Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA)

Based within the Wiltshire Domestic Abuse Service, the IDVA team works within a multi-agency system to provide a proactive, person-centered independent service for victims of domestic abuse, empowering choice through informed decision making.

This is a temporary 6 month position, however this post is likely to be extended.

Key elements of the role include:

• Providing priority support to service users.
• Risk assessing and helping to keep service users safe through safety planning.
• Enabling victims to access statutory and other services.
• Engaging with and supporting the MARAC process, to ensure that the voice of victims is heard.
• Managing a caseload of high-risk victims and working proactively to support them and their families.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide a high-quality service to those at the highest risk.
• To provide practical and emotional support to service users, working jointly with them to carry out, implement and review needs assessments and support plans.
• To understand and work effectively within a multi-agency framework, consisting of the MARAC and local partnership responses to domestic abuse, in order to reduce the risk for service users and their families.
• Identify and assess the risks and needs of service users using an evidence-based risk identification checklist.
• Work with high-risk service users to help them access services, to keep them and their children safe.
• Advocate for high-risk service users with agencies who can help to address the domestic abuse.
• Understanding the role of all relevant statutory and non-statutory services available to service users and how your role fits into them.
• Providing information to service users in relation to legal options, housing, health and finance.
• Working directly with all key agency partners to address the safety of high risk service users and ensuring that their safety plans are coordinated particularly through the MARAC.
• Manage a case load ensuring each person receives the appropriate support, tailored to their needs.
• Support the empowerment of the service user - assisting people to recognise the features and dynamics of domestic abuse present in their situation, and help them regain control of their lives.
• Support service users to maintain existing accommodation and to advocate on their behalf, in order to access accommodation and additional support.
• Develop and maintain working relationships with specialist agencies, both statutory and voluntary, to support those with multiple support needs.
• To recognise, respect and address the needs of service users who face barriers when seeking help to access the service, including those from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, LGBTQ+ communities, disabled people, those with complex needs and other groups which services have found difficult to reach.
• Provide practical and emotional support in relation to criminal and civil remedies, housing, health, education, employment, welfare benefits, counselling, legal aid and children’s support.
• Accompany service users, when needed, to other relevant agencies and support them in their interactions with these agencies.
• To work alongside colleagues to deliver a whole family approach.
• Be proactive with your line manager to carry out periodic case reviews.
• 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.
• Help maintain accurate and confidential case management records and contribute to monitoring information for the service.

General Responsibilities

• Remain up to date and concordant with organisational procedures, policies and professional code of conduct, upholding standards of best practice.
• Attend and contribute to team meetings.
• Contribute to effective team working with a flexible and pro-active approach, including cover for other team members’ holidays and sickness where required.
• Undertake agreed training and keep updated on changes in legislation, policy, and best practice.
• To support additional duties at your team managers discretion.

For a full job description/person specification and to apply, please follow the link provided on this website. There is no specific closing date for this role and this vacancy will close once a suitable candidate is found, so early applications are encouraged. 

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