Role: Youth Justice Officer
Location: Southampton Youth Justice Service
Salary: Grade 8 £37,280 - £40,778 per annum
Contract Type: Permanent
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Youth Justice Officer to join Southampton Youth Justice within Southampton City Council. This is a key role in our multi-disciplinary team and primarily you will be expected to engage, assess and work directly with children aged 10 -17 years who are at risk of offending or who have offended. The Southampton Youth Justice Service are seeking someone with a strong background in working with children who pose a risk of harm to others, and an individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment.
What you’ll be doing:
- To provide Youth Justice services as defined by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 as part of a multi-agency team, with the primary aim of preventing reoffending by children.
- To engage with children who are at risk of, or who have entered the formal justice system by assessing, identify, and planning critical pathways for intervention to reduce the risk of reoffending using assessment tools such as Asset+ and the Prevention and Diversion Assessment.
- To formulate engagement plans, identity interventions, make referrals and signpost to services that support children and families to make positive life choices.
- To manage a caseload of children who pose a risk of offending / causing serious harm to others including assessment and management of alternative packages to custody including bail ISS (Intensive Supervision and Surveillance).
- To prepare pre-sentence reports that include assessment of dangerousness and to attend Court to provide risk-informed recommendations.
- To support the child’s family to access universal services.
- To contribute to service development, quality assurance, and implementation of best practices
What we’re looking for:
- Child First practice and approaches to working with children
- Risk management that centres victims rights and voices
- A commitment to safeguarding and creating safe, structured environments for change.
- A proactive, solution-focused approach to case management
- Strong partnership working skills and a belief in the potential of every child.
Why join us?
Southampton Youth Justice Service is a dynamic and forward-thinking team, committed to innovation and impact. You will be part of a service that values professional curiosity, trauma-informed practice, and collaborative working. We offer regular supervision, opportunities for professional development, and a supportive team culture.
Southampton is a city facing real challenges around serious youth violence, and our Youth Justice Service is at the heart of the response. We are a high-performing, creative, and committed team working with children who present complex risks and vulnerabilities. We’re looking for someone who shares our passion for supporting children in the justice system and who brings expertise, energy, and a strong sense of purpose. If you are ready to contribute to innovative solutions, and help shape safer futures for children and communities, we would love to hear from you.
What we can offer you:
Salary: The salary band for this role is £37,280 - £40,778 per annum. The starting salary is £37,280 with annual progression through the salary bands.
Here at SCC we have a range of different benefits, a few examples can be found below.
- Excellent local government pension with 15.2% employer contribution
- Death in service benefit of x3 salary, and optional salary sacrifice shared cost AVC (additional voluntary contribution)
- Generous holiday 25–31 days, based on role and service
- Flexible working options (role-dependent)
- Family-friendly policies - Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared/Unpaid Parental Leave, Time off for Dependents
- Training and development, including coaching and mentoring
- Health and wellbeing support - Employee Assistance Programme, Menopause Pledge, Mental Health First Aiders and access to a variety of staff networks
- Veteran-friendly employer with the Armed Forces Covenant
- Retail discounts and savings through the Southampton City Council benefits platform
- Discounted memberships at local sports and fitness centres
- Sustainable travel benefits - low emission car scheme, cycle to work, season ticket loans
- Employee volunteering scheme with 2 paid days leave to volunteer
For further information on our benefits package please visit: Employee benefits (southampton.gov.uk)
Interview Information:
Please note that interviews are scheduled for 4th and 8th August 2026.
Contact details for informal discussion:
For further information and details regarding the role, please contact Anna Kingdom, Team Manager at [email protected]
Recruitment contact details:
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 023 8083 4033
For more information about SCC please visit Southampton City Council
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