Housing Idva

As a Housing IDVA, you will need to have a degree of flexibility for colocation work across London boroughs; providing support to women who have experienced domestic abuse, focusing on individuals with housing or tenancy issues. Working in our fast-pacedcrisis intervention, advocacy, and support service, you'll ensure the voice of survivors informs every stage of the process.

You will have your own caseload of survivors and will focus on working with those aged 18 and over who access our domestic abuse service.

**Key responsibilities include**(but are not limited to):

- Work with housing service providers and the local council to introduce the service and encourage practitioners to identify domestic abuse, respond appropriately and refer to the service. This will include being co-located within housing services, workingcollaboratively to upskill housing workers and improve their response to domestic abuse.
- Hold a caseload and work within the team to conduct comprehensive assessments of needs and risk for women experiencing domestic abuse, carry out short
- and longer-term risk management, safety planning and support; and identify and refer to services appropriateto their needs, including attendance at specialist/dedicated courts and MARAC as required.
- Develop and deliver support plans that include delivery of high-quality face to face or telephone crisis intervention, information, advocacy, and support, in respect to criminal and civil remedies, housing, health, welfare rights, children's legislationand other appropriate interventions.
- Advise women of their rights and options for seeking help and support from other agencies, making referrals and co-ordinating the provision of multi-agency support where necessary, and proactively advocate ensuring barriers to accessing support and protectionare minimised.
- Proactively assess the needs and safety of any children that women using the service may have, ensure that any risks/needs identified are addressed directly with the woman, and take appropriate action to safeguard them.
- Experience of supporting women who have experienced domestic abuse in all/any of its forms
- Experience of risk and needs assessment, safety, and support planning, particularly with clients with complex/multiple needs
- Experience of working with housing agencies or in a housing setting with specific knowledge and understanding of the housing system and options available
- A thorough understanding of violence against women and girls with a particular focus on the dynamics of domestic abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, so-called 'honour-based violence', forced marriage, stalking and harassment) and its impact onwomen, children, families and communities
- Work in partnership with housing staff and provide institutional advocacy to maximise positive outcomes and use the appropriate reporting mechanisms to highlight persistent or recurring issues that arise.