Children’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (CISVA)

Empowerment Charity; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

29 days holiday + bank holidays

Auto-enrolment pension

Job summary

Empowerment Charity in Blackpool is seeking a Children’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (CISVA) to provide specialist trauma-informed support to children and young people aged 5–18 who have experienced sexual violence alongside domestic abuse. The role is based at Empowerment Base with flexible 35 hours per week. Salary £26,500 per annum, rising to £27,500 for those with the relevant professional qualification.

29 days holiday plus bank holidays. Closing date 17/11/2026.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children and young people.
• Experience in ISVA role or willingness to pursue one.
• Experience with safeguarding procedures.
• Experience supporting trauma, domestic abuse or sexual violence.
• Experience maintaining confidential records and information sharing.

Responsibilities

• Make proactive contact with children and young people within service procedures.
• Provide specialist one-to-one support in a trauma-informed way.
• Support each young person to identify needs, priorities and goals.
• Build safe, trusting relationships; recognise trauma affecting engagement.
• Use creative methods to help young people communicate and express feelings.

Skills

Relationship building

Trauma-informed practice

Communication with children

Multi-agency working

Confidentiality

IT literacy

Time management

Job description

Job Vacancy: Children’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (CISVA)

Role Purpose: You will provide specialist, trauma-informed support to children and young people aged 5–18 who have experienced sexual violence alongside domestic abuse. Working within the DEN, you will build safe, trusting and consistent relationships, helping young people understand their experiences, identify their needs and priorities, and develop confidence, emotional wellbeing and resilience. You will provide flexible, child-led support that responds to individual risk, readiness to engage and circumstances, ensuring young people’s voices are heard and that they can access the right support at the right time.

• Salary: £26,500 per annum, rising to £27,500 for candidates holding the relevant professional qualification.
• Hours of work: Full-time: 35 hours per week (to be worked flexibly)
• Reports to: The Den Manager
• Holiday entitlement: 29 days per year (plus bank holidays)
• Pension: Auto enrolment into the workplace pension scheme
• Location: Empowerment Base, 333 Bispham Road, Blackpool, FY2 0HH
• Closing Date: 17/11/2026

Our mission is to work alongside people across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast who feel unheard, ensuring they are empowered to create real and positive change in their own lives and the lives of others.

Job Description

Main Responsibilities

• Make proactive contact with children and young people within the timescales set out in service procedures.
• Provide specialist one-to-one support to children and young people experiencing sexual violence alongside domestic abuse, working in a sensitive, non-judgemental and trauma-informed way.
• Work in a child-led manner, supporting each young person to identify their needs, priorities and goals and adapting sessions to their age, circumstances, risk and readiness to engage.
• Build safe, consistent and trusting relationships, recognising that trauma, fear, stigma and previous negative experiences may affect engagement.
• Use creative, activity-based and other appropriate methods to help young people communicate, express their feelings and make sense of their experiences.

For a full overview of the role and responsibilities, please download the Job Pack.

Staff Development

• Be flexible and responsive to the needs of individual children and young people and the service.
• Attend and participate in team meetings and the supervision process.
• Participate in relevant training and development opportunities and take responsibility for own learning and professional development.
• Develop own knowledge and practice and contribute to the learning and effectiveness of the wider team.
• Contribute positively to team working and collaborative practice

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to develop positive, empowering relationships with children and young people and to build trust with those who may find services difficult to engage with.
• Understanding of the impact of sexual violence, domestic abuse and trauma on children and young people.
• Knowledge of child safeguarding and the ability to recognise, assess and respond appropriately to risk.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to communicate with children and young people in age-appropriate ways.
• Ability to work in a child-led, trauma-informed and non-judgemental manner.
• Good liaison, advocacy and multi-agency working skills.
• Good organisational, analytical, record-keeping and report-writing skills.
• Competent use of IT systems and an understanding of confidentiality and information sharing.
• Ability to work constructively as part of a team while managing an individual caseload.
• An enthusiastic, self-motivated approach, with initiative, creativity and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Ability to manage time effectively, work under pressure and meet deadlines while maintaining high standards of practice.

Experience

• Experience of working with children and young people.
• Experience of working within an ISVA role (or similar qualification) or willingness to work towards one.
• Experience or understanding of safeguarding children and multi-agency safeguarding procedures.
• Experience of supporting children or young people affected by trauma, domestic abuse or sexual violence, or a demonstrable willingness to develop specialist knowledge in this area.
• Experience of using different approaches to communicate with children and young people.
• Experience of assessing or managing risk and responding to safeguarding concerns.
• Experience of maintaining records and working within confidentiality and organisational procedures.
• Experience of multi-agency working is desirable.

Personal Qualities

• Enthusiasm and a genuine commitment to supporting children and young people.
• A demonstrable belief in the rights of service users and a commitment to anti-discriminatory practice.
• A positive, professional attitude and non-judgemental approach.
• Kindness, patience, empathy and flexibility.
• Honesty, integrity and reliability.
• Commitment to the organisation’s vision, mission and values.

General

• Maintain confidentiality and compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations. (GDPR)
• To demonstrate kindness and respect at all times to the people who engage with this service and to colleagues.
• To put the people who we support at the heart of everything we do.
• To comply with all policies and procedures relating to the service.
• Ensure accurate records and documentation are maintained in line with both statutory and organisational requirements.
• Promote people’s equality, diversity and rights.
• Contribute to developing and maintaining cultures and strategies in which people are respected and valued as individuals.
• Promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the workplace in line with relevant legislation at all times.
• Staff will be required to work flexibly and attend meetings, training and supervision to ensure the effective operation of the service.
• Reliability (in terms of tasks given and attendance).
• Commitment to the organisations’ vision, mission and values.