Sanctuary Support Worker – LGBTQIA+

LLOYD'S REGISTER INTERNATIONAL; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Hybrid office

Well-being time

Pension scheme

Health plan

Professional development

Job summary

Behind Closed Doors (BCD) is recruiting a Sanctuary Support Worker for the Sanctuary Support Team (SST) in Leeds. The role supports LGBTQIA+ survivors within a multi‑organisational framework, assessing needs and coordinating safety planning with partner agencies and services.

The post requires LGBTQIA+ lived experience and commitment to anti-discriminatory practice, with flexible hours and a blend of office and field work within the LDVS framework.

Qualifications

• Experience of LGBTQIA+ needs and the impact of discrimination.
• Thorough understanding of LGBTQIA+ people’s lives and issues survivors may face.

Responsibilities

• Assess support needs for individuals and families allocated by SST Leader.
• Structure support within a safety and support plan.
• Ensure safeguarding standards are met and incidents logged.
• Work with external agencies to develop support networks.
• Review risk, needs and support planning regularly.
• Signpost to specialist agencies and solicitors to enable protection of service users.

Skills

LGBTQIA+ awareness

Safeguarding knowledge

Job description

Role Profile

Job Description

Job Title

Sanctuary Support Worker - LGBTQIA+ Specialist*

Salary

£28,171-£28,793* (Pro Rata based on 35 Hours)

Responsible to

Line Manager at Behind Closed Doors

Hours

21+Hours* (*21 hours available in SanctuarySupport project, potential to offer additionalhours with similar role in another LDVS team to make this a 35hr post - salary range represents difference in salary betweenroles. Please contact [e-mail] for further information )

Contract

Fixed Term Contract until March 2028 (with the potential to extend subject to funding)

Essential Requirements

There is an essential requirement that the post holder has experience of LGBTQIA+ needs and the impact of discrimination. Candidates should demonstrate a thorough understanding of LGBTQIA+ people’s lives, including awareness of the issues that LGBTQIA+ survivors might face.

Behind Closed Doors

Behind Closed Doors (BCD) has been tackling domestic abuse for 25 years. They provide support to everyone in Leeds who is affected by domestic abuse including male victim survivors, and they act to prevent it.

BCD offer a benefit package that includes: flexible working policy, hybrid office/home working, 2-hours well-being time each month, pension scheme, access to Health Cash Plan, 28 days holiday, external supervision, values-led organisation and continued professional development.

Sanctuary Support Team (SST)

Leeds Domestic Violence Service (LDVS) is commissioned by Leeds City Council as part of the New Burdens Funding to provide a team of Domestic Violence & Abuse (DV&A) Practitioners who will deliver structured support to individuals and families living in properties where sanctuary installation through the LHO managed Sanctuary Scheme has been applied for. This Sanctuary Support Team (SST) includes workers from a range of organisations and means that people with protected characteristics are able to access more specialist support. The team must consider the support needs of any children living in the property. Asylum seekers and other vulnerable migrants, who are not eligible for sanctuary installations, will also be supported in this project. BCD will specialise in working with individuals that identify as part of LGBTQIA+ communities.

Purpose of Job

The Sanctuary Support Worker will be part of a team of workers located in different organisations with different specialisms. The workers will assess need and risk and provide appropriate support to victim-survivors that have been allocated through the team leader. This post will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Physical Conditions

The Sanctuary Support Worker will be managed by the line manager at Behind Closed Doors and based within that host organisation. The post will be part of a team across a number of organisations and will be led by the Sanctuary Support Team Leader (SSTL) employed by Leeds Women’s Aid. Quality for the service will be managed by the SSTL.

Relationships

The Sanctuary Support Worker will be line managed by, and be responsible to, the Line Manager at BCD.

Main Duties

1. To assess support needs for individuals and families allocated by the Sanctuary Support Team Leader using risk and needs assessment procedures.
2. To structure support within a safety and support plan that will be driven by the service user as they identify their support needs.
3. To ensure Safeguarding standards are met and incidents logged and reported accurately.
4. To work closely with external agencies to develop support networks and meet the service user’s support needs where appropriate.
5. To review risk, needs and support planning on a regular basis.
6. To signpost service users to specialist agencies and solicitors to enable them to use the criminal and civil law to protect themselves and their children, as well as a wide range of other agencies as required.
7. To ensure important matters are communicated effectively and appropriately.
8. To maintain confidential records and monitoring systems.
9. To promote the Sanctuary Support Team (SST) within LGBTQIA+ communities.
10. To monitor work undertaken following agreed monitoring and evaluation guidelines and systems.
11. To attend regular SST Meetings.
12. To attend regular catch ups with the SST Team Leader.
13. To undertake any other duties as may be deemed consistent with the requirements of the post.
14. To be supervised, appraised and trained in line with the organisation’s policies, procedures and practices.
15. To undertake any other duties as directed by the Team Manager that may reasonably fall within the scope of the post.
16. To provide information about Behind Closed Doors as a whole and to people/agencies interested in the organisation’s work.
17. To implement Behind Closed Doors|s policies and practices and comply with the aims of the organisation at all times.
18. To be aware of and employ the general practices of Behind Closed Door's Safeguarding and Health and Safety policies and ensure these are adhered to at all times.
19. To ensure that Data Protection, Health & Safety, Complaints Handling and Corporate Governance requirements are met.
20. To ensure information is dealt with in accordance with Behind Closed Door's policies around internet, e-mail and telecommunications, and steps are taken to ensure that confidential information is secure e.g. service user data.
21. To be responsible for personal learning and development where appropriate and undertake learning and developments activities, both mandatory and optional, to increase knowledge, skills and awareness.

Person Specification

Experience

1. Working with and assessing the needs of vulnerable adults, children and young people.
2. Working with other voluntary and statutory services to co-coordinate the support for LGBTQIA+ service users.
3. Experience of undertaking structured support.
4. Experience of using risk assessment, safety planning and support planning tools.

Understanding

1. Domestic abuse and the impact on victims and their children.
2. Barriers faced by LGBTQIA+ communities and the prevalence of those barriers.
3. Sexual and honour-based violence, stalking and forced marriage.
4. The cultural and social context of DV&A and additional barriers and discrimination faced by oppressed groups experiencing and surviving DV&A.
5. The roles and responsibilities of statutory organisations in relation to vulnerable people.
6. Multi-agency partnerships and the issues of information sharing in domestic violence cases.
7. Child protection and safeguarding adults in relation to vulnerable people, children and young people.
8. Equality issues specifically in relation to marginalised groups and an understanding of intersectionality.

Skills

1. Ability to form good relationships with service users whilst working within professional boundaries.
2. Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
3. Ability to use IT to produce reports and monitor projects.
4. Ability to network with external organisations to raise awareness of the service within LGBTQIA+ communities.

Personal Qualities & Competencies

1. Act with integrity and respect when interacting with service users, employees, agencies and individuals.
2. Commitment to diversity and working in an anti-discriminatory way.
3. Commitment to upholding LDVS’s & Host Organisations policies and procedures.
4. LGBTQIA+ lived experience.