This exciting new specialist role of Housing IDVA is designed to support victims of Domestic Abuse to remain safe in their own accommodation or secure suitable new housing.
The main tasks for this role include:
Managing a caseload of high risk victims, providing specialist support around housing.
Acting as a link person between the local authority housing teams, our Domestic Abuse services in Devon, supported accommodation and refuges.
Offering dedicated support to victims in Places of Safety.
Providing specialist training and professional consultancy to partner agencies.
This is an 18 month contract at 30 hours per week with the potential to extend or be made permanent, subject to funding.
Main Duties
Ensure effective access to the service for victims of Domestic Abuse across Devon who are experiencing accommodation difficulties and encourage their engagement with the service, through multi agency working and service flexibility.
Work with housing service providers and the local council and other housing providers to introduce the service and encourage practitioners to identify domestic abuse, respond appropriately and refer to the service. This will include offering training, briefings, professional consultancy, and information to upskill housing workers and improve their response to domestic abuse.
Hold a caseload of victims and survivors of Domestic Abuse providing specialist housing related support to help victims remain safely in their own accommodation or secure other appropriate housing.
Work in partnership with housing staff and provide institutional advocacy to maximise positive outcomes and use the appropriate reporting mechanisms to highlight persistent or recurring issues that arise.
Work collaboratively with staff across FearLess to ensure they are upskilled around housing knowledge, legislation and options for victims.
Identify and assess the risks and needs of domestic abuse victims using an evidence-based risk identification checklist e.g. Safelives DASH.
Focus on and prioritise MARAC high risk cases and provide a pro-active, short to medium term crisis intervention service through individual safety planning and personal support.
Provide support for high-risk victims and their family who have ongoing needs after their immediate high-risk interventions have been completed.
Advocate for high-risk victims with agencies who can help to address the domestic abuse by:
– Understanding the role of all relevant statutory and non-statutory services available to domestic abuse victims and how your role fits into them.
– Providing advocacy, emotional and practical support and information to victims including in relation to legal options both civil and criminal, housing, health, and finance.
Working directly with all key agency partners to address the safety of high-risk victims and ensuring that their safety plans are coordinated particularly those being heard at through the MARAC.
Manage a case load ensuring each client receives the appropriate service individual to their needs.
Support the empowerment of the client and assist them in recognising the features and dynamics of domestic abuse present in their situation and help them regain control of their lives.
Understand multi-agency partnership structures and work within a multi-agency setting which will include participation at the MARAC. You will contribute interventions and help design a plan to protect victims and any children, while maintaining an independent role on behalf of your client, keeping their safety as central to any response.
Ensure support provided is accessible to clients in terms of location and times.
Be proactive with your line manager in carrying out regular case reviews based on a review of risk and abuse which:
– Feeds back into action planning to further progress, signpost, or close cases and.
– Provides feedback to your clients/agencies.
Help maintain accurate and confidential case management records and databases and contribute to monitoring information for the service.
Comply with data protection legislation, confidentiality and information sharing policy and procedures and all legislation connected to your work.
Support colleagues and partner agencies, through awareness raising and institutional advocacy, in order to provide the best possible service for victims of domestic abuse.
Respect and value the diversity of the community in which the services work in and recognise the needs and concerns of a diverse range of survivors ensuring the service is accessible to all.
Remain up-to-date and compliant with all organisational procedures policies and professional codes of conduct and uphold standards of best practice.
Utilise evaluation and monitoring systems to ensure high standards of service are consistently achieved e.g. Insights and Orchards Database.
For a full job description and person specification, please click here.
