Full-Time | Permanent
Location: Refuge-based with community outreach as required
Salary: NJC scale 5 / Point 12 - 17 £27,711 - £31,022
(depending on experience and Subject to funding)
Hours: 37 hours per week
Reports to: Refuge Manager and CEO
Probationary period: 3 months
Driving License: Full UK required
Closing Date: 5th August 2026
There may be a requirement for all staff to work an on-call rota for which a supplement
will be paid.
Women-only Role (Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1
The Complex Domestic Abuse Support Worker provides intensive support to women
experiencing domestic abuse who also face additional challenges such as mental
health needs, substance misuse, learning disabilities (including neurodiversity), and
physical disabilities (this is not an exhaustive list).
The role supports women in refuge, in the community, and post-resettlement, holding a
caseload of at least 20 women. The postholder will work closely with the Specialist
Domestic Abuse Support Workers, Children & Family Support Worker, and Domestic
Abuse Floating Support Worker to ensure safe, coordinated, person-centred support.
Key Responsibilities
1. Direct Support to Women
- Provide trauma-informed 1:1 support to women with complex and intersecting
needs.
- Develop individualised safety and support plans based on risk and need.
- Deliver specialist advocacy around housing, criminal justice, mental health, and
safeguarding.
- Support women in crisis, ensuring immediate and effective safety planning.
- Provide flexible community outreach support where required.
- Arrange and deliver training, workshops, drop-in sessions etc., for women in
refuge and in the community to upskill, empower and move on successfully.
- Deliver resettlement support to help women sustain tenancies, access services,
and integrate into the community.
- Provide inclusive, non-discriminatory support to all women, including LGBTQ+
survivors and trans women, using respectful language (including names and
pronouns), maintaining confidentiality, and tailoring safety plans to risks such as
discrimination, isolation, and ‘outing’.
2. Working with Women and Children
- Support mothers with complex needs with parenting, safeguarding, and
understanding the impacts of abuse on children.
- Work jointly with the Children & Family Support Worker to ensure consistent,
holistic support.
- Support any children with more complex needs, ensuring children’s rights,
needs, and safety are central to decision making.
- Advocate for women and children to ensure that they access the support they
need to thrive and move on.
3. Partnership Working
- Build effective multi-agency relationships with health, mental health, substance
misuse, disability, education, housing, and social care services.
- Attend MARAC and other professional meetings as required.
- Share information responsibly and in line with safeguarding and GDPR
requirements.
- Create partnerships with external training providers to be able to offer accredited
training.
- Develop and maintain referral pathways with specialist LGBTQ+ and trans inclusive services (and other culturally specific organisations) to strengthen
coordinated responses and improve outcomes.
4. Case Recording & Reporting
- Maintain accurate and timely case notes, risk assessments, and outcomes data.
- Use service management systems to monitor progress and identify safeguarding
concerns.
- Report risks or concerns promptly to the CEO and external agencies when
needed.
- Complete evaluations of all work provided, including training, workshops etc.,
using both bespoke evaluation tools and case related tools (Empowerment Star).
5. Service Development & Team Contribution
- Identify gaps or trends in need and contribute to service improvements.
- Participate in reflective practice, training, and team meetings.
- Promote best practice in working with women facing multiple disadvantages.
- Adhere to all health & safety requirements including lone working.
- Work closely with Management to ensure the program is delivered within the
scope of the funding parameters and budget.
Person Specification
Essential Experience
- Experience supporting vulnerable women affected by domestic abuse, trauma
and/or gender-based violence.
- Evidence of having worked across these intersecting deliverables:
o Mental health
o Substance misuse
o Learning disabilities and/or neurodiversity
o Physical disability
(willing to attend relevant training as required)
- Experience working in refuge, supported housing, community outreach, or
similar environments.
- Experience of risk assessment, including safety planning and safeguarding.
- Experience working with multi-agency partners such as health, social care,
housing, and police.
(If you have some – but not all of this experience, please do still apply).
Essential Skills & Knowledge
- Strong understanding of domestic abuse, coercive control, and trauma.
- Knowledge of safeguarding processes for adults and children.
- Ability to manage a caseload with competing priorities.
- Evidence of having delivered training/workshops and/or ability to talk to both
small and large audiences, deliver presentations and work confidently in the
community.
- Resilience and emotional intelligence in supporting women with complex needs.
- Excellent communication and record-keeping skills.
- Understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion responsibilities in service
delivery, including working with LGBTQ+ survivors and being mindful of relevant
legal duties (e.g., Equality Act 2010 and Gender Recognition Act 2004),
confidentiality/data protection, and accurate, respectful record keeping
(including preferred name and pronouns where shared).
- Computer literate with abilities to work across most Microsoft applications
(Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook)
Desirable
- Relevant training or qualifications in domestic abuse, social care, psychology,
counselling, or support work.
- Experience supporting women with dual diagnoses or multiple barriers.
- Lived experience (where voluntarily disclosed).
- Knowledge of relevant legislation (Domestic Abuse Act, Care Act, Children Act,
Equality Act).
Personal Qualities
- Compassionate, patient, and grounded in trauma-informed practice.
- Non-judgmental and committed to empowering women.
- Adaptable, flexible, and able to work both independently and as part of a team.
- Committed to anti-discriminatory practice and intersectional feminist values.
- Culturally aware and reflective, able to address barriers linked to culture, faith,
language, immigration status, stigma and discrimination (including homophobia,
biphobia and transphobia), and to adapt support in line with each woman’s
circumstances.
Additional Information
- The role is primarily refuge-based but includes community work.
- Enhanced DBS check required.
- Participation in occasional out-of-hours work may be requested.
- Being on-call
This post is open to women only under the Equality Act 2010 (Schedule 9, Part 1).
Terms/benefits:
- We offer 27 days holiday plus bank holidays.
- 3% pension contribution
- Healthcare (cash) scheme after successfully completing probationary period.
HOW TO APPLY
Please send an up to date CV and no more than 2 A4 pages on how you meet the Person
Specification to [email protected] by 12 noon on the closing date.
Interviews will be held in Warrington on week commencing 17th August 2026
Pay: £27,711.00-£31,022.00 per year
Work Location: In person
