Survivor Services Practitioner

Survivor Services Practitioner

Location:

Remote (UK based) / Bristol / London

Salary: £29,450 per year (plus Inner London Weighting of £3,483.94, if eligible)

Length of contract: 1-year fixed-term

Hours per week:
Full-time - 37

Closing date:
We reserve the right to adapt the advert at any time per organisational circumstances and to close this vacancy early for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Interviews:
Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis  

Who are Women’s Aid?  

Women’s Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. We are a federation of just under 180 organisations which provide over 300 local lifesaving services to women and children across England. For 50 years we have campaigned on behalf of our members and survivors to shape policy and practice, and to raise awareness of domestic abuse.

Our support services, which include the Survivors’ Forum, the No Woman Turned Away Project, the Survivor’s Handbook, Love Respect (our dedicated website for young people), the national Women’s Aid Directory and our advocacy projects, help thousands of women and children every year.

Purpose of the Survivor Services Practitioner role:

Women's Aid is seeking a full-time practitioner to further strengthen its Survivor Services team. The post holder will work flexibly across our projects including the Survivors’ Forum, the Dedicated Service for Professionals, and No Woman Turned Away. All our services support women who are experiencing domestic abuse and the role involves upskilling other professionals who are working with survivors in the community.

Many of the women we support are facing the greatest barriers to safety and the role will involve including supporting survivors with mental health needs, no recourse to public funds, language and cultural barriers or disabilities.

The post holder will work directly with survivors, so will need demonstrable experience in working with survivors of domestic abuse. Due to the online nature of the Survivors’ Forum, the post holder should also be competent in using digital platforms.

Key duties and responsibilities of the Survivor Services Practitioner:

Respond to service need and work flexibly across multiple projects according to a rota

Support a caseload of women requiring support, including to access refuge or safe accommodation. Assist in the placement of difficult to place and complex referrals, monitoring the barriers and the roles placed by different agencies

Liaise with local statutory and voluntary agencies to identify and overcome barriers to accessing refuge provision

Respond to requests for support from professionals working with survivors of domestic abuse

Moderate posts and responses made on the Survivors’ Forum, as well as vetting new user signups and responding to queries (some weekend working required)

Monitor our Survivor Services email inboxes and respond to enquiries, and offer ad-hoc advice and signposting

Record accurate and timely case notes using Women’s Aid On Track system (Oasis)

Work collaboratively with the Research and Evaluation team to support the recording of data, case studies and reporting trends

What we are looking for in our Survivor Services Practitioner:

Level 3 or above IDVA/ISVA qualification or similar is desirable

A good knowledge and understanding of the experiences and effects of domestic violence and abuse on women and children

Familiarity with the Routes to Support database and its use is desirable

Understanding or experience of supporting women with NRPF is desirable

Understanding of barriers some women can face in accessing domestic abuse support is desirable

Knowledge of the rights and options available to…