Job Description

Refuge Support Worker

Would you like to be part of our team, working to prevent domestic abuse in all its forms and to support and empower those affected by it?

We provide a range of practical and confidential help and support services for residents in West Sussex, including refuge accommodation for women and their children, recovery support groups, 1 to 1 guidance and advocacy, and training and support for professionals.

As a

Refuge Support Worker

your job will be to provide practical and emotional support to women and their children at a time when they need it most, ensuring that they have a safe and welcoming place to live while we help them work towards taking control of their own lives and rebuilding their self-esteem. This will include supporting them to access housing, welfare, benefits and legal advice.

Location: Around the Worthing area (with travel across West Sussex required at times)

Hours: 16 hours per week, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between 9:30 am and 4:00 pm (specific hours to be agreed).

Salary: 11,395 per annum (26,351 FTE)

Benefits: 5 working weeks holiday plus bank holidays (pro rata)

Auto-enrolment into the NEST pension scheme after 3 months' service

Enhanced sickness pay after probationary period (6 months)

Personal and professional development opportunities

Employee Assistance Programme (24 hour access to wellbeing, legal and family support)

Your role will be busy, interesting and varied, but key responsibilities will include:

Welcoming new residents into the refuge, ensuring their rooms are ready and providing a full induction Assessing residents' support needs, and providing practical and emotional support to them through regular key working sessions, ensuring they engage with their individual support plans Encouraging a supportive environment in the refuge, organising regular house meetings and activities for the women and positive interaction with their children Working in partnership with voluntary and statutory organisations, including Local Authorities and Children's Social Care and other external agencies, keeping up to date with local resources and services available Supporting residents to access benefits, legal assistance, GP and mental health support if required Offering a support plan for residents when the time comes for them to move on from refuge Being available to respond to emergencies outside office hours on a rota basis Ensuring any safeguarding issues for children or vulnerable adults are raised immediately as per our safeguarding policies.

This job could be right for you

if you have:

2 years' experience of working with vulnerable client groups a good working knowledge of domestic violence/ abuse related issues sound knowledge of safeguarding vulnerable adults and/or children some knowledge or direct experience of the benefits system (e.g. housing, universal credit, PIP) effective and sensitive communication skills good administrative skills, including PC use for accurate record keeping and reporting
Above all else, we would like to hear from you if you are passionate about working hard to ensure that our refuge service provides a place of safety where women and their children can begin to rebuild their lives.

To Apply

Please email your CV to recruitment@safeinsussex.org.uk along with a covering supporting statement which gives examples of how your skills and experience are relevant to this role. This could draw from current or past employment, voluntary or community work, leisure activities or home based experience, or your training and education history. Unfortunately, we will be unable to process applications that do not include a separate supporting statement.

The closing date

is 11th June 2025, but we may bring this forward if we receive a high number of quality applications before this date. Interviews will be held as close to this date as possible.

Thank you for taking an interest in Safe in Sussex, and we look forward to receiving your application.

Please note that due to the nature of the work this post has a genuine occupational requirement to be open to females only and is exempt under the Equality Act 2010 pursuant to Schedule 9, Part 1. As part of our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, we actively encourage applicants from Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority backgrounds. Unfortunately, the layout of our Refuge accommodation makes this role unsuitable for wheelchair users.

For the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998, information provided as part of your application may be stored for reference purposes by Safe in Sussex for up to 36 months after the recruitment process has been completed. If you are appointed, such information and any supplementary papers you provide will form a part of your personnel records during your employment with Safe in Sussex and will be archived for 7 years after the end of your employment.

Worthing Women's Aid t/a Safe in Sussex is a registered charity, number 1098726.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: 13.70 per hour

Expected hours: 16 per week

Benefits:

Additional leave Bereavement leave Casual dress Company pension Health & wellbeing programme Sick pay
Schedule:

Day shift Weekend availability
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 11/06/2025
Reference ID: RSWW0625