Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) - Children

At Fear Free, we take pride in delivering exceptional services across the Southwest region, and we are excited to announce that we are launching a new team delivering sexual violence therapeutic support across Wiltshire and Swindon. Part of a diverse team of professionals supporting adult and child victims of sexual violence, you will play an integral role in providing one-to-one and group support for adult survivors.

The Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) will work within a multi-agency system to provide a proactive, person-centred independent service for adult and children who are victims of sexual violence, empowering choice through informed decision making. Key elements of the role include:

• Risk assessing and helping to keep service users safe (safety planning).

• Working with primary and secondary schools within Wiltshire to provide support and guidance on how to support children affected by sexual violence or abuse

• Providing informal education in assemblies and schools around consent and healthy relationships around Wiltshire

• Provision of 1-1 psychoeducational support sessions, with a focus on safety and stabilisation.

• Enabling victims to access statutory and other services.

This ISVA role requires the building of effective relationships with other agencies especially educational settings within Wiltshire that may support victims of sexual violence, developing referral pathways and creating outward facing information resources and campaigns to raise awareness and build confidence in reporting sexual violence.

The ISVA will be required to work to the Quality Standards for services supporting victims/survivors of sexual violence.

This fixed term role for 12 months will be based in our Trowbridge office, with expectation of paid travel across the area. Fear Free supports staff to work flexibly and we operate hybrid working (working both remotely and in the offices).

Key Responsibilities

• To provide a person centred, client focused, independent service, distinct from the role of a crisis worker or counsellor, primarily for the benefit of the victims of sexual abuse.

• To work with family members and supporters of victims to provide information and support where appropriate and required.

• To work within educational settings like primary and secondary schools in Wiltshire to ensure there is support for DSLs who support students who have been victims of sexual abuse.

• To deliver educational sessions in school assemblies and classes around consent and healthy relationships.

• To be point of contact for schools in Wiltshire for advice and guidance.

• To work with victims who have chosen to report their abuse and those who have not and provide a victim led service to all service users, empowering choice through informed decision making.

• To complete a support needs analysis, including risk assessments, in relation to support and counselling services and create an individualised safety plan for each client.

• To provide specialist psychoeducational support, focusing on safety and stabilisation, to support victims to manage their experience of trauma.

• To provide practical and emotional support to meet the needs of each individual service user to enable them to move forwards towards recovery.

• To refer on to other support if required, including internally to our other therapeutic based supports.

• To provide sensitive and non judgmental support, enabling the service user to regain control and self-esteem.

• Encourage/assist clients to develop their own support network.

• To provide information to enable clients to make informed decisions in relation to the self-referral option, medical care, forensic examination, making a police report, mental health and sexual health and onward referrals.

• To promote the service to external agencies where applicable.

• To produce clear record keeping/documentation, in a timely manner according to Fear Free policies and procedures.

• To assess, offer and gain consent from the client for any onward referrals.

• To document clearly any safeguarding concerns, complete any relevant risk assessments and liaise with relevant safeguarding teams and attend MARAC, MASH and Children s Services meetings if appropriate.

• Ensuring that the service user s views, opinions, wishes and needs are understood, respected and listened to and held at the forefront of support, whilst fully complying with all safeguarding requirements.

• Safeguard the health & welfare of service users and their families.

• Enable service users to participate in the design, delivery and evaluation of services.

• Utilise evaluation and monitoring systems to ensure high standards of service are consistently achieved.

• Ensure support provided is accessible to clients in terms of location and times.

• To manage a case load balancing new referrals, existing cases and closing cases.

• To offer specialist advice to other professionals and agencies where required.

• Live and work the FearLess values: kind, open, receptive, robust, pragmatic and expert.

General

• Live and embody the FearFree values.

• Work at all times in accordance with the requirements of the Lone Working Policy and Procedure.

• Attend and contribute to team meetings.

• Update written and computerised records with accurate and clear information.

• Contribute to effective team working with a flexible and pro-active approach, including cover for other team members holidays and sickness.

• Undertake agreed training and keep updated on changes in legislation, policy and best practice.

• The post holder will deal with highly confidential information relating to vulnerable people.

• Ensure security of data, especially sensitive personal data, in line with the information security policy

• Work within Fear Free Policies and Procedures at all times.

• Employees have responsibilities in respect of health and safety. In particular they will:

• Co-operate at all times with management in the implementation of and adherence to health and safety policy and procedures;

• Take reasonable care for their own safety and for the safety of others who may foreseeably be affected by their actions at work;

• Not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided for the purpose of health and safety at work;

• Report all health and safety concerns to line managers;

• Assist with the completion of the risk assessment programme.

• Any other duties that may be reasonably required.

To apply, please download the full job description/person specification along with the application and equality monitoring forms. Please send the completed application form and optional equality monitoring form direct to FearFree.

There is no specific closing date for this role and this vacancy will close once a suitable candidate is found, so early applications are encouraged.

For information about the processing of your personal data at FearFree, please visit our website.

FearFree is committed to encouraging equality and diversity in the workplace. We strive to be a diverse and inclusive place to work where we can all be ourselves and individual differences are recognised and valued.