Health and Social Care IDVA (Plymouth)

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 (pro rata)

Base: Primarily based across Brunswick House (Plymouth) and multiple Livewell sites throughout Plymouth

Area Covered: Across City of Plymouth

Contract: fixed term until September 30th 2027, with the potential for extension subject to future funding

About the Role:

The Health and Social Care Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) plays a vital role in delivering high-quality, trauma-informed support to individuals experiencing domestic abuse within Livewell settings. Working as part of an integrated response, the post holder receives referrals from Livewell teams following routine enquiry or disclosure and provides timely, person-centred interventions that prioritise safety, recovery, and long-term well-being. The role involves assessing risk, undertaking safety planning, and delivering tailored emotional and practical support to individuals with a wide range of needs, including those at the highest level of risk.

A key part of the role is to advocate on behalf of service users and work collaboratively with Livewell staff, community services, and partner agencies to ensure individuals can access the legal, housing, health, financial, and other support services to which they are entitled. The post holder will empower service users to better understand the dynamics and impact of domestic abuse, support informed decision-making, and help them regain choice, control, and independence.

The Health and Social Care IDVA also has an important responsibility in promoting greater awareness of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and the integrated service among Livewell practitioners and wider professionals, helping to strengthen identification, referral, and response pathways across services.

The role requires a highly motivated, adaptable, and resilient individual who can work independently, manage a complex caseload, respond calmly in crisis situations, handle sensitive information with professionalism, and maintain accurate and confidential case records in line with service requirements.

Key responsibilities:

• Deliver high-quality, trauma-informed support to individuals experiencing domestic abuse within Livewell settings.
• Complete person-centred individualised 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 well-being, legal, financial and any other additional support needs identified.
• Receive and respond promptly to referrals from clinicians following routine enquiry or other disclosures.
• Increase and facilitate referrals into perpetrator behaviour change programmes.
• Provide an enhanced service to those assessed as high risk, while ensuring all referrals receive an appropriate and timely response regardless of risk level.
• 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 the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children through local safeguarding procedures.
• Empower service users to understand the dynamics of domestic abuse in their own circumstances and support them to regain safety, choice, and control.
• 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 to do so.
• 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.
• To hold or have a commitment to complete certified IDVA training, or a relevant degree, or demonstrable equivalent experience, or vocational qualification.
• Experience supporting victims of domestic abuse, or working with vulnerable people.
• Good understanding of the impact of domestic abuse on victims and their children.
• Understanding 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.
• Understanding and commitment to equal opportunities and diversity issues in policy and practice.
• Experience of working in a hospital or similar environment is beneficial but not essential.

Added benefits:

• A comprehensive induction and training programme.
• A well-being day per financial year (1st April to 31st March).
• Access to external supervision to discuss personal or emotional responses to traumatic cases, to ensure emotional and psychological well-being.
• Health and well-being resources including our staff Well-being 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.
• Annual pay review and employer contribution pension scheme.

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, as well as the receipt of two satisfactory employment references, with one being from your current or most recent employer.

Please note that in some roles staff may be required to work from a home/office/community base in accordance with our Hybrid Working policy.

Deadline for receipt of applications: 09:00 on 28th September 2026

Expected date for interviews: Dates of Telephone interviews to be confirmed with candidates and if successful a face-to-face interview on a date to be confirmed, although we can be flexible on these dates for candidates as appropriate.

If you do not hear from us within 10 working days of the deadline for receipt of applications, please assume you have been unsuccessful at this time. We reserve the right to withdraw this advert early for the right candidate, so we encourage early applications.

To apply: Due to Safeguarding requirements we are unable to accept CVs as part of your application, or employ any candidate who has been a client of First Light within the last two years. Please complete the application form on the top right of the advert on our website. Ensure that you outline your relevant experience and evidence suitability for the role against the role profile, which is a combined job description and person specification.