Overview
Dorset, Devon and Cornwall Women’s Community Service
Open is a successful service with an excellent reputation for offering trauma-informed specialist support to women in the criminal justice system across Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. Developed by The Women’s Centre Cornwall, Open provides a gender specific, holistic service in Dorset, Devon & Cornwall, and accepting referrals from the Probation Service. The service offers practical and emotional support, advocacy, safety planning and trauma-informed support on sexual violence, domestic violence and childhood sexual abuse. We work in partnership with Probation and other agencies. Open is a safe and confidential space for women who have been convicted of an offence to explore any issues she feels are applicable to her in her journey towards a life free from offending.
It is delivered by The Women’s Centre Cornwall which is run by women, for women, and aims to empower and enable all women and girls to gain the health and well-being and confidence and skills to achieve their potential and become stronger and more independent.
Qualifications and Experience
It is desirable to have a relevant degree and/or recognised professional qualification in social care or a related field and/or accredited Domestic Abuse training. However at least one year’s experience of direct work with women with complex needs and/or survivors of domestic abuse and/or sexual violence. The ability to undertake risk assessments, safety planning and providing support and targeted intervention is equally relevant. Knowledge of the criminal justice system is very advantageous.
Full driving license and the ability to travel is essential. Work with the women is carried out by phone and in person.
Main Purpose Of The Job:
To deliver structured and targeted interventions to comply with the requirements of Open’s Women’s Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) as sentenced by the courts and to liaise with Offender Managers.
To establish strong working relationships with identified partners including probation, courts, police, prisons to ensure the development of effective service provision to women offenders.
To deliver a range of interventions, as part of a community sentence, to meet individual needs, aiming to prevent reoffending and to empower each woman. Plus, the development of supportive local relationships with a range of statutory and voluntary service providers to ensure women can receive on-going individual packages of support required to reduce risk and encourage desistance from offending.
In particular, to work with the referred women to enhance their understanding of the dynamics of domestic abuse and sexual violence and to support them to develop strategies to reduce the harm caused by the abuse.
To provide targeted support to the women referred. This will include structured assessment of risk and support needs and, in conjunction with women, the development and implementation of action plans to address the causes offending, reducing the risk of re-offending and meeting needs identified and writing final reports once a woman completes her community sentence.
The post is subject to an enhanced DBS check and open to women only (exempt under the Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9, Part 1).
TWCC values diversity and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, especially from women with lived experience of the issues we address, and groups with a protected characteristic such as Black, Asian and minority ethnic women, who are currently under-represented at TWCC. TWCC are a Disability Confident employer
Please note - we do not accept CV's
For more information and a detailed description of the role, please download the Job & Person Specification on our website www.womenscentrecornwall.org.uk
To apply - please download the Application Form on our website. Please send completed Application forms to [email protected]
Closing date for Applications: Monday 20th July 2026
Pay: £27,096.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Health & wellbeing programme
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Torbay
