Independent Domestic Violence Advisor [IDVA]
Salary: £25,954 per annum rising to £26,364 per annum on successful completion of probation and £28,002 per annum after accreditation.
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Holiday: 25 days annual holiday entitlement increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service per annum plus bank holidays
Base: Brunswick House, Plymouth and around Plymouth
Area Covered: Community and outreach delivery across Plymouth
About the role
The Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) role will deliver a proactive, person‑centred and trauma‑informed support service to adults experiencing high‑risk domestic abuse in all its forms. The role focuses on keeping victims and their families safe through support intervention, comprehensive safety planning, and coordinated multi‑agency responses.
The post holder will provide a premium service to those assessed as being at the highest risk, working assertively and flexibly to engage clients, including completing face‑to‑face outreach in community settings and their homes where required. Clients may present with complex and multiple needs, including substance misuse, mental and physical health issues, learning needs, criminal justice involvement, and other vulnerabilities.
The IDVA will work proactively within multi‑agency forums, including MARAC, to assess risk, share information, and develop robust safety and support plans. Strong advocacy and partnership‑working skills are essential to ensure victims are supported to access statutory and voluntary services appropriate to their risks and needs.
The role requires a highly motivated and adaptable individual who can work unsupervised on a day‑to‑day basis, effectively prioritising and managing a complex caseload while maintaining a strong focus on victim safety, empowerment, and recovery.
Key responsibilities
* Provide a proactive service to those experiencing high‑risk domestic abuse to keep them and their families safe, including access to support for the abusive person.
* Complete person‑centred, individualized risk assessments and support plans to reduce risk and identify individual needs. Deliver appropriate support in keeping with the results.
* Provide advocacy, emotional, practical support and information to victims to address identified risks and needs including safety planning, housing and security, online safety, separation and post‑separation, children, health and wellbeing, legal, financial and any other additional support needs identified.
* Deliver support in the community, offering essential face‑to‑face support in the environment that best suits the client.
* Manage, support and prioritise daily referrals received, ensuring timescales are met with first contact.
* Participate in the MARAC framework, referring high‑risk victims to MARAC, attending and participating in MARAC meetings, following up on actions agreed in MARAC, and receiving referrals directly from MARAC.
* Ensure, through liaison with both the client and partner agencies, that clients receive the support they require and to which they are entitled.
* Understand and actively use the legal framework relating to safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children through local safeguarding procedures.
* Support clients through the Criminal Justice System, explaining procedures, roles and rights within it.
* Assist the client in developing their own support networks.
* Act as a single point of contact for the client to address risk and need where necessary.
* Signpost clients to the most appropriate agency to meet their needs.
* Effectively manage a caseload.
* Ensure accurate and timely management of all electronic case‑management records within the Halo database.
* Follow procedures and protocols with other services so that the safety of the victim is kept central to any process.
* Keep other relevant agencies informed about important changes in the victim’s situation.
* Take a proactive approach regarding professional development and requirements of the role.
* Work flexibly including out of hours as and when required.
* Represent the charity and service appropriately with a broad range of organisations and individuals.
* Undertake any duties as may be required from time to time commensurate with the grade of the post.
Essential requirements
* Literacy skills and experience working with databases.
* Hold a SafeLives IDVA training certificate, or a relevant degree, or demonstrable equivalent experience, or a vocational qualification.
* Supporting victims of domestic abuse, or working with vulnerable people.
* Good understanding of the impact of domestic abuse on victims and their children.
* Understanding of safeguarding issues (children and vulnerable adults) and the legal responsibilities surrounding these issues.
* Understanding the principles of risk assessment, safety planning and risk management for victims of domestic abuse and their children.
* Excellent communication, negotiation and advisory skills, both written and verbal, when interacting with a range of agencies and individuals.
* Handling confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
* Commitment to equal opportunities and diversity issues in policy and practice.
Added benefits
* A comprehensive induction and training programme, with a hybrid working policy for a better work/life balance.
* A wellbeing day per financial year (1 st April to 31 st March).
* Access to external supervision to discuss personal or emotional responses to traumatic cases, ensuring emotional and psychological wellbeing.
* Health and wellbeing resources including our staff Wellbeing Group, Staff Consultation Committee and active participation in our employee engagement platform.
* Access to an Employee Assistance Programme which includes a 24/7 telephone helpline offering medical, emotional and financial support.
* Working for an organisation committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. We encourage applications from all sections of the community, and all backgrounds regardless of age, race, faith, disability, neurodiversities, genders, gender expression or sexuality.
* First Light is a Disability Confident Committed Employer.
* Annual pay review and employer contribution pension scheme.
Additional information
The successful applicant will be subject to a Disclosure & Barring check and a social media check conducted by a third‑party organisation as part of our Safer Recruitment process. Any future offer of employment is contingent on the satisfactory completion of these checks and the receipt of two satisfactory employment references, one from your current or most recent employer. In some roles, staff may be required to work from a home/office base in accordance with our Hybrid Working policy.
Contact
To apply, please use the application form on our website or recruitment@firstlight.org.uk.
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