Prison Release Recovery Worker; Maternity Cover - Shepherd's Bush

Prison Release Recovery Worker (Maternity Cover until 12/08/2026) – Shepherd's Bush Permanent

£28,207 per annum (35 hours per week).

We are recruiting for a Prison Release Recovery Worker Maternity Cover Fixed Term Contract Until August 2026.

Here at Forward Trust, we deliver a complex range of drug and alcohol services in the unique prison environment. Our support includes providing advice, health and wellbeing, motivational work, clinical services, and a wider range of group work and treatment programmes.

The Forward Trust services which are delivered within prison settings are commissioned by NHS England and are delivered in partnership with primary healthcare providers and HMPPS. Integration and partnership are integral to the work we do.

We believe that everyone can live a fulfilling life, whatever their past. Our work in prisons aims to support those affected by drug or alcohol issues to create lasting change and reduce dependency, homelessness, unemployment, and re‑offending.

The Substance Misuse Service at HMP Wormwood Scrubs is commissioned to deliver psychosocial interventions within an integrated healthcare framework known as the New Models of Care (NMOC). The team works in close partnership with healthcare services to deliver services across various functions including Early Days in Custody (EDiC), unscheduled care, planned care, release and resettlement. The service is based on site within the prison delivering interventions directly to service users aged 18 and over residing at HMP Wormwood Scrubs.

This is a closed category men’s prison in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London.

The service takes a recovery‑orientated and trauma‑informed approach to delivery of holistic health and wellbeing interventions and various treatment programmes for those coming into the prison who experience drugs and/or alcohol misuse issues.

As Prison Release Recovery Worker you will coordinate and deliver transitional support to service users, working as part of the substance misuse service at HMP Wormwood Scrubs. You will work collaboratively with prison and healthcare partners to ensure ongoing support and continuity of care for service users leaving the custodial setting and play a key role in the release and resettlement function.

The Prison Release Recovery Worker coordinates transitional support (working both inside and outside of the prison setting) alongside the Recovery Workers based at HMP Wormwood Scrubs. In this role you will be expected to support service users prepare and transition back into the community after release for a period of up to four weeks ensuring effective continuity of care ‘Through the Gate’.

The Prison Release Recovery Worker will build a network of partnerships with various agencies to provide comprehensive and supportive meet‑and‑greet/pick‑up services escorting service users directly into either residential rehabilitation facilities, introduction to community‑based treatment, criminal justice or other wrap‑around services. This will involve lone working and the use of public transport to assist service users to attend community‑based appointments.

Working alongside the team of Recovery Workers, the Prison Release Recovery Worker will manage referrals, complete assessments of service user need and risk in preparation for release into the community with an aim of supporting them through the first 24 hours following release, assertively linking them into treatment and support resources, and mutual aid e.g. AA/NA meetings. A holistic release plan will be drawn up with the service user (in conjunction with prison‑based teams such as offender management and probation services) in order that all necessary referrals can be made prior to release and care pathways established for each individual service user.

The role requires the delivery of interventions that promote and support various treatment pathways, involving both group facilitation and 1:1 working.

Checks will require you to provide information on the below:

• Yourself (personal information, financial information, police information, criminal history)
• Your family…