DA Refuge Practitioner - Leicestershire covering Loughborough
Location: Loughborough, Leicestershire
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Part-time, 18.5 hours per week
Shift Pattern: Monday to Wednesday or Wednesday to Friday
Salary: £12,602 per annum
About the Role
A specialist women's refuge service is seeking DA Refuge Practitioners to provide compassionate, culturally sensitive support to BAME women and their children who are experiencing domestic abuse, forced marriage, honour-based violence, or other forms of harm.
You will play a key role in ensuring residents receive safe accommodation, high-quality support, and help to rebuild safety, independence and wellbeing. This role involves working collaboratively with the refuge team to deliver a safe, supportive environment and culturally appropriate services.
This is a frontline role that requires emotional resilience, excellent communication, and an ability to work confidently with complex needs.
Key Responsibilities
1. Refuge Service Delivery
Receive referrals, complete admissions, and carry out needs and risk assessments for new residents.
Provide warm, culturally sensitive welcomes, ensuring women and children feel safe and supported.
Support residents in understanding refuge rules, safeguarding procedures, and their rights.
Deliver 1:1 practical and emotional support, including safety planning, wellbeing support, crisis intervention, and ongoing case management.
Assist with accessing essential services such as health, education, legal, housing, benefits and immigration advice.
Provide advocacy and accompany residents to appointments (e.g., solicitors, court, housing, GPs).
Support residents to develop independence, life skills, and confidence.2. Cultural & Language Support
Provide culturally appropriate support, recognising the impact of patriarchy, racism, colonisation, multi-perpetrator risk and community pressures.
Offer interpretation or translation where necessary.
Support women from BAME communities with complex immigration or NRPF situations.3. Support Planning & Monitoring
Develop, review and implement Support Plans tailored to each resident's needs.
Record and monitor emotional, physical, and psychological progress.4. Refuge Operations
Assist with the day-to-day running of the refuge, ensuring it remains safe, clean and well maintained.
Facilitate housing meetings, cleaning rotas, and community-building activities.5. On-Call / Out-of-Hours Support
Participate in the out-of-hours rota, including evening or night duties.
Respond to calls from residents and helplines, and attend site where necessary to handle emergencies.
Admit new referrals during out-of-hours periods when required.6. Safeguarding & Early Intervention
Promote the wellbeing of children and young people, ensuring early intervention needs are identified.7. Administration & Record-Keeping
Maintain accurate case notes, referral logs, risk assessments and support plans (electronic and paper).
Keep monitoring data and statistical information up to date.8. Health, Safety & Security
Adhere to all Health & Safety and security procedures.9. Teamwork & Professional Contribution
Attend staff meetings, team briefings, supervision and training sessions.Person Specification
Essential
Experience working with BAME women and communities affected by domestic abuse, forced marriage, HBV or similar issues.
Experience in a social care, support work or safeguarding environment (minimum 2-3 years).
Ability to speak at least one BAME language (e.g., Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Pushtu, Somali, or other relevant languages).
Strong communication (verbal, written), listening and interpersonal skills.
Ability to deliver emotional and practical support, including advocacy.
Ability to work under pressure and make confident decisions in emergencies.
Strong organisational and IT skills (case recording, data entry, reporting).
Ability to work flexible hours including on-call or night duties.
Commitment to equality, diversity, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practice.
Empathy, approachability and resilience.
Enhanced DBS (required).Desirable
First Aid qualification.
Experience in the voluntary sector.
Experience delivering training or community awareness sessions.
Knowledge of BAME cultural needs affecting domestic abuse survivors.
Experience supporting individuals with complex needs (mental health, substance misuse, NRPF).
Driving licence with access to a vehicle