West Cornwall MARAC Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA)

Salary: £24,956 rising to £25,350 after successful completion of probation, and increasing to £26,474 on successful accreditation from completion of IDVA training

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Holiday: 25 days rising incrementally to 30 days after five years, plus all bank holidays.

Base: Covering West Cornwall

Contract: Permanent

Key responsibilities:

• Provide a pro-active service to victims of domestic abuse to keep them and their children safe.
• To undertake risk assessments and deliver an appropriate service in keeping with the result.
• To provide advocacy, emotional and practical support and information to victims to address key needs including, housing, civil and criminal legal actions, benefits and health.
• To undertake safety planning with victims and develop an individual service plan to reduce the identified risks.
• To participate in the MARAC framework including:
• Referring High risk victims
• Attending and participating in meetings
• Follow-up on actions agreed in MARAC
• To ensure, through liaison with both the victim and partner agencies, that clients get the services they need and to which they are entitled.
• To understand and actively use the legal framework relating to the protection of children including the policy and procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board.
• To support clients through the Criminal Justice System, explaining the procedures and their role and rights within that system.
• To understand and actively use the legal framework relating to the protection of adults who are assessed as vulnerable including the local safeguarding procedures
• To assist the victim in developing their own support network.
• Where necessary, to act as a single point of contact for the victim including referring on and arranging meetings with other agencies/services such as, solicitors, benefit agency, etc.
• To contribute to the accuracy of the Halo database to ensure that staff are able to signpost clients and professionals to the most appropriate agency to meet their needs.
• To effectively manage a caseload.
• To ensure accurate and timely maintenance of all case records, both hard and electronic.
• To follow procedures and protocols with other services so that the safety of the victim is kept central to any process.
• To keep other relevant agencies informed about important changes in the victim’s situation.
• To note and feed back to other agencies and/or your line manager any consistent difficulties clients are having accessing their service.
• Work flexibly including out of hours as and when required to do so.
• To maintain a personal development plan with a focus on performance and service delivery
• Participate in fundraising activities to promote our cause and brand
• Represent the charity and service with a broad range of organisations and individuals
• To undertake any duties as may be required from time to time commensurate with the grade of the post.

Added benefits:

• A comprehensive induction and training programme, with a hybrid working policy for a better work/life balance.
• Access to external supervision to discuss personal or emotional responses to traumatic cases, to ensure emotional and psychological wellbeing.
• Health and wellbeing resources including our staff Wellbeing Group, Staff Consultation Committee and active participation in our employee engagement platform.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme which includes a 24/7 telephone helpline offering medical, emotional and financial support.