Year fixed term independent domestic violence advocate jobs

Please note: This post is restricted to women under schedule 9, Part 1, Equalities Act 2010

OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE

The Health IDVA provides vital support to those affected by domestic abuse, helping them access the specialist services they need and navigate challenges in their daily lives. You will work directly with patients with a wide range of experiences and needs, offering advocacy, guidance, and practical support. A key part of the role is raising awareness among community healthcare professionals about the impact of domestic abuse, particularly on mental health, through training, guidance, and ongoing support, so that patients are identified earlier and supported more effectively.

This role addresses a need in community healthcare, where many patients are not recognised as survivors of domestic abuse. By combining domestic abuse expertise with a therapeutic approach, the Health IDVA will provide direct support to patients while helping community services and healthcare teams feel confident and equipped to respond appropriately. You will be supported by the Head of Adult Services and HIDVA Managers. You will have the opportunity to complete a formal domestic abuse qualification once you pass your probation (if not already qualified).

Through this work, the Health IDVA will help ensure that patients receive timely, compassionate support while also strengthening the skills, confidence, and understanding of community services and professionals. By building strong partnerships and sharing expertise, the role will contribute to a more coordinated and effective response to domestic abuse, ensuring that patients are supported at every stage and that services are better equipped to meet their needs.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Support to Survivors

• Hold a caseload of clients, including NHS staff.
• Ensure survivors are fully informed of their rights and options, and explain the criminal and civil legal remedies available to them.
• Promote enhanced safety and wellbeing for victim-survivors accessing community healthcare, including NHS staff.
• Conduct needs and risk assessments, including DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Abuse Risk Assessment), to determine appropriate levels of support. Develop and implement safety plans collaboratively with clients to address their needs in a timely manner.
• Assist clients in accessing appropriate legal, financial, housing, medical, educational, and employment services, as well as counselling and community support networks.
• Work in partnership with police, housing providers, and other agencies to advocate for survivors and facilitate referrals to ongoing support services.
• Attend Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences when required (MARAC) and make referrals where appropriate.
• Recognise and address the needs of survivors who experience additional barriers to accessing services, including those from minority groups or with protected characteristics.
• Uphold safeguarding responsibilities for children, young people, and adults, in line with Child Protection Procedures and safeguarding policies.
• Maintain accurate client records, monitoring data, and outcome information. Prepare reports and evaluations as required for service monitoring.
• Participate in an out-of-hours rota, providing a HIDVA service within the hospital on Friday evenings and weekends as scheduled

Partnership Working and Training

• Promote the Health IDVA service and establish formal working links with GP practices and other healthcare providers (such as dental, health visiting or mental health teams.
• Attend safeguarding, handover and partnership meetings to raise awareness of the service and share our knowledge so earlier identification of domestic abuse within community healthcare settings can be achieved.
• Deliver training sessions to community healthcare staff to raise awareness of domestic abuse, safe enquiry and appropriately responding to disclosures.
• Contribute to multi-agency safeguarding meetings and local domestic abuse forums to share learning and strengthen partnership working.

General

• Uphold the values and good name of Rising Sun at all times represent the organisation in a way that is consistent with its philosophy and ethos and in line with all Rising Sun’s policies.
• Actively participate in clinical supervision, training and development opportunities.
• Develop your understanding of trauma informed work and embed in your day-to-day practice.
• Maintain an up-to-date working knowledge to be able to advise women of their rights and options for seeking help and support from other agencies, such as housing options, legislation and welfare.
• Comply with organisational policies and procedures, including Safeguarding, Data Protection and Health and Safety.
• Undertake other duties and responsibilities in keeping with the nature of this post, as may be required from time to time.

 This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time when it was drawn up and will be reviewed from time to time. Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following experience, knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Qualifications

• Independent Domestic Violence Adviser (IDVA) qualification (desirable)
• Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) qualification (desirable)
• Health qualification (desirable)

Knowledge and Experience

• At least 3 years’ experience of working with survivors of domestic abuse, including high risk clients, and assessing client risks and needs
• Experience of co-producing short- and longer-term risk management, safety and support plans with survivors and their children
• Experience of delivering training (desirable)
• Experience working with the police, social services and MARAC
• Experience of lone working and able to work on own initiative
• Experience working with people with mental health needs, substance misuse, other complex needs
• Experience of working in a hospital / healthcare setting (desirable)
• Knowledge of criminal and civil legal remedies and housing law relating to domestic abuse
• Knowledge of domestic abuse risk assessment tools including DASH and extensive understanding of the MARAC process
• A thorough understanding of safeguarding relating to adults with care and support needs and children
• Up to date knowledge of the welfare benefits system and the ability to ensure service users maximise their benefit entitlement (desirable)
• Knowledge of local services and DA Specialists across Kent & Medway (desirable)

Skills and attributes

• Ability to network face to face and virtually, to develop new contacts and partnerships
• Ability to train professionals on recognising domestic abuse and responding appropriately (desirable)
• Ability to motivate yourself and work independently on your own initiative
• Solution focused and creative in approaching new challenges
• Competent using Microsoft office programmes, in particular MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Passionate about the aim and principles of Rising Sun
• Committed to equal opportunities, safeguarding and maintaining confidentiality
• Able to drive and have access to a reliable car (post holder will be required to attend meetings and across our areas of work)
• Able to work some evenings and weekends
• Eligible to live and work in the UK

Benefits

We offer a number of benefits to team members including:

• 25 days annual leave per year
• A bonus day of leave for your birthday
• 3% matched pension contribution
• Access to Rising Sun’s counselling service
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Health care cash plan for you and your children for a number of health treatments (e.g. dental, optical, physiotherapy etc.) and also discounts in shops and attractions
• Up to four weeks sick pay in any 12 month period (eligible after probation period)

How to apply

If you feel this role would be a good fit for your skills and experience, visit our website to download an application form and apply, demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the person specification in your personal statement.

We request no contact from agencies or media sales please.

Location: Enfield (with a co-location across LBE Safeguarding Team)

Salary: £29,923 - £32,623 per annum (with an accredited VAWG /domestic abuse qualification)

(Please note that applicants are usually appointed at the bottom of the relevant band)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week 

Contract: Fixed Term Contract (Until January 2027)

Closing Date: Wednesday 17th December 2025

Closing Time: 00:00am

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 Child Service IDVA at Solace Women's Aid.  

You will be joining a team of committed and inspiring individuals whose dedication has saved the lives of thousands of women, men and children in the capital. We are looking for friendly and diligent individuals to join our services and help us make a difference.

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 Enfield SASS team provides advocacy and support to survivors of domestic and sexual abuse living in Enfield. An exciting opportunity has arisen in this busy team for an IDVA within the Domestic Abuse team to be collocated across the LBE Children’s Services.

About the Role

The successful candidate will be responsible for risk and needs assessing and safety planning with survivors of domestic violence. They will hold a caseload of service users identified as requiring crisis intervention, advice, advocacy and onward referral where appropriate. You will be the first point of contact for social care professionals providing training and upskilling as part of the LBE Children Services Domestic Abuse team.

About You

We're looking for highly organised and self-motivated applicants who are passionate about ending gender-based violence. You will have a “can-do‟ approach and demonstrable commitment to Solace’s feminist approach to supporting women and their children to be safer. You will receive training and support for this role as necessary.

Successful applicants will have in-depth knowledge of domestic abuse and its impact on service users and their children. You will have experience in crisis risk management and safety planning. Experience working within safeguarding procedures is essential as it needs to promote a strong partnership approach to service provision.

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
• 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

When applying for this role, kindly highlight in your Supporting Statement how your values, knowledge, transferrable 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 are a Disability Confident Employer and committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. 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, and Part 1. Section 7(2) e of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 apply. 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.

Overview of Calan DVS: 

Calan DVS is one of the largest domestic abuse charities in Wales and we are committed to working in partnership to end domestic violence and abuse. Our staff are passionate about what they do and deliver much needed services to support some of the most vulnerable people in society. 

Our service was formed in 2012 as a result of a merger between Neath & Lliw Valley Women’s Aid and since 2012, other Women’s Aid organisations have also joined the group including Brecknock Women’s Aid, Bridgend Women’s Aid and Ammanford Women’s Aid. 

Our vision: 

At Calan DVS, our vision is to work towards safe and resilient communities free from domestic violence and abuse. To achieve this, we aim to relieve the distress, suffering and poverty experienced by families exposed to domestic violence and abuse. We also aim to educate the public regarding the causes and effects of domestic abuse along with prevention methods 

The Lotus Project:  

The Lotus Project is a new service within Calan DVS which has been co-produced with survivors and stakeholders.  The new service has been implemented to support individuals who are accessing Calan Domestic Abuse services and who have also experienced Sexual Violence.

The service will operate from a trauma informed, strengths based perspective in order to ensure each survivor has consistent yet individualised support throughout their recovery journey.

Each survivor who accesses the service will have the opportunity to receive specialist support through our Sexual Violence Counselling service, tailor made group work program and one to one support.  Survivors will have regular strength based goal setting sessions with their Sexual Violence Support Worker.

Consultations and collaborative working are at the heart of working in a trauma informed way, therefore the Lotus Project will continue to be developed alongside the support staff and survivors who access the service.

Purpose of the role: 

• To provide consistant, psychosocial, trauma informed support for survivors of sexual violence. 

• To ensure each survivor accessing The Lotus Project is informed and empowered on the ways in which to access therapeutic support after experiencing sexual violence.

• To deliver sexual violence specific group work and one to one support. 

• To work in a multidisciplinary manner to ensure each survivor is linked with the appropriate external support services (such as ISVA services, SARC, substance use services) 

Key Accountabilities: 

Sexual Violence Support 

• To provide one to one emotional support for survivors of sexual violence who would like to access The Lotus Project. 

• From the point of receiving the referral, the SVSW will create a collaborative safety and support plan to help inform the person accessing the Lotus Project of what support is available to them either from the group work program, one to one support session, counselling or ongoing telephone support.

• To link in with external agencies so that the survivor accessing the Lotus Project has access to a full range of support (for example, SARC, ISVA, Substance support, Sexual Health, GP). 

• To have a strengths based, trauma informed approach to working with survivors of sexual violence and to ensure that suvivors are at the center of their own recovery journey.

• To work alongside the professional making the referral to ensure all risk and support needs are considered and actioned in a fair and consistent way.

• To attend professional review meetings with other Calan practitioners who may be supporting the person accessing the Lotus Project.

• To report any safeguarding concerns to their line manager and follow Calan’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures. 

• To deliver online and in person sexual violence group work programmes (as appropriate). 

• To support delivery of group therapeutic activities such as yoga, self care, art therapy, creative writing, nature walks and document feedback. 

• To provide one to one support for those who are unable to attend the group work program, using the group work program as a structure for those support sessions.

• To work alongside the person accessing the Lotus Project to dispel any rape myths, self-blame and pathologized attitudes towards sexual trauma.

• To have regular case review meetings with their line manager and supervision sessions. 

• To empower and encourage those accessing the Lotus Project to sustain ongoing peer support groups. 

• To support those accessing the Lotus Project to understand techniques to cope with anxiety, flashbacks and other symptoms of trauma. 

• To explore areas of self care with those accessing the Lotus Project and encorperate this into each individuals safety and support plan.

• To write supporting documents for GP’s or other relevant professionals so that the person accessing Lotus Project doesn’t have to retell their story.

Health and Safety 

• To work at all times in a safe and efficient manner and be aware of the Lone Working Policy / Health and Safety Policy and Procedures. 

• Participate in the Risk Assessment processes. 

• Ensuring the safety of the survivors accessing The Lotus Project through ongoing risk assessments and monitoring. 

• To actively engage with their own self care to minimise the impact of vicarious trauma and burnout. 

• To work alongside their line manager to identify their own areas of support in regards to their mental and physical wellbeing.

Organisational 

• Participate in relevant training and opportunities to increase and develop knowledge. 

• Follow Calan DVS Equal Opportunity Policy and Diversity Strategy and observe the standard of conduct which prevents discrimination taking place. 

• Attend and participate in team meetings.

• Prepare for and participate in supervision, appraisals and team reviews. 

• Conduct administrative duties relating to the Lotus Project e.g.  maintain support plan records and reviews, record statistics and provide reports as required. 

• Promote public awareness of the work of The Lotus Project and trauma informed approaches to working with survivors of sexual violence.

• To support the development of The Lotus Project in collaboration with the Sexual Violence Service Development Manager.

• Ensure that all work is conducted to the highest professional standards and complies with the DA Support Services and Calan DVS Policies and Procedures. 

Other Duties and Responsibilities 

• Assist with organising and take part in promotional, educational and funding activities as required.

• Keep up to date with relevant legislation, local strategies, policies and procedures. 

• Ensure that all activities are within Calan DVS budgets. 

• Work flexibly to provide the service which may include weekend and evening work. 

• Work flexibly to cover for other posts as required/appropriate. 

• Work within Calan DVS Codes of Practice. 

• Maintain confidentiality in relation to service users, staff and projects. 

• To undertake any other duty reasonably requested by their Manager/Management. 

• To partake in Calan’s on-call service. 

This job description is indicative of the range of current duties and responsibilities of the post, it is not comprehensive.  It is inevitable that the duties will change as the role develops, and it is essential, therefore, that it should be regarded with a degree of flexibility, so that changing needs and circumstances can be met, all changes will be discussed fully.  

Personal Specification 

Essential: 

You will be able to demonstrate the following key knowledge, skills, behaviours and experience: 

• Minimum of two years experience supporting survivors of sexual violence. 

• Demonstrable experience of working in a strengths based, trauma informed way. 

• Experience of building a rapport with survivors of abuse in an trusting, empathetic way whilst maintaining own personal boundaries.

• Knowledge and understanding of the impact of sexual violence and trauma on an individual. 

• Experience of facilitating support groups and structured one to one support. 

• To actively engage in your own self care and understand the role of self care in a persons recovery from trauma. 

• To identify coping mechansisms to trauma that may be detrimental to a persons recovery.

• Experience of working collaboratively with organisations in the community to raise awareness, network and build partnerships. 

• Proven experience of working in a non-judgemental way whilst understanding and respecting a persons individual boundaries.

• Experience of supporting people in crisis and those experiencing high levels of emotional distress 

• Commitment to ongoing professional development. 

• Proven experience of liaising and advocating for survivors with statutory and voluntary agencies. 

• Experience of strengths-based needs assessment, risk assessment, risk management and support planning. 

• Competency in Information Technology including internet and software packages. 

• Possession of a valid full driver’s licence and ability to use own car for work purposes. 

• Good verbal and written communication skills, including report writing. 

• Ability to work on own in an unsupervised setting or as part of a team. 

• Awareness of equal opportunities and ability to work in a non-discriminatory way. 

Desirable 

• Ability to speak Welsh.

• NVQ Level 4 or equivalent in a relevant field, i.e. social care or health. 

• Foundation counselling qualification