Senior Court Officer

Birmingham Children’s Trust Limited; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading youth justice service provider is seeking a Senior Court Officer to join Birmingham Youth Justice Service. The successful candidate will work in a multi-agency setting to influence court decisions and ensure effective interventions. Strong communication, advocacy, and assessment skills are essential, as well as experience in the Criminal Justice system with children. This role is based in Birmingham City Centre and offers generous benefits including flexible working and a comprehensive leave package.

Benefits

Generous annual leave package

Free on-site parking

Hybrid working policy

Local government pension scheme

Employee benefits scheme

Qualifications

• Experience working in a multi-agency setting with children involved in the Criminal Justice System.
• Knowledge of bail and remand as it affects youths.
• Ability to prepare formal reports and carry out safeguarding assessments.

Responsibilities

• Work as part of the Youth Justice Service Court Team servicing Birmingham Youth.
• Influence remand and sentencing decisions.
• Complete assessments including safeguarding to determine placement appropriateness.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Advocacy skills

Assessment skills

Knowledge of criminal legislation

Ability to coordinate assessments

Experience in Criminal Justice setting

Education

Relevant experience in Criminal Justice

Job description

Birmingham Youth Justice Service is in the middle of an exciting and extensive modernisation programme with a clear goal to become the sector leading youth justice service. We are creating a progressive, creative, energetic and inspiring service that is best equipped to understand and reduce offending behaviour amongst children and we are looking for the right people to help us to achieve this.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for the right individuals to join Birmingham Youth Justice Service as our Senior Court Officer.

Have you the skills and experience to provide an effective service in the Criminal Court setting? Are you able to promote the Birmingham Youth Justice Service’s interventions regarding the courts, parents, children, and young people?

You must have experience of working in a multi-agency setting with children and young people involved in the Criminal Justice System and knowledge of criminal legislation including bail and remand as it affects youths. The ability to work on your own initiative is essential. You must have experience of preparing formal reports, carrying out safeguarding assessments, evaluating risk, and dealing with contextual safeguarding issues.

You’ll have the experience and awareness of the underlying issues that contribute to children and young people’s offending behaviour and will want to achieve the best outcomes for them, their family, their victims and the community.

Key Responsibilities

• Work as part of the Youth Justice Service (YJS) Court Team servicing Birmingham Youth, Magistrates and Crown Court to fulfil the statutory requirements placed on the Youth Justice Service by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and any proceeding legislation.
• Work in partnership with the Criminal Justice Agencies and the Judiciary. Influence remand and sentencing decisions, particularly in reducing the use of remands to youth detention.
• Undertake assessments including safeguarding and vulnerability to determine the appropriateness of placements in respect of children and young people entering the secure estate and deliver these services in line with the expectations of the Youth Justice Board.
• Ensure that the appropriate action is taken by the Court Team after each Court session to meet the requirements of the bench. This involves maintaining clear, concise written records, and updating the Youth Justice Service electronic database and E-records.
• Liaise with other agencies involved in the court process, including the presentation and dissemination of Youth Justice Service information, formal reports, and interventions to Judges and Magistrates.
• Produce placement information and post custody reports within the asset plus framework as required by the Youth Justice Board.
• Assist with monitoring and reviewing the team’s workload to enhance overall performance aligned with key performance measures.
• Work on Bank Holidays and Saturdays on a rota basis.

This is an office role based in Birmingham City Centre so you must reside within a suitable commutable distance around Birmingham and have the correct right‑to‑work documents to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship.

About you

• Experience of work within the Criminal Justice setting with children and young people.
• Ability to produce good quality Bail Packages.
• Excellent communication, advocacy, and assessment skills supported by a good understanding of the YJS Court Officer role.
• Knowledge of the bail and remand process as it relates to children.
• Ability to coordinate assessments of children regarding public protection, prevention of offending, risk and safeguarding.
• Ability to manage a team as you will be deputising in the absence of the Court Team Manager.
• Able to support the team with operational issues and escalating to senior management where needed.
• Extensive knowledge and application of Statutory Orders and Youth Justice diversion work.

Onboarding Process

Please note as part of our onboarding process, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a series of background checks with Experian (Experian DBS, Experian Right to Work, and Digital ID verification). These are essential pre‑employment requirements.

Our Benefits

• A generous annual leave package of 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 5 years of service and 35 days after 10 years of service.
• Free on‑site parking at our offices on One Avenue Road (Aston) and Lifford House (Stirchley). We also provide onsite electric car charging ports which are free to use.
• Full access to our amazing internal employee benefits scheme including Occupational Health services, Rewards Schemes, Benefit discounts (including the Blue Light Card), Health & Fitness and Personal Wellbeing support and more.
• Flexible and hybrid working policy – we are well adapted to a hybrid model of working which includes a combination of time spent in the office and at home and we offer a variety of working patterns.
• Pension Scheme – you will receive a generous local government career average pension scheme in line with the local government pension scheme.
• Excellent career progression opportunities and more.

For further information please contact: [e-mail]

About Birmingham Children’s Trust

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of over 10,000 children and young people in our city every day. Our mission is to support the most disadvantaged children and young people in Birmingham, ensuring they are safe, happy, and healthy.

Why Join Us

• Impactful Work – be part of a team that makes a real difference in the lives of the city’s most vulnerable children.
• Supportive Environment – enjoy a supportive and collaborative work culture where your contributions are valued.
• Career Development – benefit from tailored development programmes, supportive supervision, and a range of learning opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• Generous Benefits – take advantage of our competitive reward package including generous leave allowance, local government pension scheme, and additional benefits.

Our Values

We approach our work with care and compassion, actively listening to the needs of the children and young people we serve. We involve them in the decisions that affect their lives, ensuring their voices are heard and respected. We are committed to using our resources wisely, ensuring that every penny is spent where it counts the most. We foster collaboration among schools, health professionals, and the police, working together to create a supportive network for our young people. We believe that when we work as one cohesive team, the children and young people of Birmingham are more likely to thrive. Our unified approach ensures that we provide the best possible support and opportunities for their growth and development. Join us and together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Safeguarding

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Depending on the role, you may be asked to undergo the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to assess your suitability for working with children and young people. The level of check (Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred List) is determined based on the specific responsibilities of the role and the level of contact with children and young people. We are committed to the fair treatment of all applicants, including those with criminal records. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence.

Please note that we reserve the right to close the job early should we reach the required number of applications, therefore please ensure you submit your application and supporting statement early to avoid any disappointment.