Go back Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
Liaison & Diversion Practitioner
The closing date is 25 May 2026
Important: This post requires successful candidates to undergo NPPV Level 2 (full) Police Vetting, and as part of the vetting process the candidate must have resided in the UK for at least three years.
An opportunity has arisen within the Liaison and Diversion Team for the role of Liaison & Diversion Practitioner as part of The Bay Liaison & Diversion Team. This key position within the established Liaison and Diversion Service for Police Custody Suites and Magistrates Courts will be offered as a permanent post.
This postholder will be expected to work across all three sites (Barrow, Kendal, and Lancaster).
The service operates seven days per week, 8‑8, when fully operational, and staff work on a rotational shift basis.
Essential Criteria: A minimum of NVQ Level 3 in a relevant subject or a Diploma in Health and Social Care, and/or experience of working with people with complex needs for a minimum of two years.
Desirable: Professional recognised qualifications such as RMN, Learning Disability Nurse, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, Psychology Degree, CBT Diploma, or Substance Misuse Diploma.
Main duties of the job
Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services identify people who have substance misuse, mental health, learning disability or other vulnerabilities when they first come into contact with the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants, or offenders.
The service supports people through the early stages of the criminal system pathway, refers them for appropriate health or social care, or enables them to be diverted away from the criminal justice system into a more appropriate setting when required.
This is an ‘all‑age’ service, so you will work with people from the age of 10 years upwards, originating from the Bradley Report 2009.
The main activities of L&D services include identification, screening, assessment, and referral to other services.
We work in Police Custody Suites and Courts throughout Lancashire and Cumbria, offering assessments to individuals within the Criminal Justice system, including voluntary attendees.
We look to identify unmet needs and vulnerabilities that often lead to or exacerbate offending behaviour, offering onward referral and signposting as appropriate.
We liaise across agencies to support onward planning and intervention to address needs.
We offer brief community‑based intervention to maximise service‑user access and engagement with appropriate services.
We help inform decision makers with relevant and timely information to support sentencing and disposal outcomes.
About LSCFT
LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.
We particularly encourage applications from under‑represented groups and welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Degree qualification in a relevant subject or demonstrable evidence of equivalent experience in the field of practice
Knowledge
* Knowledge of mental health issues and/or learning disability
* Knowledge of the Criminal Justice System, including roles and responsibilities of staff working in it
* Knowledge of the use and interpretation of health screening tools
Experience
* Working with people with complex needs for a minimum of two years, either whilst studying or post‑qualification
* Lone working
* Initial assessment of health and social needs
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975, and a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) is required to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer name
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
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