Date

Version

Nature of Change

Edited by

Sections Affected

08/09/11

0.1

Initial draft

JN

All

06/10/11

0.2

Renamed file

SC/KR/BS

All

11/10/11

0.3

Reformatted/re-categorised RAD section

RS

Summary / RAD Section

13/10/11

0.4

Following review of Job Descriptions by scheme designer

ND

Summary / RAD Section

21/10/11

0.5

Following Job family Review

VO

All

27/10/11

0.6

Following comments made at the Chaplaincy Workshop held on 26 October

JN

RAD

10/11/11

0.7

Following Meeting with Michael Kavanagh Chaplaincy Team

VO

All

28/11/11

0.8

Following meeting with Chaplaincy HQ on 24 November 2011

JN

All

30/11/11

0.9

Following final JD sign off with DDC Claudia Sturt on 29^th Nov 2011

JN

All

13/12/11

0.10

Following final review by the Chaplaincy HQ and members of Prospect Union

JN

All

16/02/12

0.11

Changes to the Factor Examples following request to the Chaplaincy Team

JN

Factor Examples

20/02/12

0.12

Changes to the Job Description following meeting with Chaplain Phil Chadder at HMP Brixton.

JN

All

28/02/12

0.13

Changes to the title of the role from the Chaplaincy Team

JN

All

17/05/12

0.14

Changes to the GP name and additional factor examples

JN

All

09/07/12

1.0

Changes following Quality Assurance feedback

Programme

All

30/07/13

3.0

Following JD review by OR Team

OR Programme

All

08/04/15

4.0

Benefits section removed

JEA Team

All

16/11/16

5.0

English Language Requirement

JEA Team

All

17/10/18

6.0

Footer version correction

JEA Team

All

10/11/22

6.1

Revised to reflect group Band 5 JD, while retaining separate faith/belief requirements. Some of the language has been amended to be more inclusive and Faith and belief requirements checked with Faith/Belief advisers and updated where needed.

BK

All

24/03/23

6.2

Further revisions to shorten the document and improve clarity in places.

BK/RC

All

05/06/23

7.0

JD Reformatted and Baselined

AL

All

Factor

Examples

Skills and Knowledge

Have relevant practical experience of the preparation and delivery of corporate worship/meditation, including preaching, and to facilitate it as necessary. Make decisions regarding style of worship/meditation, inviting guest speakers (as appropriate) - evaluating benefit to prison community of outside input.

Have relevant practical experience in the preparation and delivery faith/belief education for prisoners. Deciding on curriculum of teaching, ensuring that HMPPS policies are followed in such decisions.

Regularly reflecting upon activities and experiences of people from a very wide range of backgrounds. Could include reflecting and acting upon the challenges of multi-faith/belief working, or to attend to the funerary needs of a member of staff, or to understand the impact that a mental health practitioner’s decisions may have upon the perceived spiritual well-being of a prisoner. All of these activities require in depth understanding of both their own theological knowledge; e.g. professional as well as spiritual standing and interactive elements in working with others.

Must have a good working knowledge of common MS Office applications such as Word, Excel, Teams PowerPoint etc.

Should have a working knowledge of other faiths/beliefs represented within a prison to enable them to work in a multi faith environment.

Have organisational skills acquired through experience or structured training.

Have excellent communication skills and should be able to design and deliver courses, sermons, homilies, talks, presentations and write structured reports.

Accountability and Decision Making

Accountable for the delivery of relevant parts of the PSI 05/2016 “Faith and Pastoral Care for Prisoners"’ or its successor policy framework.

At the Managing Chaplain’s request create procedural instructions and strategies that contribute to the operation of the prison. Make decisions about the provision for own faith/belief group, engaging with the respective Faith and Belief Adviser where necessary, and in consultation with the Managing Chaplain.

Responsible in conjunction with the Managing Chaplain for undertaking actions arising from the HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP)/Managing Quality of Prison Life (MQPL) reports.

Make decisions regarding provision of pastoral care and guidance for prisoners and staff when required.

Accountable for requirement to visit new prisoners within 24 hours of their arrival. Also for daily visiting prisoners located in the separation and care units and the health care centre. Will be accountable with other team members for ensuring that prisoners have access to a member of the chaplaincy team before their discharge.

Chaplains can make decisions such as devising a new course in line with current interventions guidance and the establishment’s business plans. Job holder will inform the Managing Chaplain of intention and if given the go-head will negotiate with interested parties such as operational staff about escorting/unlocking of prisoners. Ensures any volunteers are trained to a suitable level to enable them to successfully deliver the course. Monitors and recommends change to programmes according to performance and budgetary changes or shortfalls, complexity and participation.

Advise on the suitability of volunteers from their own faith/belief background in consultation with the Managing Chaplain.

Work with the Official Prison Visitor (OPV) Liaison Officer in promoting the scheme within the prison ensuring all prisoners are aware of it and to assist where required OPV volunteers.

Responsible for ensuring any activity is run in a way that is considered as operationally secure so that it does not affect the operational running of the prison.

Decide on the veracity of information and requests made by prisoners.

Deal with queries over religious/belief observance and interfaith/belief issues, liaising with and seeking input from the respective Faith and Belief Adviser as necessary.

Make recommendations to the Managing Chaplain on major festivals and will be responsible for co-ordinating the operational factors in supporting those festivals.

Offer pastoral support to those prisoners who are near death or are under Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) arrangements. Verifies and communicates bereavement information to prisoners and provides an ongoing support service.

Contribute information to the Head of Security about extremist prisoners where their extreme behaviour centres around faith or belief. Have input to risk assessments and make recommendations to the Managing Chaplain.

Provide advice to other internal departments; e.g. catering, extremism and Diversity Equality Action Team (DEAT) meetings.

Process marriage/civil partnership applications for prisoners of their own faith and advise the Governing Governor/Director about the final decision by recommendations as to whether it should proceed.

Contribute to the whole reducing reoffending agenda. Assist with offenders on release into the community, those serving community sentences or other HMPPS funded community initiatives by agreement.

Works with their respective faith/belief leads etc both within HMPPS and where appropriate externally.

Problem Solving

Solve day to day problems of staff deployment across own faith/belief group to deliver competing demands and to cover for staff absence, escalating to the Managing Chaplain where appropriate.

Problems faced by the job holder may include having to deal with issues/queries passed to them by the switchboard in relation to family concerns over a particular prisoner. The job holder is required to use their judgement in deciding how to process the problem and report back.

Makes recommendations concerning exclusion from worship/meditation activities in instances where a prisoner’s behaviour is unacceptable. The job holder would be required to use judgement as whether a warning is sufficient or whether to exclude for a set period.

Seek to resolve contradictions and provide advice on custodial management/security and faith/belief requirements; e.g. a prisoner wishing to attend corporate worship/meditation from the Care and Separation Unit, the job holder may need to spend extra time there etc. The job holder will need to carefully explore the issue with operational staff to establish the precise situation and solution.

The Chaplain will often have to act as a conduit between prisoners and operational staff and deal with any perceived injustices/persecution by prisoners while ensuring the integrity of the staff.

Analysis of prisoner needs, exploring the spiritual and personal situation of individuals and options available to them and directing to appropriate resources - Chaplaincy interventions, post-release contact etc. During intervention sessions respond to prisoner needs in relation to addressing offending.

To exercise their judgement in difficult circumstances which may be emotionally charged such as dealing with bereavement, distress/suicidal/self-harming prisoners, distressed relatives of prisoners and staff (after death in custody).

Resource Management and Financial Impact

Make requisition purchases from the department budget subject to approval from the Managing Chaplain.

Make recommendations to the Chaplaincy’s business plan and budget, new projects to be undertaken and upcoming special events.

Organising and Planning

Facilitate services provided by volunteers and external groups including obtaining information necessary for security checks, ensuring security procedures are followed. This involves planning and following through arrangements made.

Co-ordination with a number of departments to a high level is required; e.g.

• Education - to ensure qualification standards are met and reported upon;

• Security/Operations - to ensure volunteers are suitably cleared/searched/safeguarded/ supervised;

• Offender Management in Custody - to ensure consistent delivery of sentence planning goals and targets; and

• Reducing Reoffending - to engage with research and development of effectiveness of programme, ensuring short term objectives support the long-term vision; monitors and engages with the volunteers during course provision to ensure safety and quality.

Negotiating timetable difficulties and needs for prisoners to attend a course during the core day often involves arranging for prisoners to be excused other work or activities. The job holder plans and determines in advance where these “rub points" may be and will liaise with appropriate departments in order to achieve goals of programme.

A very complex task, ranging across many departments and engaging with requiring persuasion and motivation of many different groups to achieve the goals of the programme. Not all of these groups would have the goals of this programme as a priority and so advanced persuasion is often required.

Work with colleagues to deliver PSI 05/2016 “Faith and Pastoral Care for Prisoners" or successor policy framework with particular emphasis on own faith/belief traditions. Resettlement work is typically devolved to the Chaplains and involves appointing mentors and working towards resettlement plans from a faith/belief perspective, prioritising and coordinating the activity, setting timescale and milestones. This is an ongoing task that requires both forward planning and a short term response. The task is carried out on a week-by-week basis for long and short term prisoners. The Chaplain will determine resources, organisation and processes required to meet targets by:

• identification of suitable mentors, through faith/belief groups/communities, recognised community chaplaincy projects;

• making initial contact followed up by application and interview;

• vetting, Enhanced Level 2, CTC applications and enhanced DBS is required for those working in prisons that house young people under the age of 18 ;

• training and preparation for mentors, induction, safeguards, child protection;

• introduction of mentor to mentee;

• feedback and monitoring from internal mentoring;

• organisation of outside faith/belief links/organisations;

• within scope of confidentiality guidelines make aware of any Child Protection or Sex Offender Register issues;

• attendance at Detention Training Order (DTO) meetings;

• liaising with external Youth Offending Team (YOT) Supervising Officers;

• receiving regular reports from mentors once a mentee has been released and continues to work with them;

• feedback to Head of Resettlement; and

• some follow-up visits on release

This process requires the Chaplain being actively involved in the planning process. This is a complex activity, requiring a great deal or interaction with prisoners, mentors and statutory organisations (e.g. YOTs), involvement with external faith/belief group leaders and anyone else that may be responsible for the care and welfare of the prisoner on release.

Organise external hospital visits involving drawing together information from hospital about the condition of prisoner’s relative, establishing level of relationship to prisoner, ensuring all relevant risk assessments are carried out in a timely manner, following through process until the visit is made or denied and prisoner informed.

On occasions be required to allocate tasks such as providing specific pastoral care in suitable cases to sessional or volunteer staff/chaplains.

Organise activities within own faith/belief group ensuring that targets are met and that an appropriate number and range of sessions are offered. Monitors the quality of delivery of activities using self-criticism also representation and accountability to as establishment’s assurance arrangements, heads of learning and skills etc as well as researching and/or writing appropriate material.

Organise and offer advice on festivals specific to own faith/belief groups through the year; e.g. life events such as marriage, civil partnerships [where permitted by faith/belief], funerals, including visits to dying relatives and attendance at funerals outside of the establishment, Liaising as required with prisoners, families, registrars, Governor/Director, funeral directors, medical authorities and relevant prison departments etc. Co-ordination, medium and long-term planning and preparing a procedure for facilitating these events. Once confirmation has been given, a schedule/matrix is produced mapping out each organisational step for the event, specifying timeframes and recording actions, showing the names of external visitors, candidates, sponsors and volunteers attending the service.

Facilitating contact with outside stakeholders. Formally plan, prioritise and co-ordinate activities, medium term planning to facilitate visits requested by outside stakeholders e.g. Social Services supervised visits with children of the prisoner/before removal for adoption. Setting timescale and milestones both with outside stakeholder and with other internal departments for extent of access, date, venue through email and written plans. Chaplain will determine resources required - venue, staffing vetting. Chaplain takes account of short and long-term objectives balancing security and good order with supporting family life.

Long term planning for recruiting volunteers from the relevant faith/belief group; supervising and supporting them. Prioritising and co-ordinating the activity; e.g. setting timescale and milestones including recognition of need from observation of faith/belief group activities and contact with volunteers. Contact with existing and prospective volunteers, local faith/belief communities, Managing Chaplain, chaplaincy team, other departments such as Security Department, Gate, Veterans Contact Point and Duty Governor. Identify appropriate potential volunteers, ensure all requirements are met before visiting the prison.

Work plan evidenced by email correspondence and creation of relevant Notices to Staff and contact with volunteer groups. This is a complex task with around 20 people who are directly involved in the recruitment initiative. Chaplain considers how the short-term objectives support the long-term vision as follows:

• short term objective - to inspire potential volunteers and discern their appropriateness for the role; and

• the long term objective - to provide sufficient and appropriate volunteers to ensure the continuing effectiveness of the Chaplaincy team in meeting their requirements.

The process involves working with and across a number of disparate groups, Chaplain adapts to changing organisational needs: the recruitment initiative will begin from recognition of an organisational need. The Chaplain will need to adapt their approach dependent upon the task of the people recruited and those who are approached. The job holder leads and takes part in the process which involves ongoing monitoring and progressing this task.

To reorganise and prioritise existing commitments at (not infrequent) times of personal crisis that impact on the whole establishment.

Deliver faith awareness course.

People Management

No line management or supervisory responsibilities.

Train and supervise large and disparate groups of volunteers.

Information Management

Delegated to speak for Chaplaincy on Equality Action Team. Will work on own authority, liaising with chaplaincy members and other stakeholders, run and feedback directly from prisoner forums. Will produce data and action plans that will impact on the establishment’s policies and processes.

Contribute to local establishment policies such as exclusion from faith/belief activities or attendance at funerals, permission to get married, notification of dying relative, etc.

For example, in the case of a dying relative the Chaplain will need to collate complex and sensitive information from the family and the hospital about the medical condition of the patient, including a professional assessment of their health from the hospital. He/she will have to analyse and understand the impact of passing this news to the prisoner and have a reasonable understanding of the information supplied by the hospital especially the life expectancy of the patient. It is essential that this information is fully understood and communicated accurately and in a professional manner. The Chaplain will liaise with a range of staff and prison departments. This will enable to decide whether the news should be broken by a Chaplain or be relayed by a family member over the phone, in the presence of a Chaplain.

The Chaplain will make such data available to a fresh audience, considering its confidentiality, sensitivity and complexity of the data to determine who can receive the information and in what format it will be most meaningful; e.g. the Security department may give reasons as to why a prisoner cannot visit his/her dying relative. Such information cannot be relayed to the prisoner or his family. However, the decision made must be relayed with an explanation that does not disclose the security reasons given for refusal. The Chaplain will at this stage have to demonstrate heightened compassion and sensitivity as the decision made could be met with anger and frustration.

The Chaplain will independently verify the information given then will log details of the person contacted, their name, position, address and phone number. The relevant information will be collated, evaluated and sent to the Security department to complete their part of the form and then forwarded onto the Governor to complete the last section of the form with a decision. During this whole procedure, relevant records will need to be reviewed and updated especially when new information is acquired; e.g. if the patient’s health is deteriorating or family circumstances change (the frequency for this is likely to be weekly). Material may have to be reassessed and revised as the condition of the patient changes and depending on the prisoner’s state of mind. The Chaplain will use high level thinking skills to combine information gathering, compassion and sensitivity which will impact on the manner of relaying the information to the prisoner or other stakeholders. Also, it is essential to evaluate the level of understanding of information presented, as the prisoner is likely to be in a highly emotional and stressed state and may find it difficult to ‘hear’ what is being conveyed.

Records all significant pastoral care interventions, gather and collate attendance figures (for courses, corporate worship, studies/classes, courses, pay information and note any trends in the chaplaincy journal and in the prisoner database (Prison-NOMIS). Submit data for regime monitoring as required.

Prepares reports on prisoners’ behaviour and engagement with Chaplaincy for Parole Board reviews/Home Detention Curfew/categorisation reports etc as required as well as team reports for establishment meetings.

Communicates local arrangements for faith/belief feasts, festivals and holy days to prisoners, staff and management. On own authority for own faith/belief community will create advisory documents for Senior Management on own faith/belief matters.

Complete faith/belief records for prisoners, including ensuring changes are appropriately managed and recorded. Analysis of the above data for meaningful purposes is very complex, with the Chaplain needing the ability to anticipate trends and their implications, they have to understand and anticipate the information required and how the customers’ suitability to receive the material is assessed; e.g. trends in faith/belief re-registration can indicate a number of factors ranging from poor administrative systems at the point of Reception, through to bullying being a factor in relation to extremism. The Chaplain responsible for gathering and assessing this data has to be able to clearly identify such a range and determine who to advise of the trend. The Chaplain would consider at what point relevant departments/ teams such as Security, DEAT, Extremism Units should be informed of trends. In determining the trends found in the data the Chaplain has to make judgements about the confidentiality of sensitive information relating to a prisoner’s chosen religion/life view. They would also evaluate the impact which the presentation of the data to particular audiences will have and therefore at what level it should be dealt with.

The Chaplain will validate the information and judge based on training and experience, in particular determining who would constitute a suitable audience, what data should be presented and consider how it should be presented so that the information becomes meaningful. Ongoing monitoring of such information would typically be devolved to a Chaplain who would also be responsible for data manipulation and presentation. The reasons for a Chaplain’s interpretations of the data needs to be explained clearly and reasonably. Any suggestion that the information has wider-ranging implications would need to be well supported and documented. In addition, the Chaplain must keep in mind the need to reassess and revise presentation of information in the light of changing needs of their hearers: similar data in different contexts will have divergent interpretations. If new information is received, then data will have to be re-analysed. Analysis and presentation of such material requires high level thinking; e.g. if a series of re-registrations suddenly appeared from a particular location, then the high-level thinking required to demonstrate faith/belief intimidation would need to be presented at a high level fairly intensely. However, if re-registration seemed to be a result of a minor administrative oversight that was new, then the information could be presented more leisurely (at first - and assuming that it was acted upon). Such information would commonly have to be considered and presented in a short timescale.

Research relevant faith/belief scriptures, texts, writings and presents the faith/belief clearly to listeners in such a way that motivations and actions are challenged and changed where appropriate; e.g. research needed for prisoner focus group, design and deliver (scriptural/belief) training programme involving the collection, analysis and presentation of that material. The group of prisoners would be convened to discuss the areas of scripture they would like to study and to scope their present level of knowledge and ability so the course meets their needs. Commentaries and source scriptures - some in the original languages; e.g. Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, Pali, Hindi, Persian, Punjabi depending on the faith/belief and the themes identified by the prisoners to be explored and for which sessions are planned.

It is by its nature complex, requiring detailed knowledge and analytical skills. Scriptural/belief information can be complex - as are theological/philosophical commentaries that underpin scripture/writings. Taken out of context, texts can lead people into serious error, so evaluating the whole of the material to be considered and its links with other parts of scripture, faith/belief tradition and spiritual practice (Humanist/Non-Religious equivalent) is a high level activity to which the Chaplain will bring significant levels of training and experience. The frequency of this task to design of a new course would probably be twice a year, however evaluation and reshaping will be ongoing. Sensitivity: scriptural/belief information wrongly used can be a significant security risk - encouraging sectarianism, extremism etc which is why teaching needs to be accurate, accessible considered and relevant. This task requires both forward planning and the ability to ‘think on one’s feet’.

Design and deliver training programmes for prisoners; e.g. bereavement programmes and lifer programmes, sources relevant materials ensures compliance with relevant belief/faith teaching and policies. Deliver training programmes for staff, e.g. faith/belief awareness.

Respond to correspondence from prisoners’ families, pastoral carers, third sector and voluntary organisations, faith and belief communities.

Ensure staff are aware of permitted religious artefacts and prisoners are advised on how these may be accessed.

Correctly assess and deal appropriately with personal information given by prisoners and, when appropriate, pass to colleagues in other departments, e.g. SMT, Security department, Health Care, Safeguarding. Similarly, assess dynamic security indicators during worship/meditation, groups and faith/belief classes and share information with other departments as necessary.

Influencing and Interaction

Build and promote good working relationships in line with the multi-faith/belief nature of chaplaincy, respecting those who have a different faith/belief to chaplains’ own faith/belief. Foster links with faith/belief communities to raise awareness of issues relating to criminal justice to encourage volunteers and to assist with resettlement.

Participate in the process of dealing with bereavement by liaising with families, prisoners, hospitals, coroners’ offices, wing staff, security, safer custody and other third parties, as well as caring for staff. They will act to present the prisoner’s interest in terms of contact with family and attendance at funeral after evaluating relevant information. They will work closely with the family and prisoner to encourage positive ways of dealing with feelings of frustration, loss anger etc. Frequency: this will be a frequent task, at least weekly. This task is likely to be as a result of the Chaplain carrying out ‘Duty Chaplain’ role when they would act on their own authority without reference to line management.

Liaise with safer custody to support and identify vulnerable prisoners. The Chaplain represents the interests of HMPPS with the prisoner and the prisoner to the HMPPS working directly with prisoners in crisis situations - those subject to ACCT arrangements/not coping/cellular confinement. The Chaplain will act as an advocate to either side (prison authority/prisoner) directly with people of authority and decision making additionally as part of a review meeting (ACCT, case conference, Good Order and Discipline, etc). The Chaplain will work across disparate groups with differing interests and perspectives - the prisoner, Managing Chaplain, chaplaincy team members, Residential managers, Health Care (general medical and mental health), Safer Custody, prisoner’s family daily. The Chaplain will be expected to provide professional or expert support without direct line management authority using their experience and skills to influence the attitude of the prisoner and/or the way the prison deals with the individual. Impact may be on prisoners’ wellbeing or on the prison’s standard of decency of treatment of prisoners.

Mentor visiting staff of own faith/belief giving advice and guidance where necessary.

On own authority for own faith/belief community will create advisory documents for senior management on own faith/belief matters.

Use negotiating and influencing skills working directly with radicalised prisoners or those who may are deemed to have the potential for radicalisation. The issues involved are typically complex and involve interacting and influencing groups with conflicting interests. The Chaplain will need to work in a manner which shows sensitivity to the thoughts and intentions of the prisoner while remaining clear about mainstream teaching and the need for national security. Frequency: For some this will be a daily/weekly occurrence. For all chaplains there is the ever-present potential for this to arise. The Chaplain will be representing both his/her own faith/belief community and Chaplaincy and HMPPS aims and policies in his interaction with the group. The Chaplain will also liaise directly with other departments - Security, Extremism Unit, Special Branch. Such information sharing is normally direct and not via the Managing Chaplain.

Communicate regularly both formally and informally with prisoners to discuss personal matters and with staff to discuss matters regarding the treatment of a particular prisoner or group of prisoners.

Attend all relevant planned meetings such as Offender Learning and Development, Safer Prisons, DEAT Committee, Health and Safety Committee, ACCT reviews, external and other faith/belief groups building and maintaining effective relationships as necessary.

Interact with the establishment’s management and others on matters of faith and pastoral need for staff and prisoners - involves requirement and ability to represent the team’s interests in a wider forum where others may have different and possibly conflicting interests, (various prison departments, Kitchens, health and safety colleagues, HMPPS Faith and Belief Advisers etc and the requirement and ability to make specified commitments on behalf of the group.

This involves making the case with the kitchen of its need to provide food in addition to the norm and at a different time/location. Catering budgets are finite. Work with health and safety colleagues to ensure that the provision of faith/belief food is acceptable, possibly prepared off-site. Inform allocations/prisoner movements that attendance at the feast is essential in addition to mandatory one hour weekly worship/meditation and that a day off is essential. Requirement for prisoners to attend allocated activity. Work with local faith/belief community about support for the festival.

Liaise with other members of the Chaplaincy team to ensure effective provision during the festival. Festival will take part as a part of the ‘normal’ working day for other members of the team. Train prison staff about the importance and relevance of this festival and the necessary steps that adherents of the faith/belief must take in its celebration. Lack of awareness of the relevance of faith/belief issues often leads to conflict and could result in inadvertent offence.

The Managing Chaplain will normally delegate such tasks, monitor and feedback to Chaplain on completion. A Chaplain of a particular faith/belief will be expected to provide professional or expert leadership without direct line management authority will be directly responsible for providing for the needs of their faith/belief community within the prison. Implementation of this HMPPS policy rests upon them as a faith/belief leader both theologically, philosophically and morally. They will, lead the implementation of policy, procedure or practice across an establishment relevant to their faith/belief, be expected to be the key point of contact for their faith/belief community and if they are the only or senior representative of their faith/belief on the Chaplaincy team will lead the establishment in the implementation of these faith/belief specific issues.

Liaise with prisoners’ families and outside agencies including NHS, undertakers, coroners and police regarding sickness and death of relatives or other emergencies.

Represent the prison and HMPPS maintaining contact and developing links with the wider faith/belief community often with a view to gaining their support/involvement in prison activities; e.g. instituting Community Chaplaincy, recruiting Official Prison Visitors, negotiating project opportunities for prisoner payback into the community.

Emotional Demand and Risk

Visit prisoners to meet the statutory duties as outlined in the policies and standards. Individual contact with prisoners about course applications through written and verbal responses.

Intervene professionally and demonstrate understanding when dealing with volatile and unreasonable prisoners.

Deliver critical news to prisoners which may result in a significant negative reaction by the prisoner; e.g. the death or serious illness of a relative as soon as possible after receiving the news. This will involve confirming the news with an independent body before passing the news on to the prisoner and offering and providing pastoral support once the news is delivered. Ensures arrangements for prisoner to attend funeral/bedside are followed in a fair and timely way. (Frequency - at least once/twice a week - medium sized establishment.)

Visiting all parts of the prison including health care and segregation, often engaging with violent/refractory prisoners. Includes dealing with prisoners who have or are threatening self-harm, may be aggressive or in a mentally/disordered state (frequency - several times a week). In most cases there will be minimal ‘physical’ support; e.g. Control and Restraint trained staff and Chaplains will have to rely on personal inner resources to deal with the strong emotions they experience from/with prisoners.

Dealing with prisoners’ families during crisis times and where contact is requested but may be refused leading to abuse, even threats over the phone (at least once a month).

May travel with prisoners on Temporary Licence to difficult events (funerals) to offer support and liaise with families/mourners.