Independent Domestic Violence Adviser

We are Hestia. We make a difference. 

At Hestia, we live by our values and are committed to a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation that provides a variety of services such as Domestic Abuse, Modern Slavery, Mental Health & Complex Needs and Criminal Justice. We are committed to empower people to rebuild their lives and regain independence. 

The service you will work in….

Slough Domestic Abuse Services delivers an Independent Domestic Abuse Advocacy / Advice service across Berkshire. With the main office based in Slough, the service also provides Specialist Domestic Abuse Worker and Domestic Abuse Educational Programmes.    

Working closely with key stakeholders such as the Police, local authority, social services and community groups, the aim of the service is to provide an integrated domestic abuse response to survivors of abuse to reduce risk and facilitate a life free from abuse.

A day in this role looks like….

As an Independent Domestic Violence Adviser at Hestia, you will play a crucial role in our Domestic Abuse Service. Your contributions will directly influence the lives of our service users, guiding them towards a path of empowerment and independence.

A day will never look the same and some of the things you can expect to do/be responsible for are:

• Deliver Advocacy services for all (Male and Female) high-risk survivors of Domestic Abuse whilst they are in hospital or accessing healthcare services.


• Provide a single point of access to males and females at all levels of risk, aiming to return calls within 24 hours.


• Offer Face to Face appointments in a healthcare setting or the community.


• To work towards key outcomes; to increase feelings of safety, to decrease feelings of fear, to increase the feeling of ‘quality of life', to increase the feeling of confidence.


• To develop, and regularly review person-centred support plans to address individual support needs relating to domestic abuse, legal advice, housing needs, tenancy support, support of children, access to learning or employment dependent on the individual's aspirations and needs.


• Support victims at the point of crisis identifying a range of options available, including access to civil or criminal legal routes, housing options, social welfare benefits and safety planning.


• To create and provide a detailed safety plan for those people experiencing Domestic Abuse and ensure that this is communicated to the appropriate services and make relevant referrals at discharge to reduce the risks.


• Signpost and target casework and volunteer support for victims identified as medium to lower risk by the DASH Risk Assessment and risk assessment based on professional judgement.


• Make appropriate adult and child safeguarding referrals when safeguarding issues are raised.


• To be an ambassador for Hestia, working in partnership with other agencies to ensure an effective, coordinated community response to survivors of domestic violence and their children.


• To ensure that the Lone Working policy is adhered to and all staff members have a risk assessment in place

Why Hestia?

Joining Hestia means more than just a job; it's an opportunity to be part of something bigger. We offer a supportive, inclusive and resolution driven work environment where your contributions are recognised and valued. As a member of our team, you will have the chance to grow both personally and professionally while making a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.

We are looking for candidates who bring a combination of passion, expertise, and dedication to the table. To excel in this role, you should possess:

• Excellent knowledge of the impact of domestic abuse and other gender based violence on survivors and their children.


• Experience of providing emotional and practical support to survivors of domestic abuse and other gender based violence.


• Ability to build positive relationships with the service users and to work in a non-judgmental way and non-directive way to empower the service users to achieve their goals and aspirations.


• Experience of risk assessing, safety and support planning for the survivors of domestic and other gender based violence.


• Awareness of risks associated with domestic violence in a working environment.


• Working knowledge of the relevant housing law and welfare benefits that apply to survivors and their children using the service.


• Knowledge of legal remedies and welfare benefits available to survivors experiencing domestic violence and other gender-based forms of violence/abuse.


• Experience of working within a multi-agency setting with the ability to develop and cultivate strong multiagency links.


• Knowledge and experience of participating in the MARAC process.


• Experience and ability to design and deliver specialist DA training to relevant professionals within the Trust.


• Ability to monitor, evaluate and incorporate learning from training for the development of the service.


• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues and ability to address them appropriately.


• Experience of promoting and developing service user involvement/co – production.


• Evidence of being able to work effectively and be calm and resilient under pressure.


• Highly developed interpersonal, written and oral communication skills and ability to manage complex tasks in clearly defined time frames (including accurate records, reports, case notes and interpersonal communication).


• Section 7(2) b & e of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 apply to this position – (Only Female applicants Please).

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer…

Hestia is a disability confident employer, committed to the employment and career development of individual with disabilities. As part of this commitment, we operate a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We will also accommodate reasonable adjustment during the selection and interview process and throughout your employment with us.