Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (MASH)

Are you looking for a rewarding role working for an intersectional feminist organisation? If so, we have an incredible opportunity for you to join our team as an IDVA–MASH (Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub)) at Solace Women's Aid.

We exist to end the harm caused by gender-based violence. Our aim is to prevent violence and abuse, as well as provide services that meet the individual needs of survivors, particularly women and children. Our work is holistic and empowering, working alongside survivors to achieve independent lives free from abuse.

Our core values reflect our history and were developed in consultation with staff and service users. Feminism and intersectionality are key to our work, and we are committed to the principles of being survivor-led, trauma-informed, empowering, diverse, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory.

About the Service

The Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub provides advice and support to other professionals. A key part of this role involves contributing to Daily Safeguarding Briefing processes, representing survivors at these meetings and action planning alongside other agencies to improve survivor safety.

About the Role

Whilst working with other agencies, the IDVA (MASH) will strive to keep survivor’s safety at the centre of all coordinated responses. Located within the family hub in Erith you will hold a caseload of 25-30 service users.

About You

As an experienced professional, you will be highly organised and self-motivated with a passion for ending Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and safeguarding. You will have a “can-do‟ approach as well as a demonstrable commitment to Solace’s feminist approach to supporting women and their children to be safer.

You will have an in-depth knowledge of domestic abuse and its impact on women and children, demonstrable substantial experience in providing emotional and practical support to victims of VAWG. As well as having essential experience of attending multi-agency, risk-focused meetings.

Additional Information

The postholder will be based at our Bexleyheath service. The role is centred around face-to-face support, including assisting survivors to appointments, court and holding one to one meetings in person. Given the nature of this role, we are unable to offer hybrid working for this position.

What we can offer you

We provide a comprehensive benefits package to all our employees, including:

• Flexible working
• Focus on learning and development (internal career progression and training)
• Generous holiday entitlement
• Employer pension contribution
• Family-friendly leave and enhanced maternity pay
• Access to Inclusion Networks
• Daily clinical debriefing
• Two paid wellbeing days
• Employee Assistance Programme providing free 24/7 support and advice
• Employee Benefits Platform offering staff discounts, benefits, and savings
• Flow & Restore yoga classes
• Meditation sessions
• Cycle to Work Scheme

How to apply

Please submit your CV and Supporting Statement through the recruitment portal. When applying for this role, kindly highlight in your Supporting Statement how your values, knowledge, transferable skills, and experience align with each point within the following sections of the Job Profile Document:

• Values, Behaviours & Competencies
• Knowledge, Experience and Skills

Solace Women's Aid values diversity, promotes equity, and challenges discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, abilities, perspectives, and lived experiences.

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. Our Inclusion Networks support staff with protected characteristics and offer inclusive spaces to connect.

We anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as needed and support employees who acquire a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work.

This service is run by women for women and is therefore restricted to female applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1. Section 7(2)(e) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 applies. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

As part of safer recruitment practices, we carry out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and right to work in the UK checks.

No agencies