IDVA Practitioner

TipTopJob; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 29,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

North Devon Against Domestic Abuse in Exeter is seeking an IDVA to provide proactive support to victims of domestic abuse, assess risk, and coordinate multi-agency responses. The role sits in the Family Assessment and Intervention Team, with travel to different localities and a mix of office and home working.

You will work to empower victims and coordinate services across Devon, with a focus on keeping families safe and supporting engagement with the DA Prevention Programme where appropriate.

Qualifications

• At least two years experience as IDVA/YPVA/ISVA or similar client work.
• A good standard of education.
• Knowledge of safeguarding.
• Excellent active listening and ability to understand others' needs.
• Knowledge of mental health issues and trauma-informed working.

Responsibilities

• Be a key person in the Intervention and assessment teams within Devon Children’s Services.
• Highlight the impact of Domestic Abuse on the family and child safety.
• Assess risk and coordinate multi-agency responses to keep people safe.
• Support families across localities with some home working and travel as needed.
• Attend and contribute to MARAC meetings and safety planning.

Skills

Active listening

Safeguarding

Mental health awareness

Trauma-informed working

Education

Degree level qualification or equivalent experience

Job description

Location: Exeter (Hybrid, The main office base can be Exeter or Barnstaple with some Home:based working)

Salary : A GBP 28,666 : A GBP 31,029 rate will depend on IDVA qualifications and length of service

Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time(37 hours per week)

North Devon Against Domestic Abuse is committed to equity and diversity and strongly encourages applicants with a disability, from ethnically diverse backgrounds and the LGBT community, as these groups are currently under:represented in our organisation.

You will be part of a team of five IDVAs working within Childrens Services and the Front Door for NDADA as part of the Devon Domestic Abuse Alliance, ensuring effective access to services for victims of domestic abuse across Devon County. This role involves multi:agency working and service flexibility to encourage engagement with the service.

The role of an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) involves providing a proactive service and advice to victims of domestic violence to keep them and their children safe. The IDVA assesses the risk a client is in and delivers a service appropriate to the level of risk. They will work with a multi:agency approach to ensure all agencies do their part and coordinate their work to keep people safe.

This IDVA post will sit within the Family Assessment and Intervention Team. You will be required to support families across the localities, depending on the highest need. Some home working will be possible but at least one day a week will be required in County Hall, Exeter or one of the other localities (North Devon and South Devon) as per your preference, plus one day each week travelling to visit the other localities in rotation.

Main Duties

• Be a key person within the support planning and decision:making of the Intervention and assessment teams in Devon Childrens Services.
• Highlight the impact of Domestic Abuse within the family and how this may pose a risk to the child.
• Challenge narratives around abused parents failure to protect and reframe as why dont they stop abusing, helping to foster empathy to the victim and taking a focused approach to support and empower the parent/victim.
• Link families who want to change into the DA Prevention Programme when those that harm are wanting to change their behaviour.
• Risk assessing and regularly reviewing the risk assessment, delivering service in keeping with the result.
• Explaining housing, financial, civil, and criminal legal options to clients and empowering them to make their own choices.
• Attending and presenting reports at multi:agency risk assessment conferences (MARAC) meetings.
• Undertaking safety planning with clients (both crisis and long:term) and developing individual care plans to meet their identified risks and needs.
• Supporting clients through the criminal and civil justice systems, explaining procedures and their role and rights within that system.
• Supporting those who wish to stay in their homes with security advice and where appropriate, devices.

Please note, this is a brief list of the jobs responsibilities. Duties may change over time without altering their general nature or responsibility level. Such changes dont warrant a re:evaluation of the posts grading.

Essential

Knowledge and Qualifications

• At least two years experience working as an IDVA/YPVA or ISVA or in role that would support this type of client work
• A good standard of education
• Knowledge of safeguarding
• Excellent understanding of active listening and the ability to understand the needs of others.
• Knowledge and understanding of mental health issues
• Trauma informed working training

Desirable

• IDVA/ISVA/YPVA Qualification
• Degree level qualification or equivalent experience (5+ years)
• Level 2+ Safeguarding training
• Level 2+ counselling qualification or therapy qualification.
• Mental Health First Aid training
• Trauma stabilisation training or