Independent domestic violence advisor jobs in enfield, greater london

Job Title: Peripatetic IDVA

Service/Division: Domestic Abuse Services

Reporting to: Mobilisation and Implementation Manager

Direct reports: None

Salary: £27,000 - £32,000 per annum

Hours: 35 hours (1-2 days per week working from home depending on placement)

Location: Various locations across London; including some time spent in Hammersmith

Contract Type: Permanent

This post is open to female applicants only as this is deemed a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

Advance is committed to equality and diversity and strongly encourages applications from women with diverse backgrounds, including those with disabilities, BAME and LBT communities.

Job Summary

Advance delivers nationally accredited, high quality domestic abuse services across London. Advance's domestic abuse services are community based and include local authority commissioned advocacy services, co-located projects in a range of settings such as housing and children’s social care, and specialist projects for victim/survivors with different intersecting needs including children and young people.

As a Peripatetic Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA), you will provide front line support across Advance’s domestic abuse services, covering vacancies across teams to ensure service delivery remains effective and consistent. You will cover a range of roles all involving advocacy and support of people experiencing domestic abuse; some roles may also involve co-locating with partner agencies, delivering training or undertaking triage and assessment work. Your office location and pattern of work will change depending on your placement however all roles offer the opportunity for some hybrid working.

This role is an excellent opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and experience in a range of settings and would suit someone who is passionate about advocating for victim/survivors of domestic abuse. You will thrive in fast-paced environments and enjoy the diversity of working across a range of roles within different teams. An excellent understanding of domestic violence and its effects on women and children is essential, alongside some past experience working directly with victim/survivors of domestic abuse.

About You

To be successful as the Peripatetic IDVA you will need the below experience and skills:

You will have an excellent understanding of domestic violence and its effects on women and children and of best practice within the domestic abuse in various areas of need, with particular knowledge of safeguarding and legislation. As an experienced domestic violence advocate who has worked with complex and multiple needs, the post holder will be skilled in risk management and safety planning, remaining calm in a crisis and in handling sensitive information on a daily basis. Experience of direct work with female survivors of domestic violence, of supporting women with child safeguarding, needs, and of working within safeguarding procedures is essential for this post, as is the need to adopt and promote a strong partnership approach to service provision.

How to apply:

Please submit your up-to-date CV with a supporting statement. Please note that only applications made via the job advert on the Advance careers page, and those that include a cover letter will be considered. 

• Closing Date for Applications: Sunday 7th December 2025*
• Interviews are taking place w/c 15th December 2025

*Advance reserves the right to close the advert early, or on the appointment of a candidate

What we can offer you - Employee Benefits: 

• An exceptional 30 days of paid holiday per year (pro rata for part time), PLUS public holidays on top (that's nearly 40 days paid holiday per year!)
• Additional days off to celebrate International Women’s Day, and for religious observance and moving home
• Perkbox - an employee discount platform where you can receive free rewards as well as take advantage of savings on clothes, groceries, travel, leisure and more
• Pension scheme
• Enhanced maternity/adoption provision
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee eye-care scheme
• Clinical supervision for front line staff and first line management roles
• Refer a Friend Scheme - £250 for each referral who passes probation
• Organisation wide away days
• Thorough induction and training
• Career development pathways

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Under the Equality Act 2010, we are required to make any reasonable adjustments. If you have a disability as defined under this act and/or have special needs, please email the Talent Acquisition Team via the Advance website and will aim to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate your needs.

Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and actively seek to recruit people from groups underrepresented in our current team. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay and benefits.

Safeguarding

Advance is committed to safeguarding and creating a culture of zero-tolerance of harm and expects all staff, including volunteers to share this commitment. We believe all individuals have the right to live their life free from violence and abuse and the right to feel and be safe. We have a suite of safeguarding policies, procedures and practice guidance, accessible to all staff, which promotes safeguarding and safer working practices across all our services and activities. When we recruit staff, we follow rigorous safer recruitment practices, this involves carrying out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, and identity checks. We ensure all staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training relevant to their role and responsibilities, to empower them to be competent and feel confident in recognising and responding appropriately to safeguarding issues and promote wellbeing.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Harmful Practice IDVA to play a pivotal role in our Domestic Abuse Service in Newham.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?     

This role, open to female applicants only under Section 7(2) (b & e) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, involves delivering advocacy and intensive support services to all genders and non-binary survivors of domestic abuse, particularly those experiencing harmful practices . The postholder will work across hospital, healthcare, and community settings, acting as a single point of access for survivors at all risk levels. Key responsibilities include conducting DASH risk assessments, developing individual safety and support plans, providing crisis intervention, and ensuring high-risk survivors are represented through the MARAC process. The role also requires close collaboration with healthcare professionals, supporting them in managing disclosures, and ensuring survivors are connected to legal, housing, and welfare support as needed.

The advocate will play a vital role in improving outcomes for survivors, aiming to increase their safety, confidence, and quality of life. They will develop and review person-centred support plans, make safeguarding referrals, and attend relevant forums and committees. Accurate case recording, participation in supervision and training, and engagement in service co-production with survivors are essential components of the role. As a representative of Hestia, the postholder will maintain strong multi-agency partnerships, uphold service standards and confidentiality, and embody Hestia's values in all aspects of their work.                                                                                           

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

Here's what the team will be looking for:

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience supporting survivors of domestic abuse and gender-based violence, with specific expertise in addressing harmful practices. This includes experience in risk assessment, developing safety and support plans, working within multi-agency settings, and delivering specialist domestic abuse training to professionals, particularly in healthcare environments. The candidate should also have a strong background in service user involvement and co-production, demonstrate the ability to remain calm and resilient under pressure, and be proficient in using computer-based systems for accurate case recording. 

In terms of skills and knowledge, the candidate must possess a deep understanding of the impact of domestic abuse and harmful practices on survivors and their children, as well as the legal, housing, and welfare systems relevant to their needs. They should be capable of working non-judgmentally and in an empowering way, have a strong grasp of safeguarding protocols, and experience in the MARAC process. Additionally, they must demonstrate excellent communication, interpersonal, and time management skills, and the ability to evaluate training impact and apply learning to improve service delivery.

When will I be working?

This is a part time role, you will be required to work 4 days per week between the hours of 10am - 4.20pm

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: There will be an Assessment / Recruitment day held for this role on 30th June iat our Head Office in Aldgate

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

Salary: £30,784 per annum

Permanent contract

40 Hours per week, shift work including weekends and bank holidays

Location: North Kensington (W10)

We have presently a fantastic opportunity to join one of our 16+ Homes, located in North Kensington , and make a difference to our Young People’s lives.

About Us

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future.

St Christopher's is a leading charity for children and young people and we are proud of our history for providing fostering, children's homes and a range of innovative leaving care services across the UK & Isle of Man.  We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.  We provide positive life experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home.

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong.  We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender-diverse identities.

St Christopher’s Academy

At St Christopher's we can offer you a career where you can develop your skills and knowledge while making a difference to young people’s lives.

When you join St Christopher’s, we will set you up in your career with a tailored development plan. Whether you want to move across to a different service, become a Manager or just explore further your current role, we will support you to map out your career trajectory and help you achieve your professional ambitions. If you want to learn more about St Christopher’s Academy, please visit our website to watch our short video to gain an insight into our working life here at St Christopher’s .

We are proud that 84% of all our Team Leaders, Deputies and Managers are internal promotions. 

About the Role

As Team Leader, you will assist the Manager in the running of a 16+ semi-independent supported accommodation service, supporting the delivery of high quality transition services for young people that promote their independence and increase their life skills.

We have an enthusiastic team including Support Workers, Waking Night Staff and Management who all have different interests which they bring to the service. If you’re ready for a challenge and think you have the skills to drive St Christopher’s forward we would love to hear from you!

Applicants should have

• At least two year’s relevant experience providing housing and/or support services to vulnerable individuals
• A good understanding of the regulatory framework relevant to the provision of housing services for young people
• Knowledge of the welfare benefits system in relation to young people.
• Ability to lead, motivate, supervise and support staff and be a positive role model.
• Ability to prioritise own workload and to work flexibly to meet deadlines or service requirements.
• Ability to use own initiative as well as be an active team member.
• Flexibility to occasionally work evening and weekend shifts and participating in the On-Call system.

In return we offer:

• Salary of £30,784 per annum.
• Competitive pay and reward structure offering salary progression based on performance.
• A friendly working environment, a fun, open and honest culture.
• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.
• Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.
• Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme.
• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.
• BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK.
• Discretionary funded training programs.
• Employee awards based on performance and length of service.
• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services.

Recruitment Process

At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. During the recruitment process you will be expected to complete an online application form to ensure we capture essential information to meet legislation, best practice and vetting requirements.

Applicants will ideally already be on the DBS Update Service; if this is not the case St Christopher's will carry out a DBS (police) check prior to starting.

 Your online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification. For the full Job Description and Person Specification please visit our website. CV’s will not be accepted.

For more information or assistance during the application process, please contact us via our website.

 We advise to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please note that it is against the law to apply for work with Children/Young People if you are barred from working in Regulated Activity and if your name is added to a Children Barred List.

All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked.

Please note this post has a minimum age restriction  of 21 for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and semi-independent Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’.