Service Improvement Officer - Domestic Abuse

Brief - Domestic Abuse Service Improvement Officer (PO3)

Waltham Forest Council Housing Service is looking to recruit one fixed term (12 months) part-time (three days a week/21.75 hours) Domestic Abuse Service Improvement Officer to lead on the delivery of our domestic abuse service improvement programme.

Background

 Waltham Forest Housing Service recognises the crucial role housing providers play in providing safe accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse and in taking action to hold perpetrators to account. At the end of 2020, we embarked on a fifteen-month programme to upskill staff in domestic abuse awareness and ensure policies and procedures were survivor-led and trauma-informed. At the end of this programme, in February 2022, we were successfully awarded the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation. The next step for us is to implement the findings of DAHA’s review of our service and continue work to enhance the support available to survivors.

This programme directly aligns with the Council’s corporate priority of ensuring residents live safe and healthy lives, as included within our Public Service Strategy. The London Borough of Waltham Forest has a proud history as an award-winning example of innovative public service. Bursting with culture, innovation, energy and opportunity, Waltham Forest is a place people want to live, raise a family, start a business and work. In 2019 the Council won Municipal Journal Local Authority of the Year as well as becoming the 1st London Borough of Culture. Public service has been at the heart of our response to Covid-19 and our new strategy sets out how we will continue to change our ways of working to become a more modern, efficient and responsive organisation.

Housing is central to our future plans and our priority is to ensure everyone has a decent roof over their head. Now is an exciting time to join our Housing Services department as we seek to rebuild from the pandemic and take advantage of further opportunities to grow and innovate. We are looking for the right people with the initiative and commitment to make our ambitious plans a reality!

The Role

The role will lead on the delivery of the Housing Service domestic abuse service improvement programme. This will involve;

• Project managing the delivery of recommendations from the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) service improvement report, and furthering the service improvement programme.
• Project Managing the delivery of domestic abuse awareness training to a range of Housing Staff and key delivery partners e.g. repairs subcontractors, housing associations. Directly providing basic awareness training to back-office housing staff.
• Raising awareness of domestic abuse and other forms of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) within the housing service and key delivery partners, as well as developing external communication resources to raise awareness amongst tenants and Waltham Forest residents.
• Supporting Housing Heads of Service to conduct audits of domestic abuse casework, and monitoring any actions to improve case audit outcomes.
• Responding to consultations, needs assessments and calls to evidence (or similar) from national Government and Regional Government as appropriate and advising on and interpreting key legislative and policy changes, to support the development of policies, strategies, programmes, and practices.
• Enhancing partnership working with key service delivery organisations such as Repairs Subcontractors, Tenant Management Organisations, and Housing Associations. Representing the Housing Service at internal and external forums and
• Carrying out all duties with due regard to the provisions of health and safety regulations and legislation, data protection legislation, the Council’s equal opportunities and customer care policies, and any local agreements.

The role will work closely with the Housing Options service (homelessness support, temporary accommodation, and rehousing) as well as Housing Management (supporting council tenants). The London Borough of Waltham Forest manages 9,000 tenanted homes, 3,000 leaseholder properties, and supports over twenty Housing Associations in the management of <10,000 social housing properties.

We are looking for self-motivated individuals with a passion for tackling domestic abuse who can work independently and are willing to take initiative where needed.

This role would sit within the Housing Strategy Team and be line managed by the Head of Housing Strategy.