Domestic Abuse Support Worker

Homeless Link; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Homeless Link in the UK is seeking Empowerment Practitioners to join our Safe Accommodation team. You will manage a caseload of households and deliver a range of interventions to build resilience and progress, with CAT and Trauma Informed Care training provided.

The role is 37.5 hours per week, rota 9am-5pm with occasional weekend work, permanent or fixed-term for two positions. You must have experience with domestic violence, safeguarding, and complex needs.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with households with domestic violence, homelessness, or substance misuse.
• Experience of Adults and Children Safeguarding.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in a Refuge or Domestic Abuse service.
• Experience of partnership working.
• Experience of creative support planning and target setting.
• Experience of using The Outcome Star for planning.
• Experience of formulating Risk Assessments and Safety Plans for DA clients.
• Experience of resettling individuals into independent accommodation.

Responsibilities

• Provide key work support to a caseload of households.
• Coordinate multi‑agency interventions and risk management.
• Engage with professionals and providers to ensure safe support sessions.
• Deliver personalised support considering risks and personal needs.
• Respond to emergency referrals as required.

Skills

Domestic violence experience

Safeguarding knowledge

Risk assessment

Communication skills

Job description

Location: Safe Accommodation

Salary: £30,000 per annum

Hours: 37.5 hours per week over a rota of 9am-5pm and the occasional weekend

Job Type: Permanent/Fixed Term – 2 roles available

Why this role would be great for you

The Empowerment Practitioners (EP) will be skilled in delivering a range of interventions to adults, children and young people to build strength, enhance resilience and encourage progress. The post holder will be responsible for managing a case load of households and will have the primary role of providing and co-ordinating support interventions and multi-agency activity.

All EP’s will undergo Cognitive Analytic Therapy Skills Training (CAT) this will provide a framework for understanding and working with households. Training will also be provided around Trauma Informed Care. These approaches will be used for planning and assessing effectiveness of a variety of interventions and risk management.

Our service is built on values of hope, empowerment, choice, and independence, and we strive to provide children with opportunities to thrive, play, and heal.

This post is only available to female applicants as an Occupational Requirement and permitted under the Equality Act 2010

What your week may look like

Empowerment Practitioners will be skilled in delivering a range of interventions for Empowerment Practitioners to build strength, enhance resilience and encourage progress. The post holder will be responsible for providing key work support to a caseload and will have the primary role of providing and co-coordinating support interventions and multi‑agency activity.

• Working as part of the daytime Support Team
• Ensuring each person will receive personalised support considering their identified risks and personal needs
• Engaging with professionals and other providers to provide a safe space to complete support sessions.
• Providing a safe, welcoming environment with excellent standards and an ethos of service delivery that encourages all service users to engage with support on offer
• To respond to emergency referrals and/or situations.

What We Can Offer You

What can we offer Working with You Matter comes will a whole host of benefits. We hope that people will find personal fulfilment and purpose by working with alongside people in our services. Our teams are compassionate and supportive, fostering a strong sense of community. With opportunities for professional growth, You Matter offers training to support your role and personal development. For a full list of benefits see here: Careers Page | You Matter.

The skills we are looking for:

EXPERIENCE

• Experience of working with households with a history of domestic violence, mental health, homelessness or substance misuse.
• Experience of Adults and Children Safeguarding
• At least 2 years’ experience of working within a Refuge or Domestic Abuse support service
• Experience of partnership working
• Experience of creative support planning and target setting
• Experience of support planning using “The Outcome Star”
• Experience of formulating risk assessments
• Experience of resettling individuals into independent accommodation
• Experience of formulating Risk Assessments and Safety Plans for DA clients.

KNOWLEDGE

• A working knowledge of providing support
• A working knowledge of Health & Safety issues
• A clear understanding of complex needs support issues such as mental health, homelessness, substance misuse and offending
• Knowledge of safeguarding protocols
• Understanding of how to deal with challenging and chaotic individuals

COMMUNICATION

• Excellent communication, engagement and interpersonal skills
• Excellent administration skills

EMPATHY and RESPECT

• YMCA ethos, philosophy and SHREK values, Strength, Humility, Respect, Empathy and Kindness
• Energetic, dynamic and self motivated

COMMITMENT

• Committed to improving the lives of people with complex needs
• Committed to own personal development and CPD planning

ORGANISATION

• Creative and dynamic approach with the ability to “think outside of the box” when providing solutions
• Energetic, highly motivated with a reputation of being held in high regard by peers
• Excellent interpersonal/ communication skills
• Excellent negotiation/ mediation skills
• Committed to own career development

COMPUTER LITERACY

• Computer literate, competent in working with Microsoft word, outlook, windows

What is a nice to have

• Experience of working within a psychologically informed environment (PIE)
• Experience of Trauma Informed Care and of working in a therapeutic environment
• Knowledge and understanding of Social Care involvement and the steps taken by Social workers to keep children safe, i.e. Child in need/Child protection and EHATS

Even if you don’t feel that you have all the relevant skills and “nice to haves” we would still like to hear from you and invite you to fill out our application form.

You Matter is an equal opportunities employer, values diversity and is strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.