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Job Opportunity
LGBTQ+ IDVA
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KEY INFORMATION
Special Terms:
Full-Time – 35 Hours per week
Fixed-term until April 2026
Hybrid working (ideally one day in our office in Manchester)
Salary:
£ 29,210 (pro rata) + 10% pension
Accountable to:
Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence Programme Manager
About The Role
LGBT Foundation is an impactful, vibrant charity with a wide portfolio of well-established services and rapidly developing new initiatives aimed at meeting the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people. We are looking for an LGBT+ Independent Domestic Violence Advisor for Manchester to join our domestic abuse and sexual violence team. Our domestic abuse programme initially started in 2017, has continued to grow, and we now have services across Greater Manchester and Liverpool.
Our domestic abuse team currently offer a high level of support to victims and survivors of domestic abuse. The support on offer is not only for those currently experiencing domestic abuse but also for those who have previously experienced this. The current support offer includes the provision of a holistic assessment, safety and support planning, 1:1 casework sessions, housing advice, and housing support. We are now looking for a specialist LGBT+ Independent Domestic Violence Advisor to support high risk victims and survivors of abuse. This role includes the responsibilities below:
* Delivering first response provision and high-quality assessments to those experiencing Domestic Abuse: Contacting new referrals, completing DASH RICS and other assessments including risk assessments, safety planning and support planning, signposting and making referrals where appropriate. Delivering check-in calls to those on our waiting list: Maintaining regular contact with service users waiting to access our services, ensuring risk and need are reviewed, and providing signposting and follow-up where required.
* Work within multi agency partnership structures and within multi agency settings which will include participation with MARACS: Working with partners such as GMP, various local councils and other voluntary sector organisations across a wide Greater Manchester area.
* Delivering group support and drop-ins as required: Provide core support to service users at low or standard risk, identifying core needs of those accessing and providing drop-in spaces for information, advice, and emotional support.
* Keeping detailed notes and records of all interactions: Ensuring all notes associated with contacts with, for, or on behalf of service users are logged in line with internal guidance and in a timely manner.
We are taking positive action to encourage applications from people of colour (PoC) and other racially minoritised communities, trans*, non-binary, and/or older people (aged 50+), to improve the representation of colleagues from these communities in our staff team.
* Trans is an umbrella & inclusive term used to describe people whose gender identity differs in some way from that which they were assigned at birth; including non-binary people, cross-dressers, and those who partially or incompletely identify with their sex assigned at birth.
Role Accountabilities
Provide advice and guidance for safeguarding issues which are raised internally and externally from the domestic abuse team, as well as remaining up to date on best practice.
* Hold up to date knowledge of safeguarding processes, including how to make referrals and conducting risk assessments when required.
* Be a designated safeguarding officer for LGBT Foundation, providing advice to staff members in the services team who are dealing with disclosures.
* Remain up-to-date and compliant with all organizational procedures policies and professional codes of conduct and uphold standards of best practice.
* Remain up-to-date with DVA and LGBT practice and legislation to ensure an informed and effective service.
Provide a high level of support and advocacy to a caseload of individuals who are current experiencing domestic abuse, keeping their safety paramount throughout their journey within our services.
* Identify and assess the risks and needs of LGBT people experiencing domestic abuse using an evidence-based risk identification checklist.
* Focus on and prioritize high risk cases and provide a pro-active, short to medium term crisis intervention service through individual safety planning and personalized support.
* Work with high risk victims of domestic abuse to help them access services to keep them safe.
* Advocate for high, medium and standard risk victims with agencies who can help to address the domestic abuse by:
* Understanding the role of all relevant statutory and non-statutory services available to domestic abuse victims and how your role fits into them.
* Providing advocacy, emotional and practical support and information to victims including in relation to legal options, housing, health and finance.
* Working directly with all key agency partners to address the safety of high-risk victims and ensuring that their safety plans are coordinated particularly through the MARAC.
* Manage a caseload ensuring each client receives the appropriate service individual to their needs.
* Support the empowerment of the client and assist them in recognizing the features and dynamics of domestic abuse present in their situation and help them regain control of their lives.
Work in a multi-agency/ multi-disciplinary way, both internally and externally, to share information on a need-to-know basis, build referral pathways, create a structured offer of support, and manage risk effectively;
* Involvement within multi-agency partnership structures and work within a multi-agency setting which will include participation at the MARAC and working closely with LGBT Foundation. Contributing to interventions and help design a plan to protect victims and any children, while maintaining an independent role on behalf of your client, keeping their safety central to any response.
* Work with LGBT Foundation's Services Team to identify and establish clear referral pathways to and from their range of support services; support them to generate new referrals and provide information and guidance to increase the identification of abuse in existing services.
* Be proactive with the Manager in carrying out periodic case reviews based on a review of risk and abuse which:
* Feeds back into action planning to further progress, signpost or close cases and;
* Provides feedback to your clients/agencies.
* Support colleagues and partner agencies, through awareness raising, institutional advocacy and training delivery, to provide the best possible service for LGBT victims of domestic abuse. This will include workshops, awareness sessions and briefings.
* Respect and value the diversity of the community in which the services operate in and recognize the needs and concerns of a diverse range of survivors ensuring the service is accessible to all.
* Work to develop referral pathways into the service both for self-referral and service to service referrals.
* Work to attend outreach opportunities, sharing information about the domestic abuse offer and other programmes of LGBT Foundation.
* Creating and maintain relationships with local providers.
* Working to develop new referral pathways with local providers, ensuring that LGBTQ+ clients are offered choice in their provider.
* Supporting local providers to implement sexual orientation and trans status monitoring to support he collection of data and helping them to identify clients who can access the service.
* Attending local partner meetings and meeting with commissioners as and when required.
Manage client data, keep up to date and timely support records, and creation of up to date reports both on clients and the service for internal and external purposes;
* Collecting data on all service delivery, including assessments, multi-agency meetings, 1:1 support and housing.
* Maintaining accurate and timely records relating to risk management and client progress.
* Support in monitoring the performance of the service, identifying delivery issues and finding creative solutions.
* Providing information for reports on a quarterly basis.
* Providing in depth data and case studies to support the domestic abuse manager in completing an annual report.
* Comply with data protection legislation, confidentiality and information sharing policy and procedures and all legislation connected to your work.
* Completing intake assessments for clients wishing to access services outside the DASV team.
* Working in line with safeguarding policies and procedures.
* Making regular contact with safeguarding officers where new disclosures have been made, or risk has increased.
* Completion of safeguarding incident and issues forms following dealing with disclosures.
* Working holistically with other delivery directorate members to ensure support for service users is planned and effective.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROLE PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE ROLE PROFILE AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE
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