Domestic Abuse Support Worker

Stonewater have delivered specialist Domestic Abuse Services nationally for over 20 years. The Southampton Refuge is a safe space providing accommodation support for women and their children who are fleeing domestic abuse. We are committed to providing a safe, nurturing environment, making sure each resident has access to the support and advice they need and empowering them to understand their options and make decisions for their future. Our ultimate goal is for our residents to move on to independent accommodation with the skills and tools to live a safe and happy life free from domestic abuse.

That’s where you come in.

As our Domestic Abuse Support Worker, you’ll manage a caseload of survivors through their journey with Stonewater, ensuring a strengths based, trauma informed approach that enables them to realise their potential. You’ll work closely with key partners, deliver quality, outcome focused support in both one-to-one and group sessions, providing both emotional and practical support, including keeping safe, healthy relationships, substance use, mental health and wellbeing, finance and budget management and employment skills. You’ll identify and signpost survivors to any services they may benefit from that is available from partner agencies, supporting customers to access these services, such as the Housing Benefit department, Mental and Physical Health, Substance support services, Job Centre Plus and individual grant giving organisations.

The ideal candidate will:

• Have proven experience of working with people who have multiple complex needs and/or those who have experienced domestic abuse.
• Have experience in completing risk assessments and carrying out robust safety planning.
• Understand the practical, emotional, economic, and social issues of those experiencing domestic abuse, particularly those with multiple complex needs.
• Have proven caseload management experience, with a clear focus on outcomes for survivors and their wider community.
• Be able to record concise, accurate case notes and support paperwork.
• Understand the effects of domestic abuse related trauma, appropriate responses, and professional boundaries.
• Be able to demonstrate effective partnership working with specialist agencies such as mental health teams, offending services, or other relevant services.
• Have experience of MARAC and MASH meetings, with an understanding of the processes behind these meetings.
• Be able to provide short-term casework.
• Have working knowledge of housing and benefits advice and experience of using a housing management / domestic abuse system, or similar software.
• Have exceptional communication skills and be able to work in a professional manner.

** Female applicants only under an exemption from the Equality Act 2010 - Section 9 - Part 1 (A) as a genuine occupational requirement **

Appointment to this role will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check, satisfactory references and possession of a valid Right to Work document.

Discover Stonewater:

Stonewater have 20+ years’ experience delivering refuge, safe accommodation and community based domestic abuse services. Our services include Women and Children’s Refuges, LGBTQ+ Safe Space, a South Asian Women’s Refuge and dispersed accommodation to support those that are unable to access traditional Refuges such as male survivors, those with pets and those facing multiple and complex disadvantage. Our dispersed model of safe accommodation ensures equal access for all.

Stonewater is a leading housing provider. We manage around 39,000 homes, serving 82,000 survivors across our portfolio of affordable properties for general rent, shared ownership and sale, alongside specialist accommodation, with an ambitious house-building programme.

Our mission is to provide quality homes and services for people whose needs are not met by the open market.

We’re looking for like-minded people to join our team of over 800 talented colleagues who embody our values of being ethical, ambitious, passionate, agile and commercial, as well as people who want to make a difference and transform people’s lives.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and working towards accreditation for becoming a Disability Confident Leader, which allows us to record and report on disability, mental health and wellbeing in the workplace to better support our colleagues. We have also achieved accreditation for being an Advanced Employer for Investing in Ethnicity Maturity Matrix. We are committed to being a Menopause Friendly employer and working towards accreditation our Menopause Friendly accreditation.

Are you ready to #DiscoverStonewater?

Stonewater reserve the right to bring the closing date forward should enough quality applications be received prior to the current closing date.