Criminal Justice Worker

Location: Southend on Sea

Salary: £24,960 - £26,000

Vacancy Type: Permanent

Closing date: 18^th May 2026

Looking for a role where you can make a genuine difference?

We’re seeking a passionate Criminal Justice Worker based in Southend-on-Sea, working full time (35 hours per week), to support adults aged 18+ involved in the criminal justice system who need help with drug and/or alcohol use. You’ll work within an integrated healthcare framework delivering person-centred psychosocial interventions, harm reduction and recovery-focused support.

This is a rewarding opportunity to help people rebuild their lives while working closely with courts, probation, healthcare teams and community partners.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Deliver assessments, care planning and tailored interventions for service users
• Provide 1:1 harm reduction and recovery support
• Advise magistrates and probation teams on suitability for ATRs and DRRs
• Manage a varied caseload, ensuring timely and effective support
• Work collaboratively with GPs, prisons, probation and external agencies
• Support clients with housing, benefits, training and employment referrals
• Maintain accurate case notes, reports and performance data
• Contribute to service targets, outcomes and continuous improvement

What We’re Looking For

• Experience supporting vulnerable adults or working in criminal justice, substance misuse or health/social care settings
• Strong understanding of risk assessments, safeguarding and case management
• Ability to build positive relationships with clients and partner agencies
• Organised, resilient and able to manage competing priorities
• Confident using IT systems and maintaining accurate records
• A proactive, compassionate and solution-focused approach

Be part of a supportive team delivering life-changing services to those who need them most. If you’re motivated by helping others create safer, healthier futures, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and make an impact in Southend-on-Sea. Please see attached Job Description for full details

About Us

We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.

We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits:

• Flexible working
• Training and development opportunities
• Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
• Season Ticket Loan Scheme 
• Cycle to work scheme
• Crisis Loan Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
• Access to Blue Light Card
• 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays 
• Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter 
• Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary) 
• Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)

Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Diversity at Forward Trust

The Forward Trust commits to providing opportunities to everyone. We want to ensure we have a diverse team with a range of lived and professional experiences. This includes those with ‘Lived Experience’ of addiction, offending, or homelessness.

When we recruit, we welcome applications from everyone. This is inclusive of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or belief, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy and maternity and socio-economic background. Where operationally possible, we will consider flexible working requests and make reasonable adjustments for all roles.

We want our recruitment process to be accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage, please let us know.

Employee Screening and Eligibility to Work

Dependent on role you may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service Check, details of which will be shared with you at interview.

If successful in your application, you will be required to provide eligibility to work evidence in line with the ‘Eligibility to Work in the UK’ requirements.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk. Forward Trust follow safer recruitment practices and support a culture of openness and accountability.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Forward Trust please proceed through the following link to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

https://careers.forwardtrust.org.uk/vacancies/618/criminal-justice-worker.html

Contact information

A Member of the Ad Warrior Team