Work for Leeway

Job Title: NIDAS Broadland IDVA

Responsible for: Volunteers, Students

Direct Reports: NIDAS Senior Independent Domestic Abuse Advisor

Based: South Norfolk & Broadland District Council Offices, Broadland Business Park

Contracted Hours: 1 x 18.5 hour post

Salary: £30,936 pro rata

Contract End Date: 01/01/2027

Job Purpose

The IDVA will be part of our team within the Norfolk Integrated Domestic Abuse Service (NIDAS), which is a community-based service providing an effective, safe, supportive, and confidential support for service users aged 16 plus and their families including children aged 5-18, who are assessed as high or medium risk, and living with or fleeing domestic abuse.

The purpose of the role is to work in a multi-agency framework providing a range of support to reduce the risk of further harm posed to service users and support them to safely engage with criminal justice proceedings, Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs) and The Sanctuary Scheme, if appropriate as part of the NIDAS team.

You will work alongside a caseload of our service users to ensure that they feel safe, happy with the service they are receiving and have the widest opportunities available to them to enhance their lives and improve their safety and wellbeing. You will ensure they receive an excellent level of support that uses a strengths-based and trauma informed approach and is centred around their aims and aspirations.

Your role will be part of a rota system operating over 7 days a week. You will be required to represent the service by providing presentations and attending events as required and support the NIDAS Partnership Board in working towards the best possible outcomes for our service users.

This role is subject to DBS and enhance Police security clearance.

Key Strategic Responsibilities

• · Work in a multi-agency framework and environment, safeguarding adults and children.
• · Promote Equality, Diversity, Fairness, and Inclusion at all times.
• · Promote a ‘Team NIDAS’ culture across the service delivery.
• · Ensure that our service users voices are central to all aspects of service delivery and is evidenced through safety and support planning, risk assessment and reviews.
• · Be part of a team of community and family IDVAs and work collaboratively with colleagues throughout the NIDAS Partnership to deliver our visions, values, and objectives.
• · Be innovative in identifying methods to successfully engage with people across a wide range of backgrounds and with diverse needs.
• · Look for opportunities to improve and develop services that we offer.
• · To promote collaboration and multi-agency working for service users and maintain up to date knowledge of local services to enable recovery.
• · Support our service users to link into statutory, health and social care services to maximise their wellbeing and recovery.
• · To implement NIDAS’s strategy on consultation and service user involvement to ensure that all service users are able to participate and contribute to the development of the NIDAS service.

Key Functional Responsibilities

• · Build a relationship with each service user and engage at their pace and in their preferred way; taking a service user led, flexible approach to providing practical and emotional support and advocacy.
• · To manage a case load of the high/medium risk cases and regularly review support and safety needs in line with the accredited standards.
• · Facilitate a holistic assessment with each service user, building a relationship and creating a personalised support plan that incorporates risk and safety, and builds on their strengths and needs.
• · Participate in facilitation of group programmes within the service, supporting colleagues and service users to create and contribute to an environment that makes participation safe, supportive, and fulfilling. Similarly, support group programmes and activities including drop-ins at other services to support service users in the community.
• · Comply with all Health & Safety policy and procedures and carry out activities in a safe manner.
• · Maintain accurate and thorough case records.
• · Comply within Data Protection and GDPR legislation and best practice.
• · To offer a flexible service over 7 days a week to ensure referrals reach the NIDAS IDVA service as part of a NIDAS Rota system.
• · To offer telephone, virtual, group or face to face advice and support to service users who have been assessed as high or medium risk.
• · To participate in MARAC meetings and service user groups as required.
• · To liaise with other teams within the NIDAS partnership to ensure seamless handover of service between the triage service and other teams within NIDAS.
• · To track cases through the Police, CPS, court, and other systems to ensure service users have accurate and up to date information in compliance with the GDPR, confidentiality and data protection.
• · To provide or coordinate support for criminal justice trials as required.
• · To ensure that all Safeguarding issues and concerns are reported and dealt with in accordance with organisational policy and procedure, Legislation, and best practice.
• · To promote and work within the policies and guidelines of NIDAS and employing organisations.

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

• · An accredited IDVA qualification or working towards one.
• · Driving Licence, Business insurance and ability to travel across Norfolk.

Experience

• · Experience of working in a voluntary or statutory agency for a minimum of two years with victims of domestic abuse.
• · Experience of public speaking and advocating for victims.
• · Experience of using risk assessment tools for victims of domestic abuse.

Knowledge & Skills

• · Knowledge of legislation around safeguarding vulnerable adults and children.
• · Excellent written and verbal communication skills, engaging with service users, colleagues, and partners.
• · IT skills including use of Microsoft Office, Teams, case management systems, and databases.
• · Inquisitive and problem solving. A commitment to seeking new ways of working to achieve positive outcomes.
• · A clear understanding of Data Protection, confidentiality, and data sharing protocols.
• · An understanding of a strengths-based and trauma informed approach to support.
• · An understanding of the impact of domestic abuse on young people, children, and families.

Values

• · Reliable, enthusiastic, non-judgmental, and understanding.
• · Ability to be flexible and work independently, or as part of a team.
• · Ability to respond calmly in sometimes pressured situations.
• · Respect and value the diversity of the community and recognise the needs and concerns of a diverse range of survivors ensuring the service and your approach is accessible to all.
• · Always seek to expand your learning and undertake all training and development essential for this role.

Job Title: Refuge Domestic Abuse Case Worker

(Women only to apply: S.7(2)(e) SDA applies. ‘Exempt under the Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9, Part 1’. Previous applicants need not apply)

Job Purpose:

To provide an effective, supportive and confidential service for women and their children requiring emergency refuge accommodation as part of Leeway’s refuge team.

To provide transitional move on support to service users when moving out of refuge through Leeway’s residential services teams.

To participate in the out of hours on-call system for all the safe accommodation.

To provide one-one support for refuge residents and their children. To offer telephone or face to face advice & support to adults calling the helpline who are or have experienced domestic abuse. To give phone support including safety and crisis planning for service users coming into refuge.

To run group activities for refugees and their children. To deliver Domestic Awareness Talks to external agencies and on occasion take part in external fundraising events provided by Leeway. To attend external meetings relevant to the residential services.

To follow refuge Leeway operational and Safeguarding Policies and procedures

To support the Refuge Co-ordinator in working towards the best possible outcomes for refuge service users.

Accountable to: Domestic Abuse Case Co-ordinator

Responsible for:

• Volunteers
• Students on placement

Service Delivery duties and responsibilities

To encourage and empower refuge residents and their children to determine their own future whether this involves their choice to return home or in resettling into a new home somewhere else through the following duties:

1. To offer telephone or face to face advice and support to women experiencing domestic violence and making referrals to other agencies where appropriate.
2. To liaise with other teams within Leeway and ensure a seamless handover of service between the refuge and other teams within Leeway.
3. To promote multi-agency working for refuge residents and their children and to maintain up-to-date knowledge of local services which may support refuge service users.
4. To complete refuge bedspace referrals and to give phone support including safety and crisis planning for service users coming into refuge.
5. To work with residents and their children to develop support plans, risk assessments and safety plans for service users.
6. To support services users at Child Protection Conferences, Core Group meetings, appointments at the solicitors, health related appointments and Family Court.
7. To offer emotional support and information to residents on issues such as welfare rights, housing, schools, legal matters and to signpost to other agencies as appropriate.
8. To negotiate with local authority and other housing providers to find secure housing for Leeway residents.
9. To provide transitional support for residents and their children moving out of refuge whether they are returning home or being re-housed working alongside other refuge teams.
10. To carry out the housing management function of the refuge service including managing tenancies/licenses, house rules and health and safety of the building.
11. To ensure residents records, files and case management systems are created, maintained and updated appropriately.
12. To support residents to take part in Leeway’s consultation and service user involvement policy and procedure ensuring that all service users are able to participate and contribute to the development of Leeway’s service.
13. To participate in Leeway’s on-call rota system including out of hours admissions for all the safe accommodation.
14. To ensure that any Child Protection or Vulnerable Adult issues and concerns are reported and dealt with in accordance with the Leeway Safeguarding and protection from abuse policies and procedures.
15. To comply with Leeway’s Equal Opportunities and Anti-discrimination policy and procedure and ensure that the cultural needs of all residents and their children are recognised appropriately.
16. To comply with Confidentiality, Information Sharing and Data Protection policies.
17. To attend Leeway internal and external meetings with residents and their children and other agencies as required.
18. To plan and deliver refuge group workshops to residents and their children residing at refuge.
19. To attend relevant training, appraisals and staff supervision according to Leeway’s Performance, Training and Supervision policies.
20. To promote and work within the policies and guidelines of Women’s Aid.
21. To work at a different location either on a temporary or permanent basis upon reasonable notice flexibly between the refuge services as part of your normal duties.
22. To have a flexible approach to work outside office hours as and when required.
23. To participate in promoting the agency and services through events and presentations as and when required outside your working hours.
24. To promote the work of Leeway as and when required by delivering Domestic Abuse Awareness talks to external agencies.
25. To carry out any such duties that maybe reasonably required by your Domestic Abuse Case Co-ordinator or the Service Manager or the C.E.O.

Leeway Domestic Violence and Abuse Services

Person Specification

Job Title: Domestic Abuse Case Worker

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Relevant qualification and/or experience of working with women and children who are experiencing domestic violence, for a statutory or voluntary agency.
• Good interpersonal and organisation skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team and be able to respond calmly in sometimes stressful situations.
• Ability to operate, record and maintain administrative and financial systems.
• Reliable, enthusiastic, non-judgmental and understanding
• Full driving license, car business insurance & use of a car to travel is required.
• Ability to work on a rota over 7 days including evening work and to take part in the out-of-hour on-call system for all the safe accommodation.
• An understanding of domestic violence issues.
• Working Knowledge of Microsoft Office
• An understanding of Data Protection and Confidentiality
• An understanding of Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• Experience of providing accommodation-based support.
• An Understanding of health and safety issues.