Prison service??

[flowerpot258]

I am currently in the process of joining the Scottish prison service as an operations officer. I have passed my interview and just waiting to pass pre employment checks. I got in touch with the coordinator to ask about shift patterns (shifts were not stated in the original advert) so I have enquired about family friendly shifts. I said due to childcare I would need to know what shifts I'm expected to do in advance as I can't leave my current job without knowing exactly what I'm expected to do otherwise I might need to withdraw my application. They said once I’ve been allocated a prison they will let me know what type of shifts they can accommodate at that location.

Does anyone here work an alternative / adjusted pattern in the prison service?

Thanks

Anyone?

Another bump

Not likely.

It's shift work and you could be put on a weekly rota with a week's notice do work overnight etc. That's part of the deal.

When I applied to be a custody officer (something I would still like to do) they did this open event pre-interview to tell you all the worst things to put anyone off who could have an issue. Shifts was a big part of it. Basically you're at their mercy and need to accommodate them.

Sounds like they don't really care about your childcare issue if they've just told you wait until you get allocated to a prison, unfortunately.

It's such interesting work though I'd try and make it work.

Very unlikely to be given flexible work in the prison service (I worked in a Prison for 9 years)

My husband worked for the prison service as an office for years. He had a shift pattern where he always had Thursdays off as one of his rest days so he could look after DS while I worked. He did still do nights every 6-8 weeks or so. I don’t know if that helps.

Also he knew his shifts months in advance. They weren’t the same each week but he knew what was coming up.

I think it's unlikely they will be able to arrange your shifts round your childcare commitmemts. It seems like its a demanding job and you would have to be prepared to cover at short notice and have shifts changed without a lot of notice due to the nature of the work.

I think there's a reason all the prison officers are either really young or are not of childbearing age at our prison

Can you do another role that isn't shift work? Lots of different roles in prisons

What sort of shifts are you hoping for /needing?

@Weallgottachangesometime - I'm happy to do shifts. It seems to be the early shifts that would be an issue. I wouldn't be able to start at 6/7am but I would be able to do backshift or core hours like 9-5 and some nights.

When I applied the advert never stated what the shifts were. I only found out through my own enquiries. I did email them and said if there's no suitable shifts I may need to withdraw my application but they said wait until I am assigned a prison and they will ask exactly what that establishment can offer.

@JumbledE - thanks, that is helpful. Most people I have spoken to have said the prison service doesn't offer any family friendly shifts so this gives me hope that they may be flexible.

It totally depends what prison you are allocated to as they are all so different.

I regularly go to 2, at one there really is a job for all sorts of people, at the other 99% are going to need to fit in and have the same skills.