Children and Adults IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Advisor)

FearFree delivers services across the Southwest for victims, children and perpetrators of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking with the aim to break the cycle of abuse and support all to live free from fear. We provide trauma responsive support, and this post will be fundamental to ensuring service users, stakeholders and partners experience this in our daily delivery.

Based within the Wiltshire Domestic Abuse Service, the IDVA team work within a multi-agency system to provide a trauma responsive, person centered independent service for victims of domestic abuse, empowering choice through informed decision making. You will hold a case load of high-risk victims, working proactively to support them and their families.

FearFree is committed to flexible and hybrid working and this role will be a mix of home based and office based, alongside requiring travel for multi-agency meetings and other deliverables. This role will be on a fixed term contract to provide maternity cover until the end of December 2026.

• Provide a high-quality service to those aged 13-25 at the highest risk.
• Provide practical and emotional support to service users, working jointly with them to carry out, implement and review needs assessments and support plans.
• Work closely with the children’s teams across Fearfree.
• Understand and work effectively within a multi-agency framework, consisting of the MARAC and local partnership responses to domestic abuse, in order to reduce the risk for service users and their families.
• Identify and assess the risks and needs of service users using an evidence-based risk identification checklist.
• Work with high-risk service users to help them access services, to keep them and their children safe.
• Advocate for high-risk service users with agencies who can help to address the domestic abuse.
• Understand the role of all relevant statutory and non-statutory services available to service users and how your role fits into them.
• Provide information to service users in relation to legal options, housing, health and finance.
• Develop and maintain working relationships with all key agency partners to address the safety of high risk service users ensuring their needs are met and safety plans are coordinated particularly through the MARAC.
• Manage a case load ensuring each person receives the appropriate support, tailored to their needs.
• Support the empowerment of the service user – assisting people to recognise the features and dynamics of domestic abuse present in their situation, and help them regain control of their lives.
• Work within an understanding of child development and in ways which will be accessible and inclusive of children’s individuals needs.
• Support service users to maintain existing accommodation and to advocate on their behalf, in order to access accommodation and additional support.
• Recognise, respect and address the needs of service users who face barriers when seeking help to access the service, including those from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ communities, disabled people, those with complex needs and other groups which services have found difficult to reach.
• Provide practical and emotional support in relation to criminal and civil remedies, housing, health, education, employment, welfare benefits, counselling, legal aid and children’s support.
• Accompany service users, when needed, to other relevant agencies and support them in their interactions with these agencies.
• Respect and value the diversity of the community in which the services work in, and recognise the needs and concerns of a diverse range of survivors ensuring the service is accessible to all.