Military Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA)

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 teamwork within a multiagency system to provide a proactive, person-centered independent service for victims of domestic abuse, empowering choice through informed decision making. A good understanding of domestic abuse and extensive knowledge of the Military is essential for this role.

Key elements of the role include:

• Managing a caseload of high-risk victims and working proactively to support them and their families.
• Risk assessing and helping to keep service users safe through safety planning.
• Enabling victims to access statutory and other services.
• Engaging with and supporting the MARAC process, to ensure that the voice of victims is heard.
• Chairing the Military Domestic Abuse Multi-agency forum.

As the Military IDVA you will specialise in the unique needs of victims who have a military link. Additional knowledge and responsibilities include:

• Supporting high risk victims who have a link to the military services.
• Supporting complex cases and understanding their additional needs.
• Knowledge and understanding of the Military.
• Having additional knowledge of relevant complimentary services.
• Supporting and advocating for service users to access other relevant services for their needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide a high-quality service to those 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.
• 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 assessment.
• Work with high-risk service users to help them access services, to keep them 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.
• Work directly with all key agency partners to address the safety of high-risk service users and ensure that their 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.
• Support service users to maintain existing accommodation and advocate on their behalf, in order to access accommodation and additional support.
• Develop and maintain working relationships with specialist agencies, both statutory and voluntary, to support those with multiple support needs.
• 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, LGBT 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.
• Work alongside colleagues to deliver a whole family approach.
• Be proactive with your line manager to carry out periodic case reviews.
• 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.
• Help maintain accurate and confidential case management records and contribute to monitoring information for the service.

General

• Remain up to date and concordant with organisational procedures, policies and professional code of conduct, upholding standards of best practice.
• Attend and contribute to team meetings.
• Contribute to effective team working with a flexible and pro-active approach, including cover for other team members’ holidays and sickness where required.
• Undertake agreed training and keep updated on changes in legislation, policy, and best practice.
• Support additional duties at your team manager's discretion.

Hours: 22.5 - 37 hours per week; part time or full time roles available.