Refuge Worker

Refuge Worker

Job Description

Responsible to: / Domestic Violence Services Manager / Salary: c. £26, 000pa, pro rata inc ILW / Direct Reports: / N/A
Contractual Status / Maternity Cover - Fixed term for 6 months
Location: / Hounslow / Work Pattern:
9.30am – 17.30pm Monday - Friday
35 hours per week
Job Purpose: / To provide a professional service to abused women and their children who are living in our refuges. To ensure they are provided with a safe and welcoming environment. To empower residents and provide them with practical and emotional support.

Main duties:

1.To provide general counselling and support to residents within a structured key working relationship and to at all times demonstrate an awareness and sensitivity to the support needs of residents.

2.To ensure that women are provided with a high quality service in line with Supporting People requirements. Thatindividual support plans are in place for each resident in accordance with Refuge’s policy.

3.To conductkey work sessions on a regular basis and keep casework records up-to-date and in accordance with Refuge’s requirements.

4.To assess the practical and emotional support needs of residents and to ensure appropriate the referral of residents.

5.To assess benefit requirements of women escaping domestic violence and to ensure prompt take up of housing and other benefits.

6.To welcome new arrivals showing around premises, settling into accommodation, providing information packs, explaining house rules, signing of documentation e.g. residents’ licence agreement and being available to answer any queries and to deal with concerns.

7.To keep and monitor all inventories and obtain resident signatures on admission and exit from Refuge.

8.To arrange for the provision of legal advice as required and accompany women to appointments if appropriate, by arrangement with the line manager.

9.To arrange regular house meetings and seek resident feedback, keeping clear minutes and records of all residents’ comments and concerns, and of outcomes in conjunction with the line manager.

10.To refer women to specialist agencies where appropriate as part of their support plan and with the agreement of the line manager.

11.To make risk assessments in relation to service users and inform the line manager of any risks.

12.To communicate immediately with the line manager any breaches of security, house rules or licence agreements especially where there is concern about safety.

13.With residents explore and assess their housing needs and inform them of housing options. Advocate on their behalf presenting their cases as required.

14.To keep up to date with literature on domestic violence as well as the effects of domestic violence e.g. through reading and training events.

15.To ensure that all women and children are able to access a quality service in accordance with Refuge’s Equal Opportunities Policy. To bring any problems in accessing the service to the attention of the manager.

16.To ensure that any issues in relation to Child Protection matters are brought to the immediate attention of the line manager, or if unavailable another project manager.

17.To ensure that rent payments are collected promptly, properly receipted and secured in the safe.

18.To carry out regular fire and health and safety checks in accordance with Refuge’s policies and procedures. To carry out risk assessment in respect of property.

19.To control access to the refuge when on duty and remind residents to keep building secure when staff are not present. To check daily and ensure efficient working of any entry phone system and effective operation of any security television systems.

20.To ensure that all equipment i.e. fridges, washing machines, cookers, heating, furniture etc. are in safe working order and for periodic testing and maintenance as required by the manager. Ensure that emergency lighting is working and regularly check the safety condition of any children’s play facilities. Ensure fire equipment and fire doors are in working order and not obstructed.

21.In conjunction with the line manager, to arrange and supervise where appropriate garden maintenance, window cleaning and cleaning of communal areas. To ensure a good standard of hygiene is maintained in the refuge. To clean and prepare vacant rooms with fresh bedding etc for re-letting, personally carry out cleaning when required and other light manual duties as needed.

22.To undertake petty cash responsibilities as required by the Line Manager.

23.To develop and maintain positive, collaborative working relationships with all Refuge staff, including colleagues at Head Office and at other sites.

24.To provide any reports or monitoring statistics as required.

25.To work within the confines of confidentiality and ensure that professional boundaries are always maintained when working with residents, staff and external bodies and to work within Refuge’s Code of Conduct. To ensure that security of sensitive information is maintained.

26.To attend any meetings or training either internal or external as requested by the line manager and to attend regular supervision sessions.

27.To work within and implement all Refuge’s policies and procedures, especially those on Individual Support, User Involvement, Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities, Confidentiality and Security.

28.To report any problems/difficulties/complaints to the line manager as soon as possible.

29.To participate in the on call rota to ensure effective out of hours coverage of the service.

30.To carry out any other duties that may be required by the Line Manager. Refuge can require staff to work at any of its other sites.