Independent Domestic Violence Advisor

Location: Plymouth

Salary: £25,954 per annum rising to £26,364 per annum after successful probation

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time

The Role

The Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) role will deliver a proactive, person-centred and trauma-informed support service to adults experiencing high-risk domestic abuse in all its forms. The role focuses on keeping victims and their families safe through support intervention, comprehensive safety planning, and coordinated multi-agency responses.

The post holder will provide a premium service to those assessed as being at the highest risk, working assertively and flexibly to engage clients, including completing face-to-face outreach in community settings and their homes where required. Clients may present with complex and multiple needs, including substance misuse, mental and physical health issues, learning needs, criminal justice involvement, and other vulnerabilities.

The IDVA will work proactively within multi-agency forums, including MARAC, to assess risk, share information, and develop robust safety and support plans. Strong advocacy and partnership-working skills are essential to ensure victims are supported to access statutory and voluntary services appropriate to their risks and needs.

The role requires a highly motivated and adaptable individual who can work unsupervised on a day-to-day basis, effectively prioritising and managing a complex caseload while maintaining a strong focus on victim safety, empowerment, and recovery.

Key responsibilities:

• To provide a pro-active service to those experiencing high risk domestic abuse to keep them and their families safe, including access to support for the abusive person.
• To complete person-centred individualised risk assessments and support plans to reduce risk and identify individual needs. To deliver appropriate support in keeping with the results.
• To provide advocacy, emotional, practical support and information to victims to address identified risks and needs including safety planning, housing and security, online safety, separation and post separation, children, health and wellbeing, legal, financial and any other additional support needs identified.
• To deliver support in the community, essential face to face support in the environment which best suits the client.
• To manage, support and prioritise daily referrals received, ensuring timescales are met in respect of first contact.
• To participate in the MARAC framework including:
• Referring High risk victims to MARAC
• Attending and participating in MARAC meetings
• Following up on actions agreed in MARAC
• Receiving referrals direct from MARAC
• To ensure, through liaison with both the client and partner agencies, that clients receive the support they require and to which they are entitled.
• To understand and actively use the legal framework relating to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children through local safeguarding procedures

Please note: for a full list of job responsibilities and the complete job description, please see the link below.

Essential requirements:

• Literacy skills and experience working with databases
• Hold a SafeLives IDVA training certificate, or a relevant degree, or demonstrable equivalent experience, or vocational qualification
• Supporting victims of domestic abuse, or working with vulnerable people
• Have a good understanding of the impact of domestic abuse on victims and their children.
• Understand safeguarding issues (children and vulnerable adults) and the legal responsibilities surrounding these issues.
• Understanding the principles of risk assessment, safety planning and risk management for victims of domestic abuse and their children
• Have excellent communication, negotiation and advisory skills, both written and verbal when interacting with a range of agencies and individuals
• Handling confidential and sensitive information appropriately
• Understand and be committed to equal opportunities and diversity issues in policy and practice

​Additional Information:  The successful applicant will be subject to a Disclosure & Barring check, and a social media check conducted by a third party organisation as part of our Safer Recruitment process. Any future offer of employment is contingent on the satisfactory completion of these checks, as well as the receipt of two satisfactory employment references, with one being from your current or most recent employer. Please note that in some roles staff may be required to work from a home/office base in accordance with our Hybrid Working policy.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for First Light, please proceed through the following link to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

https://firstlight.peoplehr.net/Pages/JobBoard/Opening.aspx?v=33780b32-6904-492b-9102-ab19ee7b7e3d

Contact information

A Member of the Ad Warrior Team