Case Worker (2 roles available)

About Us

Hibiscus Initiatives is a feminist and anti-racist, women’s organisation, delivering high impact advocacy and advice services for more than 35 years to women in contact with the Criminal Justice and Immigration systems. As an organisation, we have distinct expertise in working with Black and minoritised migrant women in prison, in the community and in immigration removals centres.

Our holistic and trauma informed approach makes a real and lasting impact on women's lives. We aim to make a difference within the criminal justice and immigration systems too by working with Black and minoritised migrant women to make sure their expertise is recognised by those making policy decisions.

We are particularly keen to attract talent from Black and minoritised communities and those with lived experience of immigration, the criminal justice systems, and/or violence against women and girls.

Hibiscus adopts anti-racist; anti-oppression, and feminist principles and believes in the importance of nurturing a diverse team who can embody these principles. 

We are committed to the wellbeing and development of our staff. We provide regular training and other learning opportunities and offer wellbeing classes and activities, clinical supervision, an Employee Assistance Program and other benefits to support staff wellbeing.

About the Role

We are now recruiting for two Case Workers who will each manage and support a caseload of Black and minoritised migrant women with multiple and complex needs in contact with the criminal justice system and under immigration restrictions, providing holistic, long-term support and advocacy to empower women to rebuild their lives.

This role will support women, including young women, being released from prison to the London area, encompassing support for those on probation, ‘through-the-gate service’ users, un-sentenced women in custody and women in contact with the criminal justice system in London. The post holder will proactively develop partnerships, acting as the main point of contact for referrals in prisons, detention centres and with probation staff to identify Black and minoritised migrant women who are eligible for our services and support.

These roles will involve managing and supporting a caseload of 25-30 women at any one time, working collaboratively with each service user to develop an individual support plan with achievable and realistic goals, and supporting her to work towards them. It will include supporting women to participate in education, training, providing outreach support, and ensuring the women they work with have a clear understanding of their rights and obligations by providing up to date information on housing, health and welfare benefits. The post holders will be responsible for maintaining detailed case notes, goals, activities, participants’ attendance for funding and monitoring purposes.

The post holders will also be expected to effectively manage safeguarding issues and concerns, ensuring they are appropriately documented and referred. The successful candidates will also provide cover and support for our Women’s Centre and workshops

They will demonstrate a commitment to Hibiscus's ethos aims and objectives, including having an intersectional and anti-racist approach to the work and a comprehensive understanding of one of more of Hibiscus’ key work areas.

[This post is restricted to women only as a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9 paragraph 1, Equality Act 2010.] [Please note: Successful candidates will need to have been resident in the UK for a minimum of 3 years to ensure the clearance process is authorised.]

Salary 
£30,000 (FTE)

Team
Services
Policy and Public Affairs

Duration 

- One role will run to 31 March 2026
- One role will run to 31 March 2027

Please ensure you specify which role you would like to be considered for in your application form

Hours
Full-time (35 hours per week)

Location
Hibiscus London office at least two days a week, with travel across London to meet service users at partner agencies and hubs, and depending on the role, in prisons and detention centres

Reporting to
Services Manager

About you

We are particularly keen to attract talent from Black and minoritised communities and those with lived experience of immigration and the criminal justice systems, and/or violence against women and girls.

The successful candidate will have significant experience of working directly with Black and minoritised women, including young women under 30, affected by the criminal justice system, the immigration system, and/or violence against women and girls. You will have a good understanding of the specific intersectional issues faced by Black and minoritised migrant women in the criminal justice system and on release.

You will have demonstrable experience of delivering individual support, wellbeing, advocacy and empowerment interventions to women with complex needs, practicing a trauma-informed, women-responsive approach in your casework provision. You will be confident in providing information and advice on a range of matters including immigration, welfare, education, training and employment, providing advice in line with IAA (previously OISC) accreditations.

You will have a solid understanding of safeguarding needs, identifying and managing concerns and risks and adhering to internal policies and procedures. This will require an ability to maintain clear boundaries, maintain high levels of confidentiality and demonstrate a proactive approach to working.

You will also have an understanding of one of more of Hibiscus’ key work areas – criminal justice, immigration and migrants’ rights, racial justice, and/or violence against women and girls and gender justice.

How to apply

Please follow the 'How to Apply' link indicated below.

You should download the Job Description and carefully read through the application form and information provided regarding the role and person specification.

Please note we will not accept CVs or Cover Letters.

Closing date 
Tuesday 22nd April at 9:00am 

Interviews
We will notify candidates invited to interview on 6th May

Please note that we may close vacancies early if suitable candidates are found and/or a sufficient number of candidates have applied. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

If you do not want Hibiscus to retain your application on file, please state so in your email.