, psychology, healthcare and community-based colleagues.
• Support individuals to address offending behaviour, strengthen protective factors and prepare for release.
• Develop expertise in complex risk assessment and management.
• Play a key role in helping people make positive and lasting changes.

What Makes This Role Different?

Unlike many social work settings, prison-based practice offers the opportunity to work intensively with individuals over extended periods of time, allowing practitioners to:

• Build sustained professional relationships.
• Witness progress and change over time.
• Engage in purposeful interventions.
• Influence sentence progression and reintegration planning.
• Contribute directly to community safety and reducing reoffending.

This is challenging, rewarding and highly skilled social work.

 

Job Summary continued

What We Are Looking For

We are seeking enthusiastic, motivated and resilient social workers who:

• Hold a recognised Social Work qualification and registration with the Scottish

Social Services Council (SSSC).

• Are committed to relationship-based practice.
• Have excellent assessment and communication skills.
• Value collaborative and multidisciplinary working.
• Can balance support, challenge and accountability.
• Are passionate about promoting positive change and improving outcomes.

Experience within criminal justice, public protection or risk assessment is welcomed but not essential. Applications are encouraged from social workers who are interested in developing specialist skills within this field.

What We Offer

• A supportive and experienced team environment.
• Opportunities for professional development and specialist training.
• Exposure to complex and varied practice.
• Regular supervision and reflective practice.
• The opportunity to help shape the future of Prison-Based Social Work in Scotland.

This is an exciting time to join HMP Low Moss. As our service grows and develops, successful candidates will have the opportunity to contribute to the future direction of prison-based social work and help deliver a model of practice that is recognised nationally as an essential part of Scotland’s justice system.

Join us and make a difference where it matters most.

Charter of Commitment

The commitment by East Dunbartonshire Council to job applicants is as follows:

• Individuals will be treated in a polite, friendly and welcoming manner.
• Equalities monitoring will be conducted to ensure a fair and equitable process with screening being carried out to anonymise sensitive information such as age, gender and disability.
• The information that we receive will be treated in confidence and with discretion. Only the relevant HR representative/team and the relevant service will see the application form.
• We will encourage and welcome applications from applicants under the disability symbol. Where the essential criteria are met an interview will be offered to those applying under the disability symbol.
• We will be pleased to make any reasonable adjustments to ensure accessibility at the interview.
• We will advise you within reasonable time after the closing date if you have not met the interview criteria. (Normally within 4 weeks)
• We will advise you of meeting the criteria for interview normally within 3 weeks.
• We will advise you if you have been successful or unsuccessful at the interview stage as soon as practically possible.

PVG / Disclosure Scotland

The following criteria applies to all roles within East Dunbartonshire Council where PVG/Disclosure checks are essential criteria.

Where the post you are applying for is considered a Regulated Role under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020, successful candidates will be required to join the PVG Scheme, or undergo a PVG Scheme Update check, prior to confirmation of employment being made by East Dunbartonshire Council.

Please note, successful candidates will be expected to meet the cost of the relevant check which will be deducted from the successful candidate’s first salary payment. Successful candidates who withdraw their application after the check process has started will be invoiced for the cost of the check.

In specific circumstances the payment could be deducted in instalments from an employee’s wages following commencement of employment. Approval in such circumstances will be made by the HR &OD Manager.

Should an employee leave in advance of the payment being deducted, the full amount will be deducted from the employee’s final salary.

The criteria outlined above will apply to existing employees of East Dunbartonshire Council who apply for roles for which a PVG/Disclosure check is required.

 

East Dunbartonshire Council