Back to Job Search

Witness Care Officer

Job Description

Service care solutions are recruiting for a 'Witness Care Officer' to work for a Police force in Thames Valley. Please see below for more information and to apply please contact Lewis on 01772 208962.

Job Description

  • Conduct the day-to-day delivery of Victim and Witness Care in accordance with the principals of The Victims Code of Practice (VCOP) Act as point of contact for the Crown Prosecution Service, the Police and other Criminal Justice Agencies from charge to conclusion. Work as part of a team to improve witness satisfaction and reduce the number of ineffective Trials.

Day to day

  • Act as single point of contact for an allocated caseload of victims and witnesses throughout the lifetime of the court case. Take responsibility for decisions around the method and frequency of contact and appropriate referral to partner agencies in line with the Victim's Code, Witness Charter and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
  • Conduct a tailored needs assessment with each victim and witness, managing their individual needs and expectations to identify special measures that may include; arranging Live Links between Police Stations, Courts, Council Offices and overseas secure locations. Manage financial requirements with the CPS for authorisation to arrange and book appropriate transport and accommodation to allow witnesses to give evidence and increase confidence in the Criminal Justice system.
  • Collaborate with support agencies including; the Witness Service (regarding pre-trial visits / support at court), Victim First Hub, specialist staff (IDVAs / ISVAs), other victim care partners and Police Officers to ensure bespoke support and safeguarding plans are developed and implemented for victims and witnesses before, during and post-trial, to enable evidence is given.
  • Work with victims during and after the court process. Proactively undertake detailed conversations with Victims in 'Guilty Plea' cases about Restorative Justice (RJ) to identify suitability for this service. Complete quality referrals to Thames Valley Restorative Justice Service (TVRJS) as required, to provide quality outcomes for victims and reduce re-offending.

Skills required

  • Good standard of education with a minimum of 4 GCSEs grades A-C/9-4 or equivalent including Numeracy and Literacy (E)
  • The ability to communicate calmly and effectively with a wide range of internal / external customers and partner agencies in stressful and pressurised situations. Ability to negotiate / influence anxious, distressed or angry customers. (E)
  • Ability to work on own initiative, manage own workload and work to non-negotiable deadlines whilst making decisions within agreed guidelines. Experience of prioritising workloads after assessing individual need and organisational risk. Managing own workload and working to non-negotiable targets. (E)
  • Proven experience of using MS Office (including Word & Excel) and ability to learn new IT systems. Proven ability to input, update and retrieve system information. (E)
  • Ability to work effectively as part of a team with excellent problem solving skills (E)
  • Resilient, reliable and able to cope in a pressured environment with the ability to remain calm and accurate in a variety of situations. (E)
  • Previous experience of working in a customer service environment or in a role requiring direct contact with customers (E)
  • Knowledge / experience of the Criminal Justice System and / or willingness to gain understanding of relevant Government initiatives(E)