DRIVE Case Manager (Domestic Abuse)

Responsible to: Service Manager

Purpose: The Case Manager will strive to make contact and work on a one to one basis with perpetrators whose victims have been identified as high risk at MARAC to pro-actively secure engagement, influence attitudinal and behavioural change and link to complementary services. To do this, the Case Manager will work with existing agencies in each pilot site to design a co-ordinated, strategic individual intervention plan to address identified needs and risks and promote understanding of the impact of abusive behaviours. Throughout the intervention, the Case Manager will work closely with the IDVA service to review risk, develop safety plans and improve outcomes for all parties involved. The Case Manager will be responsible over the long term for delivering outcomes, to achieve behaviour change with each service user.

Responsibilities

• Interagency work:
• Work to embed the Case Manager role into multi-agency responses to domestic abuse in the area.
• Effective understanding and implementation of institutional advocacy by pro-socially challenging partner agencies, acknowledging best practice and striving for change to benefit the individual, the service and the sector.
• Support other professionals in responding to service users in a way that is coterminous with the aims and ethos of the Drive Project.
• Work closely with other professionals to ensure that risk management and safeguarding duties are effectively met.
• Develop and maintain effective partnership working with statutory, private and voluntary agencies to address the issue of domestic abuse.
• Represent the service at operational multi-agency meetings, feeding back initiatives and outcomes to the team and contribute to the evaluation of the quality of activities these services offer.
• Provide a single point of proactive and regular contact for a range of professionals involved in the case of the service user.
• Be flexible and willing to work in all types of environments.
• Case management:
• Comply with child protection and information sharing policies, ensuring that service users and colleagues understand and comply with the service’s safeguarding framework.
• Manage a case load focusing on high risk perpetrators of domestic abuse to provide an assertive, medium to long term service, based on thorough assessment and individual support planning that adopts the principles of both ‘Support (change) or/and Disrupt (continued offending) concept.
• Contribute to regular service reviews which include monitoring data, evaluations, intake and output policy, and practice and work load reviews for the whole service.
• Attend monthly case management meeting with the Service Manager.
• Attend clinical supervision.
• Take appropriate steps to protect where there is an imminent risk to another person.
• Recording and administration:
• Ensure that case files and records are accurate and complete, and are kept in compliance with Data Protection Act requirements.
• Enter all the required information into the Drive project electronic case management system to enable tracking of service user change, multi-agency working and risk management.
• Weekly maintenance and accurate and secure audit trail of all relevant communication.
• Comply with the data protection and information sharing protocols that Drive has agreed to.
• Direct work with service users:
• Maintain a proactive response to service users, continuously providing positive options for behaviour change throughout the service users time in the Drive project.
• Use a combination of motivational work, relationship building and a broad range of therapeutic skills to engage service users in addressing their abusive behaviour.
• Motivate and support service users to address the broad range of needs that may contribute to the risk that they pose to others or act as barriers for them in addressing that risk, e.g. housing, substance use etc.
• Ensure that service users understand that the community and Drive project will ensure that they are accountable for continued use of abuse and abusive behaviour towards others.
• Ensure that there is a consistent delivery of services to the identified perpetrators of domestic abuse, including comprehensive risk assessment, support planning, referrals to other agencies and MARACs.
• Develop strategies that will disrupt the continued risk posed by service users.
• Undertake assessment of risk, needs and attitudes to inform the individual service user’s intervention plan.
• Ensure that risk assessment and risk management procedures are followed at all times.
• Respect and value the diversity of the community in which the service works, providing a service that recognises the diverse needs of service users and their families.
• Work closely with the IDVAs supporting the partners, ex-partners and new partners, and family members of service users in managing risk and developing intervention plans, as set out in the Drive Manual.
• The welfare and safety of children and young people is paramount, considered in every aspect of your work, addressing parenting needs where appropriate and taking action to safeguard children.
• General:
• Remain up-to-date and compliant with all relevant legislation connected to your work, including organisational procedures, policies and professional codes of conduct and practice guidance, in order to uphold standards of best practice.
• Represent the service at local events; deliver training and presentations as required.
• Feed into the learning process via the Service to improve services to perpetrators of domestic abuse ensuring that the experiences of service users and other agencies inform this process.
• Be confident to evidence reflective practice in all aspects of work, sharing learning.
• Be committed to reviewing individual and team practice and undertake regular training.
• Act with integrity and respect when interacting with service users, employees, agencies and individuals.
• Competent in defensible decision making, recording and being held accountable.
• Show initiative in tackling issues within the service and in relation to other agencies.
• Act as a champion for the implementation of the pilot programme in your area.
• Hold a full driving license, have access to a car and be able to travel across the pilot area as required.
• Partake in evening and weekend work as required.

Person specification

• Essential experience:
• Direct work with vulnerable service users.
• Working within a public protection/safeguarding multi-agency setting, e.g. Child protection, vulnerable adults, MARAC, MAPPA.
• Managing safeguarding issues and procedures.
• Writing and presenting information formally and informally, to a range of audiences.
• Working within legislative frameworks and using this application to develop, influence and encourage partnership working.
• Working within conflict management continuum.
• Evidence of keeping reliable and timely reporting and meeting deadlines.
• Desirable experience:
• Work with victims and/or perpetrators of domestic abuse.
• Work with service users with complex needs and/or challenging behaviour.
• Working with service users with diagnosed mental health issues.
• Working with service users with substance misuse.
• Work with young people aged 16-25 years.
• Using pro-social modelling and motivational interviewing in practice.
• Knowledge and understanding:
• Have an excellent understanding of domestic abuse, including the impact on victims and their children, and the legal and practical remedies available.
• An understanding of public protection arrangements, the provision of policing, child protection, health and social care, housing support and of multi-agency/partnership working.
• Have a good knowledge of effective ways of working/engaging with perpetrators of domestic abuse.
• Have a thorough understanding of IDVA work including risk assessment, risk management and comprehensive safety planning.
• Have theoretical and procedural knowledge of other services involved in the response to domestic abuse.
• Understand multi-agency partnerships in relation to domestic abuse.
• An understanding of the MARAC process at an operational level.
• Understanding of the child protection system.
• Skills:
• Ability and willingness to work independently and as part of a team.
• Good relationship management with regard to multi-agency work that incorporates sensitivity, responsiveness and attention to the promotion of congruent and effective partnership working.
• IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office.
• Hold a relevant degree, a vocational qualification or equivalent experience.
• Support and guide your service users, and have excellent advisory, negotiation skills whilst also having the initiative to work independently as necessary.
• Excellent communication skills (both written and oral).
• Belief in perpetrator behaviour change.
• A comprehensive understanding of risk.
• Range of experience in the domestic abuse sector.
• Capacity to manage raw emotions including conflict, challenge and trauma.
• Proactive and self-motivated.