Serco Plc
Youth Escort & Custody Driver
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Youth Escort Custody Officer (ECO) – Prisoner Escort Custody Services (PECS)
Location
Sittingbourne Vehicle Base, ME10 2PG
Join us in shaping the future. As a Youth Escort Custody Officer (ECO) in Prisoner Escort Custody Services (PECS), you’ll play a critical role in safeguarding children and young people within the justice system.
This high-impact role offers long-term job security, competitive pay progression, and a meaningful career where you can contribute directly to justice and welfare. Alongside your salary, you’ll also receive:
Salary & Compensation
- Initial Training Salary: £24,596 (35 hours per week)
- Graduated Base Salary:
- £28,109 (40 hours per week, escalating to £29,205 from 1st September 2026)
- Year 2: £29,932
- Year 3: £30,496
- Year 4: £31,063
- **+ £600 yearly driving allowance (subject to terms).
When combined with overtime (average 8 hours per week), potential first-year income rises to £34,805!
The Role: Keep People Safe – Keep Justice Moving
As an ECO, you’ll be part of a skilled team ensuring the safe, secure, and dignified transport of children and young people across secure environments and court settings. Your duties include:
- Preparing for shifts: Attending briefings, reviewing route and detainee information, and conducting risk assessments.
- Logistics & security: Performing vehicle checks, liaising with secure establishments to confirm movements.
- Escorting & support: Maintaining calm engagement with young people, managing behaviour, and de-escalating high-risk situations.
- Paperwork & compliance: Documenting movements, interagency communications (courts, social care), and ensuring properties and intentions are secure.
- Wellbeing & safeguarding: Prioritizing the vulnerability of young detainees while ensuring dignity, fairness, and harm prevention.
- Confidentiality & confidentiality checks: Managing high-security scenarios safely and effectively.
If This Resonates With You
You’ll have extensive training (5½ weeks paid) and the support of an experienced team.
Key Requirements
- Full UK driving licence (Category B or B1) – essential.
- Physical fitness: The role involves intervention, patrol work and safe restraint, requiring reasonable strength and mobility.
- Communication: Strong written and verbal skills for documentation, briefings, and interagency coordination.
- Resilience and composure: Ability to stay calm under pressure, make critical decisions quickly, and manage behavioural adjustments and disputes.
- Conflict management: Experience or willingness to develop skills in de-escalation and restraint.
- Teamwork & reliability: Compliance with processes, consistency in reporting, and respectful, confidential interactions.
- Empathy & risk awareness: A genuine care for young people and a commitment to safeguarding.
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Why Join Us? The Benefits
At Serco PECS, your safety and well-being are always our top priority. Among many other rewards, you'll enjoy:
- 20 days annuelle leave (incluso bank holidays) – rising to 25 days after 7 years.
- 6% Auto Enrolment Pension scheme with matching contribution by Serco.
- Continuous training:
- Structured 5½-week induction.
- Ongoing learning opportunities and progression.
- Access to legal qualifications, mentorship, and role coaching.
- Health & wellbeing support:
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
- Support through Mind UK on mental health and emotional guidance.
- Simply Health health plan with cash, eye care, and dental.
- Free access to Serco gyms across our UK facilities and tailored mental health resources.
- Discounts & experiences:
- Savings on life’s essentials and pleasures – leisure and hospitalia franchises, cinema, major mobility plans, and more.
- Gifts from retailer schemes and airline FFPs (Frequent Flyer Points).
- Diversity & belonging:
- One of the world’s largest inclusive talent platforms, with focus solely on performance and potential.
- Commitment to creating equal opportunities.
- Open conversations and flexible working.
Serco Global Employee Networks reflect our commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion. You’ll join communities focusing on gender (SercoInspire), multiculturalism (SercoEmbrace), disabilities (SercoUnlimited), and LGBT support.
Our Recruitment Process
Our fair and transparent recruitment ensures you’re assessed holistically:
- Online application – Eligibility questions and online assessments.
- Virtual assessment – Competency-based interview, role-play simulation, and written task.
- Vetting checks –
- Initial right to work and security DBS (Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service).
- Occupational health assessment satisfactory to proceed.
- Job offer with confirmation of training start date.
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Further Notice and Legal Compliance
Required Checks
To protect the safeguarding of vulnerable young people, you must:
- Provide proof of UK right to work.
- Complete Ministry of Justice Enhanced Level 2 checks.
- Attain DBS clearance with no concern.
- Obtain and pass 2 routine annual DBS checks after appointment.
- Ensure compliance with Barred Lists, England and Wales.
- Pass health assessments to confirm physical capability.
- Regular drug and alcohol testing is random and mandatory.
This role is not eligible for Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship under current UK policies: Your visa status must allow permanent uninterrupted UK work for at least six months beyond appointment.
Migration Implications
For international candidates:
- If you hold a visa with at least two years remaining, your Confirmation of Acceptance for Employment (CAS) will indicate job conditions.
- We expect at least 1 year of prior UK residency to facilitate valid endorsement from immigration experts.
Future Equality, Inclusion & Fairness
Serco is committed to fair treatment of all employees, regardless of ethical background to legal conditions.
- Those with unspent convictions get opportunities through Ban the Box initiative.
- You must contact recruitment@jic koblingdesign.co.uk for individual discussion.
- Full interviews held per workplace requirements, without discrimination.
Lastly, please provide email offers for job openings across these branches confidentially addressed to Serco PLC.
Youth Escort Custody Officer may be light but buoyant. Let’s create a safer future together. Apply today! #PECSOfficer #JusticeSupport
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