Domestic Abuse Practitioner

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role please contact Jonathan Bertram at . For issues or queries regarding your application please contact . To apply, upload your CV and cover letter explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check. Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

You must be able to travel throughout the County, including to locations that are not always accessible by public transport. You will work directly with clients and their families who have experienced domestic violence/sexual assault, to ensure they receive an appropriate service. You will work within a multi-agency setting and keep the clients' safety central to all coordinated responses. You will support colleagues and partner agencies to provide the best possible service to victims. This will include crisis management of children and young people who at high risk from domestic abuse, providing one to one or group work to promote safety and understanding of the impact of the abuse for victims and their families, and also advocating for the victim to ensure their voice is heard. You will be a team player whilst also being able to work on your own initiative to manage crisis situations. You will have a passion for supporting victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence and will be able to communicate effectively with multi-agency partners. You will manage a caseload, focusing on all levels of risk in a proactive way, incorporating risk assessment and safety planning. Being both organised and adaptable, you will have the ability to respond to complex situations calmly and effectively.,

• Excellent crisis management skills with the ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills in order to work effectively with clients, and the ability to provide advice to victims in stressful situations with clarity and empathy whilst maintaining professional boundaries.
• Excellent advisory, guiding, negotiating and persuasive skills in order to encourage others to adopt a course of action they may not wish to take.
• Ability to interpret individual needs and to develop appropriate safety and action plans.
• Experienced at judging and analysing, using these skills to solve difficult problems and develop solutions or plans over the medium term in order to work effectively with a wide variety of people.
• Ability to deliver one-to-one or group programmes to support the understanding of domestic abuse and its impact on children., Relevant qualification at degree level in a relevant subject, or demonstrable experience in a paid or unpaid capacity of providing support to people in stressful and difficult situations.
• IDVA qualification or willingness to work towards this.
• Demonstrable experience of working in a multi-agency environment with victims of domestic and/or sexual violence.
• Experience of working within legislative frameworks to support victims and using their application to develop, influence and promote safety for clients.
• Experience of working with vulnerable people and managing a complex caseload.
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures and policies both adults and children.
Valid and full driving licence.

At West Sussex County Council (WSCC), we have a Fixed Term contract opportunity for a Domestic Abuse Practitioner in our Early Help Service. We are committed to supporting children, families, and young people to achieve their full potential. We are focused on improved service delivery with measurable outcomes for children, families, and communities. The Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Service is part of the Children, Young People and Learning Directorate. This service identify, assess and assist victims of domestic and sexual violence in order to increase the safety of victims, families and their children and is an integral part of the Early Help Service.