Domestic Abuse Advocate - Family Safeguarding

FST DVA Worker

Location: Dorchester West and surrounding areas
Salary:£31,146pa

Permanent, Full Time
The first suitable applicant will be appointed.

PARAGON are a specialist team within The YOU Trust and our mission is 'together empowering change' for individuals, families, and our communities. We are committed to ending violence against adults and children, and do this through empowering individual and communities to change.

Essential Requirements:

• Relevant qualification or equivalent to Diploma/Degree/NVQ 4 or equivalent work level experience
• Experience and knowledge of safeguarding adults and children
• In-depth experience supporting women, men and children who have been subject to domestic violence and abuse on 1:1 or group work basis
• The ability to build rapport quickly with women, children and men participating in the service
• Skilled at IT including excel and word, writing case studies, emails and reports
• Ability to work collaboratively with other professionals in promoting a coordinated community response to violence

The appointed candidate will:

1. Be co located within a multi-disciplinary team based in children's social care.

2. Work with people who are at high risk of homelessness, child protection and/or may be subject to legal proceedings

3. Co-produce full risk assessments with the client and ensure their needs and circumstances are reflected within all safety and support plans.

4. Provide 1:1 support to enable the client to understand the impact of DVA on themselves their parenting and their children.

5. Identify and deliver effective interventions to increase safety and reduce risk, and, where required broker a package of support with other organisations.

6. Deliver sessions with clients using my skills of Cognitive Behavioural Theory and Motivational Interviewing

7. As part of a 'whole family' approach, I will identify the underlying behaviours and issues linked to people who harm others and where appropriate link a whole package of support with others in the SFT

8. Inform practice by modelling a domestic abuse informed approach and providing information and advice to SFT colleagues regarding the risk and protection factors surrounding families experiencing domestic violence and abuse

9. Have the ability to work client focused flexible hours, including evenings, nights as required and weekends.

10. You are a car driver with willingness to work across the county and to travel beyond occasionally for meetings and training

About you:

• You will be experienced, skilled and enthusiastic.
• You will be used to working in a fast-paced environment.
• You will be passionate about working with people experiencing domestic abuse
• You will work alongside our clients as an equal partner and give advice and guidance at a level matching the person's skills and strengths.
• Work within a multi-disciplinary team sharing best practice to achieve better outcomes for families.
• Developing positive working relationships with the local community and support agencies to create a network of support for your clients will be central to the work you do.

Our Benefits:

• Competitive rates of pay and paid travel time, including a higher mileage rate for car sharing.
• Enhanced annual leave entitlements, with the opportunity to buy and sell holiday.
• Matched pension scheme contributions, plus Death in Service Benefit and salary sacrifice options.
• Enhanced sick pay allowances and paid compassionate and emergency dependent leave.
• Excellent and professionally certified training, as well as access to fully-funded apprenticeship programmes.
• Real opportunities to develop in your profession.
• Free health and wellbeing advice via a 24/7, confidential Employee Assistance Programme.
• Everything you need to carry out your role free of charge, which may include a mobile phone, safety equipment and other necessary technology, a uniform where applicable, and of course a nice cup of tea or coffee throughout your day!
• Access to discounts across lots of your favourite stores and online shopping sites.

The You Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our clients. Applicants must be willing to undergo appropriate Adult and Child protection screening, including employment references and DBS check.

Where a role involves engaging in regulated activity relevant to adults and/or children it is an offence to apply for the role if you have been barred from engaging in such regulated activity.