Refuge Support Assistant

Location: Caerphilly, Caerphilly, United Kingdom

Salary: £22,932 per annum pro rata (£12.60/hour)

Contract: Permanent in line with funding – Workplace based

Hours & Working Pattern: 14 hours per week – Saturday 9:30 am–5:00 pm and Sunday 9:30 am–5:00 pm. Team members may undertake additional shifts to cover absences and must work flexibly as required by the charity and the people we support.

Accountable to: Assistant Support Services Manager

Purpose of the post: Assist in the delivery of specialised, holistic support to adults and families who have experienced domestic or sexual abuse, harm and violence.

• Assist in the delivery of specialist, trauma‑informed support to adults and/or families living in refuge, recognising the impact of domestic or sexual abuse, harm or violence, and responding with empathy, respect, and consistency.
• Contribute to an environment where support is psychologically informed, compassionate, equitable, and grounded in integrity, ensuring every individual feels safe, heard, and supported.
• Respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns in line with legislation and organisational policies, maintaining a trauma‑informed approach and reporting concerns to the line manager without delay.
• Carry out Initial Contact Assessments, working alongside refuge or on‑call colleagues to identify support options that best meet the individual's needs and preferences, prioritising need and risk.
• Support individuals to access refuge, including arranging transport if needed, offering a warm and respectful welcome, meeting immediate needs (e.g. donated clothing, food), and helping them settle into their accommodation.
• Assist individuals in understanding and completing initial paperwork in a timely and supportive manner, including licence agreements, House Expectations, housing benefit claims, and service charge arrangements.
• Undertake basic support activities, as requested by a Support Worker or senior colleague, in line with an individual’s support plan, needs assessment, risk assessment, safety plan and licence agreement/contract.
• Support individuals to maintain their licence/contract agreement through reflective, strengths‑based conversations around any minor breaches, escalating serious concerns to senior colleagues.
• Keep Routes to Support updated with current refuge vacancies to support access and referrals.
• Facilitate opportunities for connection and community among residents, including inclusive evening and weekend communal activities.
• Ensure contributions to records are factual, person‑centred, accurate, timely, and confidential, using Cyfannol’s Case Management System and other internal records.
• Encourage and support adults and children to have a voice within Cyfannol and the wider sector, for example by completing surveys, sharing feedback, and participating in relevant events.

• Respond to all out‑of‑hours phone calls from the Live Fear Free Helpline, other refuges or Tier 2 and 3 on‑call colleagues across Cyfannol, ensuring effective communication and continuity of support across the team.
• Undertake assessments for refuges, with support from on‑call colleagues, to make timely and safe decisions based on individual need and risk.
• Provide support to colleagues and residents in the event of an incident or emergency at another refuge, contributing to a coordinated and calm response.
• Liaise with 2nd and 3rd tier colleagues as needed, ensuring effective communication and continuity of support across the team.
• Complete handovers at the end of each shift, both face‑to‑face and via email, to ensure consistency, safety and shared understanding across the team.

• Contribute to the creation of a safe, welcoming, clean, and calm refuge environment that supports wellbeing and dignity.
• Carry out routine monitoring of CCTV and security systems to help maintain a secure setting for residents and staff.
• Complete and record daily and weekly health and safety checks as directed by the Facilities Coordinator, ensuring refuge spaces meet required standards.
• Ensure communal areas are safe and secure before the start of sleep‑in shifts, creating a settled…