VIDA SHEFFIELDJOB DESCRIPTION

INDEPENDENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCACY SERVICE (IDVAS) ADVOCATE

See background information at end of Job Description

Post covered by The Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1 and specifically for a female worker. We particularly encourage applications from women from Black and minority ethnic communities, and with community language skills. DBS checks will be made for all successful candidates, in addition to Police vetting due to the location of the service.

PURPOSE OF POST

  • To work as part of a team to provide a pro-active service to women and men identified as being at high risk of imminent harm as a result of domestic abuse, particularly in relation to court proceedings, and the range and suitability of options available to improve the safety of themselves and any children involved.
  • To participate in the Multi-agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) process, and share responsibility with the IDVAS Manager for actions allocated to IDVAS, to help manage and reduce the risks to those identified as high risk victims, and their children.
  • To develop positive working relationships with partner agencies, to increase safety and promote a co-ordinated community response to domestic abuse.
  • To ensure that the service works in ways that promote the safety of women and children as a priority, and to challenge attitudes and beliefs that excuse or collude in domestic abuse.

Responsible to: IDVAS Manager

SPECIFIC DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
  1. Provide a pro-active advice and advocacy service in relation to options available to ‘High Risk’ victims of domestic abuse, to help promotethe safety of themselves and their children. Ensure that medium and standard risk victims are signposted or referred appropriately through the agreed pathways.
  1. Ensure that referrals to the IDVAS are responded to appropriatelyfollowing the guidance and protocols set out in the VIDA IDVAS Policy, and within the required time frames for safety advice, risk assessment, support planning etc.
  1. Manage a caseload (in line with CAADA recommended case loads for IDVA’s) and maintain accurate and up to date records of all cases – use the Modus case management system and IDVAS Client Spreadsheet, taking care to record the DACT domestic abuse minimum dataset.
  1. Promote and support a multi-agency approach to risk assessment and risk management, to ensure an informed and realistic approach, keepingthe victim and their children central to the process. Regularly review the risk of harm in line with current practice and agreed intervals,anddeliver the service accordingly.
  1. Develop individual safety and support plans tailored to clients needs, in accordance with the level of risk identified and their own ability to understand and manage risk.
  1. Participate in the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference process: refer clients to, participate in meetings where required, and follow up actions agreed at the MARAC.
  1. Follow the relevant multi-agency procedures and agreed protocols to ensure that the safety of the client and any children involved, IDVASstaff,and partner agencies, are kept central to any process.
  1. Understand local safeguarding procedures relating to the protection of children and vulnerable adults and where necessary, discuss concerns with line managers and make appropriate child or adult protection referrals.
  1. Participate in staffing arrangements to provide an emergency on call service, out of hours, to advise SY Police and Children & Families Services in relation to existing IDVAS clients.
  1. Support clients with additional specialist needs to access other specialist services and collaborate with partners to identify how best to meet current and futureneeds, e.g. debt management, homelessness, drugs and alcohol, mental health.
  1. Inform victims, either directly or through other specialist services, of their options in relation to the criminal and civil legal routes available to them. Where appropriate, support clients through court proceedings, explaining the procedures and their role and rights within that system. In some cases, accompany them to court and liaise with other agencies, ensuring that all relevant information that may impact on any court outcome is made available to agencies.
  1. Liaise with the IDVAS Manager over providing ‘institutional advocacy’ to other agencies in relation to high risk cases, signposting them to the DASH Risk Assessor role within DAOS where appropriate, and to their own agency MARAC Reps where available.
  1. Keep up to date with research, policy and practice development and legislation related to domestic abuse, particularly in relation to assessing and managing risk.
  1. Refer any difficulties to the IDVAS Manager and contribute to the ongoing monitoring, evaluation and development of the service.
Other duties and responsibilities:
  1. Take part in external clinical group supervision with other members of the IDVAS Team, as required.
  1. Undertake training and continuous personal development identified as relevant to the post, including the CAADA IDVA training when resources allow.
  1. Attend regularIDVAS Team Meetings and occasional VIDASheffield meetings.

18.Work within an equal opportunities framework, with a particular understanding of domestic abuse, risk and safety issues.

19. Any other duties and responsibilities within the character and purpose of the job description negotiated and agreed with the post holder and the VIDA Management Committee.

Main Terms & Conditions of Employment

Location / Co-located with other services at city centre base
Salary / VIDA Scale SO1 points 29-31 [£23,647-£25,212 at 2013-14 rate]
Hours / Full time = 37.5 hours [part-time/secondmentsconsidered]
Holiday Entitlement / 28 days plus statutory holidays, pro rata
Pension / 6% of salary as employer’s contribution after 6 mths probation
Contract / until March 2015, then subject to continuation funding

INFORMATION ABOUT VIDA SHEFFIELD & THE IDVA SERVICE

VIDA is an independentvoluntary sector organisation. Wedeliver specialistdomestic and sexual abuse services and training, and engage with partners towork towardsan endto domestic abuse, and violence against women and girls. Our name means 'life' in Spanish - a positive assertion of whatour work isall about.

The Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy Service works with those victims who are risk assessed as being at the highest levels of risk from domestic abuse, using the evidence based DASH risk assessment tool.

The IDVAS team is employed by VIDA, and is co-located with a multi-agency team in premises provided by South Yorkshire Police, along with the Helpline team employed by Sheffield Domestic Abuse Outreach Service.

Co-located statutory services include the Domestic Abuse Officers in the SY Police Public Protection Unit, and Social Workers from the Council’s Children & Families Service, known as the Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

Note: the Advocate post is available to women only, in accordance with The Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1. We particularly encourage applications from women from Black and minority ethnic communities, who are under-represented in the staff team, and with community language skills.

November 2014: one of the posts currently being advertised is specifically a full-time position for an Urdu/Punjabi speaking worker, to replace a member of staff with those language skills.

VIDA will consider secondment arrangements with linked services who are seeking an opportunity for a staff member to develop their skills to become a domestic abuse champion and MARAC lead within their agency – to the end of March 2015 initially.

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks are made for successful candidates, in addition to Police vetting, due to the location of the service.

The IDVA Service is funded through a contract with the Domestic Abuse Co-ordination Team (DACT) within Sheffield City Council.

More information about VIDA Sheffield services and activities, including our most recent Annual Report, can be found at:

More on domestic abuse services in Sheffield can be found via the DACT website at:
VIDA Sheffield Person Specification: IDVAS Advocate

Key:AF: Application FormI: InterviewT: Task

Essential / Desirable / How measured

Experience

1 / Experience of direct work with women and children affected by domestic abuse. /  / AF, I
2 / Experience of managing own case load. /  / AF, I
3 / Experience in relation to criminal justice or other court proceedings. /  / AF, I
4 / Experience of working in partnership with a broad range of statutory and voluntary sector practitioners. /  / AF, I
5 / Experience of risk and needs assessment, and safety planning. /  / AF, I
Knowledge & Understanding
6 / Understanding of the needs of women and children affected by domestic abuse. /  / AF, I, T
7 / Understanding of the needs of men, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans (LGBT) people affected by domestic abuse /  / AF, I, T
8 / A broad knowledge of civil and criminal justice remedies relating to domestic abuse. /  / AF, I
9 / Knowledge of the range and role of statutory and voluntary agencies in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, and local safeguarding procedures. /  / AF, I, T
10 / Understanding of equal opportunities in practice. /  / AF, I
Skills & Abilities
11 / IT: proficient in use of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint) and Outlook. Experience of using them to record, analyse and report. /  / AF, I, T
12a / Communication – excellent written and verbal communication skills. /  / AF, I, T
12b / Ability to communicate in one of the commonly spoken community languages in Sheffield: Urdu/Punjabi/Mirpuri /  / AF, I
13 / Effective negotiation, advocacy and interpersonal skills, at all levels. /  / AF, I
14 / Ability to travel locally, and occasionally nationally. /  / AF, I
14 / Full clean driving licence / 
Personal Qualities
15 / Ability to work flexibly and effectively as part of a team and towards individual objectives. /  / AF, I
16 / Ability to manage a complex workload and work on own initiative to deadlines. /  / AF, I
Training & Qualifications
17 / Completion of CAADA IDVA Training/willingness to undertake this; Social Work/Probation/Counselling /  / AF, I

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