Multiple Disadvantage Refuge Worker

**Location**

Enfield, Haringey and Islington

**Vacancy Type**

Fixed Term Contract/ Full Time

**Application Deadline**

Monday, December 30, 2024

**Interview Date**

30th December 2024

**Job Summary**

**Location**: Enfield, Haringey, (workers would be expected to work across 3 sites in Haringey and 1 site in Enfield)

**Salary Band**: £30,765.40 - £32,887.12 per annum Per annum (successful applicants are usually appointed at bottom of band)

Qualified applicants (with an accredited VAWG /domestic abuse qualification) dependent on experience

**Hours**: Full Time - 37.5 hrs per week

**Contract**:Fixed Term until end of March 2025

**Closing Date**:30th December 2024

**Interview Date**:9th January 2025

This job description may change to reflect changing requirements of the role.

**The Role**

Multiple Disadvantage refuge workers provide specialist support services to women with multiple needs, who have experienced domestic, or sexual violence and who have mental illness or use substances problematically.

You will work as part of the Refuge Team to enhance provision to women who may face additional barriers to accessing refuge or maintaining their space in supported accommodation. This role will be located over one or two boroughs, and you will have a small caseload across a number of sites. You will undertake risk assessments, safety plans and identify support needs in relation to move on such as accessing benefits, setting up utilities, budgeting, ensuring safety measures are in place and to support them to maintain their tenancy. You will provide solution focused casework, whilst ensuring the service users voice is heard throughout. Providing support with life skills and practical support in relation to skills that may not yet have been developed.

You will enhance the refuge service by providing ad hoc advise and capacity building for the refuge team in working with women who experience additional disadvantage. You will contribute to the smooth running of the refuge, including admissions of survivors. You will work with women to devise a support plan that meets their immediate practical and emotional needs and starts the process of recovery, linking women into more specialist support services where required. You will assist your colleagues with the smooth running of the refuge ensuring that rents and service charges are paid, rooms are available, organising repairs and responding to crisis situations.

**Accountabilities**
- Provide Solution-focused casework interventions with women who have experienced VAWG and severe and multiple disadvantage
- Provide emotional support using a trauma informed approach
- Ensure ongoing assessment and management of risks associated with service users within an attitude of ‘positive risk taking’
- Provide support with life skills, including practical assistance where skills are not yet developed
- Maintain accurate case notes and up to date records
- Contribute to the completion of outcomes reports and funding returns when required
- Complete risk assessments and safety and support planning to meet the individual needs of service users
- Build and maintain supportive relationships with women, empowering them to access services
- Involve service users in the design, development and delivery of the service
- Promote coordinated, joined-up service delivery for service users between violence against women services and drug and alcohol agencies, mental health, housing, health and legal agencies.
- Attend and contribute to MARAC as appropriate
- Be self-motivated to research processes and services in order to fully support and advocate for the women.
- Attend regular supervision sessions with your Line Manager

**Values, Behaviours & Competencies**
- **Committed**to the purpose of Solace Women’s Aid, ensuring that the service user is at the heart of service delivery and development
- **Feminist**in understanding ‘Violence against Women and Girls’
- Committed to fostering **innovation**and **continuous improvement** in working practice
- **Flexible** and open to new challenges, ideas and experiences, and able to be self-reflective
- Committed to understanding **diversity**and ensuring **anti-discriminatory** practice is applied in all forms of our work
- **Non-judgemental** with a commitment to self-care within the team
- **Collaborative**, building relationships with internal and external partners.

**Knowledge, Experience and Skills**
- Experience of working with survivors of domestic abuse or similar client group
- Experience of working in a multi disadvantage setting
- Experience of multi-agency partnership working.
- Experience of working managing risk and following case management procedures to meet the needs of a diverse and vulnerable client group
- In depth understanding of domestic and sexual abuse and its effect on women and children
- A good understanding of confidentiality and professional boundaries
- An understanding of, and commitment to, Equal Opportun