HQ Job Description (JD)
Band 4
Directorate: Community Interventions
Job Description - Prisoner Casework - Casework
Specialist (PPCS)
Document Ref.
HQ-JES-2627 Prisoner Casework - Casework Specialist (PPCS) v2.0
Document Type
Management
Version
2.0
Classification
Official
Date of Issue
21/01/20
Status
Baselined
Produced by
Job Evaluation Assurance and Support Team
Authorised by
Reward Team
JD Evidence
HQ-JES-2627 Prisoner Casework - Casework Specialist (PPCS) v2.0
Job Description
Job Title
Prisoner Casework - Casework Specialist (PPCS)
Directorate
Community Interventions
Band
4
Overview of the job
The Public Protection Casework Section (PPCS) is placed within the Public Protection
Group (PPG) of the Community Interventions Directorate. The post of Prisoner
Casework - Casework Specialist in Prisoner Casework within PPCS is not operational,
although the business objectives of PPCS are focused on delivering frontline public
protection and prisoner casework on behalf of the Prison’s Minister and the Chief
Executive Officer (CEO).
The Prisoner Casework - Casework Specialist role involves drafting a wide range of
correspondence within a team that handles approximately 4,500 pieces of
correspondence and casework each year from across the whole prison estate. This
includes:
? A broad range of general correspondence (Ministerial, CEO and Treat
Official) in respect of determinate and indeterminate sentence prisoners.
? Reviewing governor adjudications and the penalties awarded in respect of
determinate and indeterminate sentence prisoners.
? Investigating and responding to queries from the Prisons and Probation
Ombudsman and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman,
ensuring that recommendations are implemented within the specified
timescale.
? Responding under the Data Protection Act to requests for information from
other governmental departments, such as the Home Office and the
Department for Work and Pensions.
? Responding to correspondence from Inside Times, including drafting
responses for publication.
The job holder will report directly to the Team Leader (Band 5), who in turn reports
to the Deputy Head of Prisoner Casework (Band 7).
Summary
There are no line management responsibilities with this post.
The job holder’s responsibilities involve managing a correspondence caseload on a
day-to-day basis. The job holder is expected to have or develop strong generic
casework skills and a good understanding of how establishments function. Given
that they often need to draw upon the support and input of policy colleagues across
HMPPS HQ, they need to develop an excellent knowledge of the work of HMPPS HQ
and policy groups and be able to network effectively.
The work involves liaison with a number of stakeholders, including prisons and the
Prison and Probation Ombudsman, to solicit information that will ultimately be used
to draft replies to correspondence. All of the work requires the ability to meet tight
deadlines, organise and prioritise casework, and strong drafting skills.
Responsibilities include the drafting of precise and accurate advice/correspondence
to Ministers and senior officials on a wide range of matters relating to individual
prisoners in public and private sector prisons. Subject matter includes, but is not
exhaustive to, security categorisation and transfer, visits, access to education and
offending behaviour programmes, regimes, lost property, safer custody and health
care issues.
HQ-JES-2627 Prisoner Casework - Casework Specialist (PPCS) v2.0
The post holder is also responsible for caseworking around 2,500 adjudication
reviews in accordance with Prison Service Instructions, ensuring that there are
systems in place to monitor performance and ensure that business targets are met.
The post holder will deal with sometimes complex and sensitive cases relating to
individual prisoners. They will draft articles for publication in Inside Times.
There are challenging targets to ensure that casework is completed within the
deadline (which will vary depending on both the type of correspondence and work).
The job holder will be expected to build and sustain relationships with other
agencies and stakeholders and will liaise, on a regular basis, with a range of prison
staff, Deputy Directors of Custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman’s office,
Inside Times’ Editors, the police, Government Legal Department, Government Legal
Advisors, Probation Services, the Parole Board and other senior officials.
The job holder will be expected to accurately and completely update their work on
the Section’s IT system (PPUD) and to suggest any development requirements that
may be pertinent.
The job holder is also expected to take their turn, on a rota basis, to manage the
team inbox and allocate work to their colleagues in a timely manner.
They are also expected to take their turn, on a rota basis, processing recalls to
custody of offenders who have breached their licence conditions. This duty will take
place on a Friday, every other week, and may require the post-holder to work up to
7pm on those days.
Responsibilities,
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities
Activities and Duties
and duties:
? Providing urgent, concise and accurate briefing for Minsters, Private Office,
Press Office and other senior officials.
? Providing draft responses for Minsters, the CEO and other senior officials.
? The preparation of a first draft of submissions, advice and draft letters on
incidents, contentious issues and Ministerial enquiries.
? Monitoring the review of adjudication appeals from prisoners in respect of
determinate and indeterminate sentence prisoners ensuring that thorough
reviews have been carried out in accordance with the PSI.
? Overseeing the acceptance of PPO’s recommendations, and the draft
response to the PPO, referring to the Band 5 where appropriate.
? Producing responses to Treat Official cases.
? Producing a first draft of articles for Inside Times.
? Reviewing and monitoring their own caseload, identifying pressure points
and finding ways to manage the pressures to ensure that business targets
are met.
? Initial involvement with complex and high profile cases flagging up to senior
managers where Press Office and Private Office need to be informed of any
cases that are likely to attract media attention.
? Providing Private Office, via their line manager, with urgent advice on
sensitive or critical cases.
? Instructing colleagues as to the acceptance or rejection of Ministerial and
CEO correspondence within 24 hours of receipt.
? Managing the team inbox to ensure that all correspondence is correctly
allocated in a timely fashion.
? Building and sustaining effective working relationships with policy holders
and other agencies including the PPO, Police, Government Legal
Department, Legal Advisors and prisons etc.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not
intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable
alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary. Significant
adjustments may require re-examination under the Job Evaluation Scheme and shall
be discussed in the first instance with the job holder.
HQ-JES-2627 Prisoner Casework - Casework Specialist (PPCS) v2.0
Behaviours
? Communicating and Influencing
? Delivering at Pace
? Working Together
? Managing a Quality Service
Strengths
It is advised strengths are chosen locally, recommended 4-8.
Experience
None
Technical
None
Requirements
Ability
None
Minimum Eligibility
? All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post.
? All external candidates are subject to 6 months’ probation. Internal candidates are
subject to probation if they have not already served a probationary period within
HMPPS.
? All staff are required to declare whether they are a member of a group or
organisation which HMPPS consider to be racist.
Hours of Work
Leave Blank
(Unsocial Hours)
Allowances
To be used by the JES Team only
HQ-JES-2627 Prisoner Casework - Casework Specialist (PPCS) v2.0
Success Profile
Strengths
Behaviours
It is advised strengths
Ability
Experience
Technical
are chosen locally,
recommended 4-8
Communicating and Influencing
Delivering at Pace
Working Together
Managing a Quality Service
HQ-JES-2627 Prisoner Casework - Casework Specialist (PPCS) v2.0