YJW | Prison Officer Application Information Centre

The role of a youth justice worker

Working with children and young people in custody can be tough. They can be impulsive, in your face and test boundaries at every level.

You’ll need to make quick but effective decisions. You’ll also need patience and resilience.

You’ll be responsible for ensuring the security and safety of children and young people, and supporting them day-to-day in a custodial environment.

Each shift you’ll work with children and young people supporting them to manage their behaviour and attend education, training and activities.

Eligibility Criteria for Youth Justice Workers

Be at least 18 years old when taking up the post
Show you have the skills to work with children and young people
Be committed to work towards a Level 4 Child Focused Qualification.
For safety reasons, everyone training to be a prison officer needs a suitable standard of hearing (without the use of hearing aids).
Be able to speak with confidence in English or (when specified in Wales) Welsh

Disability Support

You may have informed us that you have a disability within your application form and chose to apply using the Reasonable Adjustments Scheme.

You should have been in contact with the Reasonable Adjustments Scheme Team to organise your individual adjustments.

If you have any queries about your adjustments on the day of your online assessment centre, please make the host aware in the first instance.

Specialist training. Great rewards.

The YJW qualification starts after your Initial training and Foundation course period.

The YJW course is slightly longer that prison officer due to the complexities of working with children and is 12 weeks long.

As a youth justice worker, you must complete a level 4 child focused qualification. You will be fully funded to complete this.

You will learn the theory of child development to understand children and young people’s behaviours, and the all too often emotional pain and trauma behind them.

You will learn how your approach and personal interactions can make a big difference in the lives of children and young people.

Training and support

You will begin your career with 11 weeks of training.

Weeks 1 and 2 will be at your “home” establishment where you will complete your initial training

Weeks 3 to 11 are spent on prison officer Foundation training specialising in working with children and young people in custody.

This training ensures you are fully equipped and ready for an operational role. You will learn:

How to de-escalate situations, and, if necessary, safely restrain children and young people Using Managing & Minimising Physical Restraint (MMPR) techniques
All aspects of working in youth custody from security to policy
Practical skills – whether that be locking doors or de-escalating an incident – with support from trainers
Youth specific interventions including motivational interviewing, restorative justice and trauma informed approaches so you can use them confidently

Training is likely to take place away from your home unless you have a training centre near you. You will receive full pay and expenses.

Career progression

As part of the youth justice worker role, you must complete a Level 4 Child Focused Qualification.

You will learn about speech, language and communication needs, and the essential skills for child protection and safeguarding.

You will be given time, support and technology to help you balance your working duties.