Liaison and Diversion Advanced Practitioner - Children & Young Person


Company:	Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Salary:	£51,657 - £58,785 per annum (incl of HCAS)
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Slough, SL1 2BJ
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	20 Aug 2026
Closing date:	19 Sept 2026

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Summary

A Vacancy at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Liaison & Diversion

Advanced Practitioner - Children & Young Person (Berkshire Role)

We’re looking for a qualified Mental Health Nurse, Learning Disabilities Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Health Visitor, School Nursing, Public Health Nurse or Social Worker to join our Liaison and Diversion team. You will have a keen interest in Liaison and Diversion and a passion about supporting our service users as they make their way through police custody, court and prison.   

We are a dynamic, people-centred team who are looking for some who is passionate about health outcomes for those making their way through the criminal justice system.   

With a reputation for excellence, our service is committed to improving the health of our clients, identifying care pathways, and reducing reoffending.   

Recognised with a number of awards, including a Thames Valley/Hampshire Constabulary Police Commendation, Berkshire Healthcare ‘Team of the Year’ and runner-up for the Howard League for Penal Reform ‘Liaison and Diversion Service of the Year’.   

We value our employees and put people first. We achieved an ‘Outstanding’ rating overall in our latest CQC inspection, which found that: ‘Managers across Berkshire Healthcare promoted a positive culture that supported and valued staff, creating a sense of common purpose based on shared values.’ 

• Triage, screen and assess needs within the following settings: police stations, custody suites, prison, community settings and magistrates’ courts and provide assessments, advice and identify robust care pathways, for individuals where a potential vulnerability has been identified.

• To provide the police, court and prison with written and verbal information pertaining to the individual in a timely fashion to inform disposal 

• To work closely and build links with all referring agencies within the custody suite, court, probation and prison acting as a single point of contact for health 

• To work autonomously, with the ability to organise and manage own time according to delegated workload. 

Working pattern + Service operating hours 

Our service operates in police custody from 7am-8pm, 7 days a week currently using early/late/long days to fulfil this. Our service operates in court from 9am-5pm, 5 days a week. Our service operates across the Thames Valley so travel across our sites will be expected, some of these sites are not accessible via public transport. Any request for specific working pattens can be considered in line with our flexible working policy.  

This role operates in Berkshire; Monday to Friday from 0900am – 1700pm, operating between a mixture of police custody, court and community offering assessments.

Work base: 

You will work from within Berkshire and across Thames Valley when required.  

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we’re committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority

• Committed to providing good quality, safe services

• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance

• 27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell

• Generous NHS pension scheme

• Excellent learning and career development opportunities

• ‘Cycle to Work’ and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles

• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services

• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants

• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality

• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave

• Free parking across Trust sites

Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Berkshire HealthcareNHS Foundation Trust. 

Liaison and Diversion (L&D) servicesidentifypeople who have vulnerabilities when they firstcome into contact withthe criminal justice system as suspects,defendantsor offenders.

L&D services aim to improve overall health outcomes for people and to support people in the reduction of re-offending through assessing, proactive onwardreferralsand informing decision makers. It also aims toidentifyvulnerabilities in people earlier on which reduces the likelihood that people will reach a crisis-point and helps to ensure the right support can be put in place from the start.

Due to the nature of the service, there is anadditionalrequirement to secure police/prisonvetting for this role. For the purposes of vetting, the candidate willrequireat least three-years residency in the UK.Vetting is a thorough investigation of an individual’s background, character, and suitability to work in the police forceor prison. It includes checks on criminal records, financial history, employment history, personal relationships, and lifestyle choices.

The “must haves” for this role:  

1. A professional qualification at degree level or equivalent in either Mental Health Nursing, Learning Disabilities Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Health Visitor, School Nursing, PublicHealthor Social Work along with the relevant registration. 

1. Significant experiencepost registration, withequivalentexperiencein amental health/learning disabilitycommunity,acutesettingor criminal justice environment.

1. Able to assess and manage risk, formulate mitigation planstaking into accounthealth and criminal justice outcomes

1. Ability to teach/supervise more junior staff within the team

1. Driving licence holder with access to your own vehicle who is prepared to travel to multiple sites acrossThames Valley /Hampshire asrequired. 

1. Must have lived in the UK for a minimum of 3 whole years for police vetting 

Your application is your opportunity to demonstrateto us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility,equityand confidence for applicants. However,it’simportant that examples and responses given in your supporting statement genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey.

This advert closes on Thursday 27 Aug 2026

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