Hello,
I am currently undertaking my Social Work masters. However, before this I have done alot of work with domestic violence support services.
I was wondering if there are jobs for social workers to specialise in domestic violence? It is an area I would love to go in to, however when I look on google it seems this type of job is only in America. Does any one know of a domestic violence job that a qualified social worker could go into, or does it just not exist in England?
Thanks
mailto:recruitment@solacewomensaid.org
That type of work is usually done by an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) which you do not require a social work degree for but many IDVA posts are funded at a similar level to starting pay scale social work jobs. If you have experience of domestic violence services you are probably aware of this role already so I will not post links around this.
In both Children and Adult services it is highly likely you will have the chance to work with people experiencing domestic violence, just not to the extent that you will be working with it day in day out.
Personally I don't think a DV dedicated role is a good idea as you could get saturated. You need a bit of variety to keep a balanced view.
In Scotland, Criminal Justice Social Workers and Social Workers in specialist Offender programme projects will work with the perpetrators of Domestic violence.
It is seen as important that the victim of that perpetrators violence has their own separate support social worker or worker, who can link/confirm information back and forth, but without having the prime focus of the victim compromised.
I think the pioneers of this were the "Caledonia" or "Caledonian" Domestic Violence project and I think this was based in Edinburgh.
You should find it if you google a combination of those words.
If you want to be really controversial, you could go and have a look at a website for an organisation called " Mensaid"
( "mens aid", not "men said") They are concerned at the lack of services for the victims of female on male domestic violence. The ratio of reported incidents is now about one in five or 20% . Of course they argue that the actual cases of men suffering in silence and not reporting it or simply walking away and conceding loss of family assets and child contact is a lot higher.
They seem to manage to stimulate a lot of volatile and emotive response in people with their campaign, which is quite interesting in itself.
I imagine that this could form at least a useful part of your literature review, though I imagine you will go on to focus on the more easily categorised male on female pnenomenon.
Thanks for all your input.
I am aware of the IDVA role, and it is the kind of thing I was definitely interested in. However I would have to under go extra (rather expensive) training in order to do it. So I was hoping other options may be available to me. I googled the Caledonian system, it is just what I was interested in! It’s a shame its only in Scotland
Silver Sage – I think you miss-understood the question. I was wondering what jobs are available in domestic violence, I am not doing a dissertation or literature review on the topic.
Silver Sage:I imagine that this could form at least a useful part of your literature review, though I imagine you will go on to focus on the more easily categorised male on female pnenomenon.
*%*>*!$?..........Maybe I read it wrong, but I thought the op was looking for a job with women subject to domestic abuse?
O.P, all these sort of jobs in the area local to you will be advertised in your library.
Redana - You read it right, I am wondering what social work jobs would be available in the domestic abuse area. I think Silver Sage miss understood.I will keep searching the job postings, but it seems the majority of domestic violence jobs are for support, rather than social work posts.
social_work_student: Redana - You read it right, I am wondering what social work jobs would be available in the domestic abuse area. I think Silver Sage miss understood.I will keep searching the job postings, but it seems the majority of domestic violence jobs are for support, rather than social work posts.
They are and they tend to be less well paid in general. I looked into it myself a few years ago, but didn't want the 10k per year pay drop.
I also agree that it might be better to start out by getting more varied experience because at the start of your career it could be limiting.
I did.....its sage-related cofusion, the criticism of which could constitute hate crime!
Hi,
I work as a caseworker for a DV organisation, which I really enjoy. I haven't been there long, but I do know of colleagues who started as caseworkers (on not a terrible salary) and then got part funding for the IDVA role. So I guess if it's something you really want to do, that may be the best route in. As a social worker there are no specific DV roles.
Hi social work student.
I am a practicing specialist domestic violence social worker in statutory children's social care. I have been in this role for three ears and there are two of us in the particular borough I work in. The previous London borough I worked in there are 3. Both situations are unusal but definitely essential in children's social care. Happy to chat more about the role with you but will say, they are not roles that come about very often.
Redlesweb,
I stand corrected! Thank you.
you will become a specialist in DV work with your case work ALL my child care cases have some level of domestic violence within them- this may not be what you want to hear but so much of SW in child care services involves the toxic trio of DV, mental illness, substance misuse and variations on this
get qualified, find extra training, link up with lots of services and remember that men are subjected to DV and think about roles which work with children who have witnessed DV, been injured as a result of DV etc
keep all your options open. at present, just a thought?