Chaplain : Free Church Deacon or Lay Person, HMP & YOI Foston Hall, East Midland
External Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Ref: 6443
Band: 5
Closing date: 27/06/2025
Working hours:
: • If part time, hours to be confirmed.
(Unsocial Hours) • If full time: 37 hour working week.
Salary: £34,760 - £36,429 pro rata
Job description
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:
• provide guidance on their faith/belief system in the establishment providing advice, pastoral care and spiritual welfare to prisoners, staff and their families as requested, liaising with their Faith and Belief Adviser (FBA) or other FBA as appropriate;
• plan and lead worship/meditation, prayer and faith/belief specific meetings. Be part of the provision of available and accessible chaplaincy care at all times;
• facilitate and deliver opportunities for worship/meditation,study and religious programmes. Work collaboratively with other Chaplains, the Managing Chaplain, volunteers and external groups on the maintenance and provision of facilities for worship/meditation and prayer;
• contribute towards the development of local policy, procedures and practice;
• provide pastoral care to prisoners and help to provide support and bring resolution to crisis situations where required. Provide mentoring and personal support for other chaplains and volunteers including following incidents;
• nurture Chaplaincy volunteers in their contribution;
• work with the Official Prison Visitor (OPV) Liaison Officer in promoting the scheme within the prison ensuring all prisoners are aware of it and to assist where required OPV volunteers;
• ensure their prison community is aware of relevant faith/belief events and coordinate establishment support for these. Acquire and distribute appropriate faith/belief literature, artefacts and materials;
• contribute to training programmes and materials for staff and volunteers. Be part of the organisation and delivery of Faith Awareness Training for staff;
• represent the chaplaincy team at establishment meetings, committees etc in the absence of the Managing Chaplain;
• actively support the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process;
• attend relevant boards/meetings and actively contribute either as chair or team member;
• with the agreement of the Managing Chaplain and establishment senior management team and as required, take on additional roles; e.g. Family Liaison Officer, Family Services single point of contact, volunteer coordinator etc;
• be proactive in forging links with their local faith/belief communities and other agencies, as relevant and consider ways in which these communities/agencies may become involved in supporting prisoners on release;
• participate in developing ways for improving and achieving targets as required, undertake and ensure that all relevant administration, data collection and analysis including relevant targets are collated; and
• assist in Probation Approved Premises (APs), with offenders on release into the community, those serving community sentences or other HMPPS funded community initiatives by agreement
Faith/Belief Eligibility Requirements (January 2022)
Free Church:
• All Free Church chaplains are trained faith practitioners in their own communities. They are accountable to and accredited by an eligible denomination as listed on the Free Churches Group website. They will either be a minister (lay or ordained) of a Free Church denomination which is:
o a member of the Free Churches Group, or
o listed by the HMPPS Free Churches Faith and
Belief Adviser as an ‘Additional Denomination’.
Denominations listed as an “Additional Denomination" will satisfy all of the following:
▪ have a distinctive Free Church theology;
▪ be national members of either Churches Together in England or Cytun;
▪ have formally requested inclusion on the
‘Additional Denomination’ list;
▪ have agreed to abide by the “Joint Working
Protocol for Prison Chaplains" was established between the Free Churches Group, Churches Together in England and Cytun.
• Ordained Chaplains (including ordained deacons) will have completed a formal professional formation process appropriate to their denomination which satisfies that denomination of their ability to effectively practice and fulfil the skills and competencies required of an ordained minister. Where an ordained chaplain is appointed within
the first two years of their ordination then the denomination will be required to demonstrate to the Free
Churches Faith and Belief Adviser the additional support to be given during this crucial stage of ministry
development.
• Required qualifications for Prison Chaplains. All Free
Churches Chaplains will be expected to hold a formal recognised qualification in theology or religious study, normally to UK University undergraduate Diploma standard.
• Requirement for Continuing Professional
Development (CPD). In order to maintain endorsement by the Free Churches Faith and Belief Adviser all
chaplains will be required to demonstrate regular continuing reflection or training contributing towards their OR-JES-294-JD-B5 : C : Free Church Deacon or Lay Person v8.0
Additional Information
Applicant are strongly advised to contact the line manager for this role prior to completing the application. Anne.Halliday@justice.gov.uk
If called to interview, you will be asked to prepare and deliver a short sermon, deliver a role play and a related written exercise. Information about these will be sent to you in advance of the interview.
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week excluding breaks which are unpaid. HMPPS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the HMPPS’ Flexible Working policy.
If you are a current NPS employee, this vacancy may be available on a Loan basis for up to 2 years. Applications are invited from suitable qualified staff.
The Loan/Secondment is subject to the approval of the selected candidate's Business Unit, which should be obtained before confirmation of appointment.
For more information and to apply for the post, please visit HERE.
Contact Information
MoJ:
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference 6443
HMPPS
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
Please quote the job reference 6443
For eligibility to become a Free Church Prison Chaplain, please visit HERE.