IDVA

Solace Women's Aid; Ilford; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Focus on learning and development

Generous holiday entitlement

Employer pension contribution

Family‑friendly leave and enhanced MPP

Cycle to Work Scheme

Two paid wellbeing days

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Solace Women’s Aid invites applications for an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) to assess risk, develop safety plans, and advocate for survivors of domestic violence. You will manage a caseload, provide crisis support, and coordinate onward referrals as appropriate.

We seek an organised, motivated candidate with strong knowledge of domestic abuse and a commitment to feminist principles. Travel between sites may be required to meet needs of service users.

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of domestic abuse and its impact on service users and children.
• Experience supporting survivors of domestic and/or sexual abuse with strong casework management.
• Highly organised, self-motivated with a commitment to Solace’s feminist stance.

Responsibilities

• Risk and needs assessing and safety planning with survivors.
• Hold a caseload and provide crisis short-term intervention, advice, advocacy, and onward referral.
• Travel between sites as required to meet service user needs.

Skills

Organisational skills

Self-motivation

Can-do attitude

Domestic abuse knowledge

Casework management

Job description

Are you looking for a rewarding role within an intersectional feminist organisation? We have an incredible opportunity for an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) to join Solace Women’s Aid.

Solace exists to end the harm done through gender-based violence. We work to prevent violence and abuse and provide services to meet the individual needs of survivors, particularly women and children.

Our core values reflect our history and were developed in consultation with staff and service users. Feminism and intersectionality are key to our work, and we are committed to the principles of being survivor-led, trauma-informed, empowering, diverse, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory.

About The Service

Our Redbridge Solace Advocacy Support Service (SASS) teams provide advocacy and support to survivors of domestic and sexual abuse living across London.

About The Role

IDVA’s are responsible for risk and needs assessing and safety planning with survivors of domestic violence. They will hold a caseload of service users, requiring crisis short-term intervention, providing advice, advocacy, and onward referral where appropriate.

About You

You are highly organised, self‑motivated and have a passion for ending gender‑based violence. Your will have a “can‑do‟ approach as well as a demonstrable commitment to Solace’s feminist stance in supporting women and their children to be safer. Successful applicants will have in‑depth knowledge of domestic abuse and its impact on service users and their children, experience of supporting survivor’s domestic and/or sexual abuse including strong casework management skills.

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to work a minimum of two days per week from the office or other designated workspaces. Flexibility is essential, as travel may be required at short notice to ensure service user needs are met and the service continues to operate effectively. Accordingly, the postholder must be able to travel between Monday and Friday.

The salary for this post is £29,385 - £30,671 (Unqualified) or £30,671 - £33,438 (Qualified), with an expectation that the successful candidate starts at the entry point of the scale.

This is a fixed term contract ending October 2027.

What We Can Offer You

We provide a comprehensive benefits package to all our employees, including:

• Flexible working


• Focus on learning and development (internal career progression and training)


• Generous holiday entitlement


• Employer pension contribution


• Family‑friendly leave and enhanced maternity pay


• Access to Inclusion Networks


• Daily clinical debriefing


• Two paid wellbeing days


• Employee Assistance Programme providing free 24/7 support and advice


• Employee Benefits Platform offering staff discounts, benefits, and savings


• Flow & Restore yoga classes


• Meditation sessions


• Cycle to Work Scheme

Solace Women’s Aid values diversity, promotes equity, and challenges discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, abilities, perspectives, and lived experiences.

We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay, and benefits. Our Inclusion Networks support staff with protected characteristics and offer inclusive spaces to connect.

We anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as needed and support employees who acquire a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work.

This service is run by women for women and is therefore restricted to female applicants under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1. Section 7(2)(e) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 applies. The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

As part of safer recruitment practices, we carry out pre‑employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and right to work in the UK checks.