Reporting to: Management

Main Purpose of Job:

To provide a pro-active, short, medium and long term support to women who have or are experiencing domestic abuse. To work within refuge and in a multi-agency framework, focusing on survivors of domestic abuse. To work with women living in Monklands Women’s Aid refuge accommodation.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Routine maintenance and general upkeep of MKWA refuge accommodation specific to this role, including health & safety checks, regular welfare visits, completion of inventories, ensuring that the refuges remain comfortable with a good level of hygiene and cleanliness at all times.
2. Provide high quality practical and emotional support and, if necessary, life skills to women living in MKWA refuge accommodation.
3. Ensure the accommodation is maintained to a high standard.
4. Report, repair or rectify faulty equipment or damage.
5. Prompt turn-over of refuge accommodation to allow quick access for new referrals into refuge.
6. Receive and record referrals to Monklands Women’s Aid from Police, Social Work, Health or other partner agencies.
7. Contact the survivor where appropriate and safe to do so, to offer crisis intervention, information and support following a referral.
8. Focussing on high risk victims, provide a pro-active, short, medium and long term service based on the care pathway and incorporating risk assessment and safety planning.
9. Provide information about the criminal justice process and ensure the survivor is informed of their rights, options and services offering practical and emotional support in an emergency and on-going basis.
10. Support the empowerment of the service user in recognising the dynamics of domestic abuse.
11. Support the survivor to identify and take action to address any concerns they may have for their safety or well-being and their children (if any), while ensuring adherence to existing child protection procedures in line with the Monklands Women’s Aid safety planning framework.
12. Liaise with other agencies at appropriate intervals to ensure the safety and support needs of survivors and their children (if any) are being addressed.
13. Alert the appropriate line manager of the need for referral to a process underpinned by MARAC principals, participate in, and contribute to meetings as directed.
14. Provide support services to MARAC meetings as directed by the Management team.
15. Follow up on specific actions designated to Monklands Women’s Aid from the MARAC.
16. Keep the Management Team informed of problems and successes to enable troubleshooting where needed and to highlight strategic issues arising from the work of Monklands Women’s Aid.
17. Maintain accurate service user records and make this information available to the Management team and partner agencies, while ensuring adherence to Monklands Women’s Aid multi-agency information procedures and protocols. These protocols will take into account Data Protection Legislation, and Monklands Women’s Aid’s Confidentiality Policy.
18. Be involved in the development and delivery of safe and sensitive process for gathering and disseminating the views of survivors referred to Monklands Women’s Aid.
19. Prepare and present verbal and written reports as directed by the management team
20. Participate in multi-agency working-groups/ focus groups etc as directed by the management team.
21. Keep up to date on relevant research, legislation and policy development etc and ensure that practice is informed by recent developments in the field of domestic abuse.
22. Facilitate group work with women.
23. Promote the work of Monklands Women’s Aid.
24. Adhere to the IDVA Charter, Monklands Women’s Aid ethos and to policies and procedures governing the delivery of Monklands Women’s Aid services as determined by management.
25. Undertake any other duties as requested by the Management team.

This is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your changing role within the organisation and the overall business objectives of the organisation.

Under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010, only women are eligible to apply.

Successful candidate is required to hold SVQ3 Health & Social Care/or equivalent qualification.

The successful candidate will be subject to PVG and reference checks.

Full driving licence and use of vehicle required.

To provide a pro-active, short, medium and long term support to women who have or are experiencing domestic abuse.

To work within refuge and in a multi-agency framework, focusing on survivors of domestic abuse.

To work with women living in Monklands Women’s Aid refuge accommodation.