Refuge Support Assistant

Overview

Location: Caerphilly, Caerphilly, United Kingdom
Salary: £22,932 per annum pro rata (£12.60/hour)
Location: Caerphilly
Contract: Permanent in line with funding - Workplace based
Hours & working pattern: 14 hours per week - Saturday 9:30am-5:00pm and Sunday 9:30am-5:00pm
Team members are offered the opportunity to undertake additional shifts to cover absences. All team members must work flexibly on occasions to meet the needs of the Charity and the people we support.
Accountable to: Assistant Support Services Manager
Purpose of the post: Assist in the delivery of specialised, holistic support to adults and families who have experienced domestic or sexual abuse, harm and violence

Assist in the delivery of specialist, trauma-informed support to adults and/or families living in refuge recognising the impact of domestic or sexual abuse, harm or violence, and responding with empathy, respect, and consistency.

• Contribute to an environment where support is psychologically informed, compassionate, equitable, and grounded in integrity—where every individual feels safe, heard, and supported
• Respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns in line with legislation and organisational policies, maintaining a trauma-informed approach and reporting concerns to your line manager without delay
• Carry out Initial Contact Assessments, working alongside refuge or on-call colleagues to identify which support options best meet the individuals needs and preferences, prioritising need and risk
• Support individuals to access refuge, including arranging transport if needed, offering a warm and respectful welcome, meeting immediate needs (e.g. donated clothing, food), and helping them settle into their accommodation
• Assist individuals in understanding and completing initial paperwork in a timely and supportive manner, including licence agreements, House Expectations, housing benefit claims, and service charge arrangements
• Undertake basic support activities, as requested by a Support Worker or senior colleague, in line with an individuals support plan, needs assessment, risk assessment, safety plan and licence agreement/contract
• Support individuals to maintain their licence/contract agreement through reflective, strengths-based conversations around any minor breaches, and escalating serious concerns to senior colleagues
• Keep Routes to Support updated with current refuge vacancies to support access and referrals
• Facilitate opportunities for connection and community among residents, including inclusive evening and weekend communal activities
• Ensure contributions to records are factual, person-centred, accurate, timely, and confidential, using Cyfannols Case Management System and other internal records
• Encourage and support adults and children to have a voice within Cyfannol and the wider sector, for example by completing surveys, sharing feedback, and participating in relevant events
• Assist in providing the organisation’s out of hours response:

Out of hours response

• Respond to all out of hours phone calls from the Live Fear Free Helpline, other refuges or Tier 2 and 3 on-call colleagues across Cyfannol ensuring effective communication and continuity of support across the team
• Undertake assessments for refuges, with support from on-call colleagues, to make timely and safe decisions based on individual need and risk
• Provide support to colleagues and residents in the event of an incident or emergency at another refuge, contributing to a coordinated and calm response
• Liaise with 2nd and 3rd tier colleagues as needed, ensuring effective communication and continuity of support across the team
• Complete handovers at the end of each shift, both face to face and via email, to ensure consistency, safety and shared understanding across the team

• Contribute to the creation of a safe, welcoming, clean, and calm refuge environment that supports wellbeing and dignity
• Carry out routine monitoring of CCTV and security systems to help maintain a secure setting for residents and staff
• Complete and record daily and weekly health and safety checks as directed by the Facilities Coordinator, ensuring refuge spaces meet…