Substance Misuse Support And Engagement Worker

Support and Engagement Worker | Middlesbrough

We're recruiting a Support and Engagement Worker to join an Adult Social Care and Health Integration team, supporting people with substance use issues across Middlesbrough. Many clients will also face additional challenges — housing instability, reoffending behaviour, mental ill health, and physical ill health or disability — so this is very much a multiple-disadvantage role rather than single-issue casework.

You'll work flexibly across a wide range of settings — prisons, courts, community locations, other agencies, and partner services — using proactive street engagement and home visits to reach people who might otherwise struggle to access support. The focus throughout is on reducing barriers to treatment and helping even the most marginalised individuals get the help and opportunities they need, using a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach.

You'll be working with people who may present with behaviours that challenge, may have a history of offending, and may find it difficult to build relationships at any level — so resilience, patience, and strong boundaries matter here as much as technical skill.

What you'll be doing:

• Carrying out assessments, harm minimisation, and brief interventions across community and criminal justice settings
• Developing and implementing support plans based on individual needs
• Conducting risk assessments and putting risk management measures in place
• Proactively engaging service users through home visits, outreach, and community appointments — and re-engaging people who've disengaged
• Identifying and removing barriers to treatment and access
• Supporting service users to reach specialist services — housing, welfare rights, health, advocacy, and community groups
• Working as a lead professional within multi-agency settings, supporting and upskilling partner services
• Maintaining accurate, up-to-date records, support plans, and safety plans with service users
• Attending regular supervision and committing to ongoing professional development

What we're looking for:

• Experience supporting people with vulnerabilities, in a paid or voluntary capacity
• Experience assessing and managing risk, including safeguarding concerns, and developing risk management plans
• Confidence using case management/caseload systems
• Knowledge of local services and experience working collaboratively across agencies
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Good time management and organisational skills
• Comfortable with Microsoft Word, email, and database systems
• An understanding of trauma and its impact on someone's capacity to engage with support
• Understanding of safeguarding procedures for adults and children
• Ability to work flexibly to meet service demands
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle (business insurance required before starting)

If this sounds of interest to you and you have the relevant experience, please apply with an up to date CV to be considered.

I look forward to hearing from you!