Title: Specialist & Expert Advocate – supporting family members bereaved by fatal domestic abuse in Scotland
Reports to: Operations Manager
Location: Remote working – with potential travel therefore a requirement for residence in Scotland
Contract: Full time – 12 months, with potential extension to 36 months
Salary: £27,450
This is a specialist and expert advocate role for Scotland, which plays a vital role in supporting families bereaved by fatal domestic abuse. Working directly with families, statutory agencies and review processes and contributing to Scotland's forthcoming Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review process. The postholder will help ensure victims remain at the forefront of discussions, amplify the voices of bereaved families, and contribute to learning and change that can help prevent future deaths.
Key Highlights
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Support families at one of the most difficult times in their lives.
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Provide expert advocacy within Domestic Homicide & Suicide Reviews and related review processes.
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Influence statutory agencies and promote the voices of bereaved families.
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Work remotely as part of a specialist, respected national organisation.
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Receive regular clinical supervision and ongoing professional development.
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Contribute to improving responses to domestic abuse and preventing future deaths.
Responsibilities
Provision of specialist and expert advocacy and specialist peer support to families.
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To provide expert advocacy for families bereaved by fatal domestic abuse, ensuring their voices are heard and their experiences inform statutory and non-statutory responses. (e.g., those conducting reviews and inquiries, social services, police, housing etc) and to work to build good relations between all parties.
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To listen to families and establish relationships with them based on mutual respect, empathy, trust and honesty. To take steps to bring the victim(s) to the forefront of discussions with agencies and to work to ensure their memory remains present throughout.
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To open and maintain dialogue with families, to identify the challenges they face (both emotional and practical) and to identify steps to help them overcome those challenges.
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Work with families to define their objectives and to identify actions they can take to achieve their objectives. To always maintain clear communication as to how AAFDA can be of assistance.
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Discuss additional support and signpost to other organisations which are best placed to provide that support, making formal referrals where necessary.
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To facilitate small group emotional support sessions for families in locations across the country/digitally.
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Identify relevant information and signpost to other sources of information.
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To assist, where required, with training, development and delivery within AAFDA.
Statutory Reviews and Criminal Justice System
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To provide specialist and expert advocacy to help families to understand, influence and contribute to Domestic Homicide & Suicide Reviews (DHSRs) and other reviews where relevant and appropriate.
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Explain and provide written information to families on the nature of the review processes which will be instigated within the criminal justice system. Explain the importance of the role of families in these reviews, and the opportunities they will be presented with by reviews, to help families achieve objectives.
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Manage expectations amongst family members about the limitations of such review processes.
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To liaise with DHSR chairs and support families to attend, influence and contribute to meetings, attending in person where necessary.
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To operate within a policy of confidentiality when working with families, ensuring informed consent before acting on their behalf.
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Understand and operate within the limits of confidentiality when working with families, in accordance with AAFDA’s safeguarding vulnerable adults and children policy.
Person Specification
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Able to express empathy and to have excellent listening skills.
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Understanding of domestic homicide and suicide reviews after fatal domestic abuse, including other relevant reviews in Scotland. A knowledge of the Scottish legal system around domestic abuse and domestic homicide and suicide reviews is essential.
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Capable of advocating for families in complex scenarios.
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Enhanced understanding of domestic abuse and fatal domestic abuse.
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Understanding the sensitivity required to provide advocacy and support to people bereaved following fatal domestic abuse.
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Able to communicate effectively - verbally and in written form.
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Ability to comply with principles of confidentiality including data protection.
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Experience of developing and maintaining administrative systems.
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Experience of working independently and remotely.
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Experience of the voluntary sector or support agency environment.
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Used to managing sensitive communications confidentially, efficiently, and effectively.
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Be able to use IT applications including Microsoft Office and other bespoke systems.
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Be able to gather, analyse, and use information and evidence from different sources.
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Able to balance competing needs and interests.
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Capable of promoting the organisation’s interests and values.
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The ability to build and sustain relationships.
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Problem solving skills.
Partnership Work
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To maintain good links and contacts with other key voluntary sector partners who provide support services to bereaved families, making referrals where appropriate.
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Attend external meetings on behalf of AAFDA, representing the interests and values of the organisation and the opinions of family members.
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To provide written summaries of meetings where this is requested by management.
Policies and Procedures
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To maintain and update case files for each family, completing required monitoring information in a timely manner, and adhering to data protection requirements.
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Adhere to all AAFDA working policies.
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Provide required information in a timely manner to allow us to undertake/update Disclosure Barring Service checks.
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To participate in regular clinical supervision.
Training and Development
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Maintain an excellent knowledge of research and current trends within the field of domestic abuse and homicide prevention.
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To participate in professional development training as required.
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Liaise and work with AAFDA volunteers where appropriate.
In return for joining us, we will offer you:
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25 days annual leave per annum, plus bank holidays
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Excellent development and training opportunities
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Pension Scheme
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Healthcare Scheme
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Employee Assist Scheme
To apply for this role, please submit a supporting statement along with your CV to [email protected]
Please ensure the essential criteria below is met prior to applying.
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Knowledge of Domestic Abuse and learning reviews
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Based in Scotland
Applicants will be shortlisted according to how well they meet the criteria in the person specification. Please highlight and explain how you meet these in your supporting statement.
If you have been shortlisted for interview, you will be informed by email. Regrettably, we are normally unable to acknowledge unsuccessful applicants. Please note that we will not progress applications where the supporting statement does not address the criteria for the role being applied for.
