At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services. We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.

Escort Custody Officer
Eastleigh Vehicle Base

Full Time Hours - Permanent

£18,200.00

Being a Escort Custody Officer is not always easy but it is rewarding

Our job is to provide Court custody and transportation services, this means collecting detained Children and Young People from prisons or police stations and transporting them safely and securely to Courts for trial.

Ensuring all Children and Young People in our care feel safe and secure from the point that the escort commences to the point the escort concludes

Once in Court we are responsible for every aspect of their care throughout the day until it is time for return to custody or release. Daily tasks will include:

• Accompanying defendants in court.
• Searching property or people.
• Ensure the needs of the CYP are balanced with the need to protect the public.
• Ensure there is a high regard to the CYP's emotional and physical well-being, and their anxieties recognised and managed.
• Prevent Escape, Self- Harm, Harm to others and damage to property.
• Ensuring food and drink is available.
• Completing paperwork and entering core data on to our computer systems.

It's not easy being trusted with the safety and security of Children and Young People about to receive a sentence from the courts. Every detained person reacts differently, and you will see a full range of emotions from; apathy, anger, remorse or trauma. For the person being detained it can be one of the most stressful situations they will ever encounter, but for you it's an everyday part of your job.

You will need strong communication skills and the ability Communicate in a way that Children and Young People can understand whilst showing interest in them as individuals.

As an ECO it is your responsibility to act as a role model while Children and Young People are in your care, rewarding and reinforcing positive behaviour whilst challenging inappropriate behaviour which may include violence, abusive, racist and inappropriate language. And at all times demonstrating the highest level of integrity and honesty.

This job demands the best, and our officers come from very diverse backgrounds. But what they will have in common is they are totally trustworthy and utterly impartial. They all have strength of character and strong communication skills. They are patient, honest and fully committed. This role will require you to be vigilant with good observations skills and the ability to follow processes and procedures to the letter. But most of all you will have a strong team ethic- as nobody does this job alone.

You will possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, to be able to achieve a minimum of Level 2 Key Skills English and Maths (GCSE, NVQ or equivalent).

Why Serco

Meaningful and vital work : PCOs are key to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of residents, staff and visitors in their prisons. More importantly they play a vital role in reducing reoffending rates amongst residents, which is key to protecting public finances.

A world of opportunity : Our prisons hold a huge amount of variety and opportunity, with PCOs being able to progress into Ops Management or into specialist services such as Psychology, Education, Health or the Animal unit. It's an ever-evolving career.

Great people : Because of our investment in safeguarding and rehabilitation, our prisons are calmer and can be very different to public prisons. You'll also receive all the training and advice you'll need from your friendly and supportive colleagues

What we can offer you:

Your career will start with Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS) where you will undergo a five week Initial Training Course (ITC). This course will provide high quality training which includes: first aid, control and restraint and the skills necessary to be a highly influential Prisoner Custody Officer.

We can offer you a competitive salary as well as a holiday entitlement of 20 days plus bank holidays, up to 6% contributory Pension Scheme, Life Assurance and access to childcare vouchers. Alongside Serco discounts which include cinema, merlin entertainment and online shopping discounts, cycle to work scheme and discounts on mobile phone plans and leisure centre memberships.

Specific Requirements:

This role will require you to work 35 hours per week covering shifts Monday- Saturday. You must be willing to be flexible with your shift patterns as there may be occasions when finish times are unpredictable.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and all offers of employment are subject to security clearance checks and approval by the Home Office, and satisfactory employment references.

Due to the nature of this role it is Essential for you to hold a Full UK Driving Licence. This is because officers placed at a vehicle base must have a full UK Driving Licence, and C1 and D1 licence holders can attract an additional allowance.

About us:

The PECS contract makes a critical contribution to the Criminal Justice System by providing all court custody and escorting services across four regions and seven areas of England. The provision of the PECS contract is to ensure the safe and secure transport of detained persons between courts and custodial establishments. The contract is likely to transport approximately 250,000 persons each year.

On occasion we receive significantly more applicants than expected for some vacancies and under such circumstances we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date of the advertisement. We therefore strongly advise you to apply for the role promptly to avoid disappointment should the closing date be brought forward. Serco is a Disability Confident Employer committed to employing and retaining people with disabilities. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview. For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000.