Intermediary in the Criminal and Family Courts

About the Role

Do you want to be part of an exciting and pioneering team with fantastic opportunities for progression?

Communicourt is the leading provider of Intermediaries to the criminal and family courts across England and Wales.

We carry out detailed communication assessments and give practical advice to the courts about how a person's communication difficulties will impact on their ability to understand and participate in the justice system. We then suggest strategies that will assist and provide practical support for vulnerable people through the process.

This Intermediary role is a chance to get valuable experience with a wide range of communication disorders. The people we work with may have a learning disability, a mental health condition, Autistic Spectrum Condition, an acquired communication disability, ADHD, or TBI, and may be any age from eight upwards. The oldest person we have worked with is 101!

The right person will be a dynamic graduate who is passionate about justice and fairness for people with communication difficulties. You will need to have knowledge of a full range of communication difficulties, mental health conditions, and learning disabilities. In addition, you must have excellent oral and written communication skills and a desire to develop your professional skills to be successful in this Intermediary role.

The post involves frequent travel across England and Wales by train and some overnight stays in hotels. In return, you will receive excellent training and supervision, experiences to achieve your SLT competencies (if relevant), and opportunities for rapid career progression and an extensive well-being package of support.

If you think you have what it takes to be part of our vibrant team of professionals and are excited by challenge, career progression, and an abundance of training, apply today.

Please note this role is for England and Wales only. It is remote and not office based. The role involves frequent travel via public transport , in line with HMCTS policy.

Job Opportunity

Responsibilities of an Intermediary

Promptly and effectively establish rapport with a service user Carry out an assessment of the service user's communication abilities Describe those communication skills Facilitate communication between the service user and other parties to lawyers and work with them to enable the service user to participate effectively in the trial process. This could include advice on the structure of questions and also any concepts that the person has difficulty understanding Prepare a written report on the service user's communication needs, including strategies which will assist at court Work effectively with colleagues and external practitioners within the framework of Communicourt's policies and procedures Develop personal skills and the skills of others through individual supervision and effective teamwork Undertake other duties as may reasonably be requested

Essential Skills

We welcome applications from candidates with a bachelor's degree , experience working with people with learning disabilities, mental health conditions and who have excellent communication skills. Experience in SLT is desirable but not essential. Voluntary work or working with vulnerable people.

Essential Criteria

Bachelor's degree (any) Within easy access to main train stations Located in the South of England, ideally in or around London, Reading or Bristol Can demonstrate a keen interest in the justice system and working with individuals who have communication difficulties Flexible and willing to travel at short notice Eager to learn Must have Right to Work in the UK

Desirable degree subjects:

Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Psychology Nursing Law Criminology Social work

About Company

We are a HMCTS Managed and Approved Service Provider of intermediary services in courts across England and Wales.

We provide fairer access to justice for adults and children with communication difficulties.

We work across court and tribunal services, providing communication support, primarily for defendants in criminal courts and respondents in family courts. We passionately believe everyone has a right to access this support.

We have expertise developed from working with more than 10,000 adults and children, and our intermediaries are highly trained and specialised in the industry.

De&I

Communicourt is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce.

We welcome applications irrespective of people's age, disability, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief or sexual orientation.

Benefits

We offer access to a wide range of healthcare services for colleagues as part of our employee benefits.

All colleagues have access to Westfrields, which offers a range of benefits including:

24/7 GP helpline

Counselling

We understand that from time to time you might need a little extra support and somewhere to turn to.

Westfields has a confidential telephone counselling service offers professional support for depression, stress, anxiety, relationship problems and bereavement, as well as valuable tax, debt and legal support 24 hours a day. And what's more, if required, we will also cover the cost of up to six face to face counselling sessions, to help get you back on track.

Other benefits of the Westfields package include:

Up to £60 on sight tests, glasses, and contact lenses Up to £60 for dental work including check ups and routine treatment (private or NHS) Up to £50 for chiropody Up to £160 for professional therapy, including physiotherapy and acupuncture Up to £200 on specialist consultations and tests, including MRI scans and X-rays Up to £80 for health screeningRetail discounts

Volunteer Days

We offer two paid days a year for colleagues to do voluntary work.

Extra annual leave and long service awards

After two years service, all colleagues are given two extra days of annual leave (pro rata for part time staff).

We offer additional days and gift vouchers after 5, 10 and 15 years service