Independent Domestic Violence Adviser (IDVA)

IDVAs (Independent Domestic Violence Advisers) occupy a distinct and formally accredited specialist role within the domestic abuse sector, quite different in scope, caseload, and accountability from a general DA support worker. You work exclusively with survivors assessed as high-risk of serious harm or homicide, identified through the SafeLives DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour-Based Abuse) risk assessment tool. Your statutory function is to act as the primary point of contact for those survivors within the MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference) system — attending MARAC meetings on behalf of your client, presenting their voice and risk profile to a multi-agency panel that includes police, housing, social care, probation, and health, and coordinating the resulting safety plan across agencies. At the sharp end of your role, you accompany clients through the criminal justice process: attending court, liaising with the CPS on charging decisions and special measures, supporting clients through trials, and acting as the bridge between survivor and a system that can feel hostile, slow, or incomprehensible. You conduct formal DASH risk assessments, develop comprehensive safety plans, advise on protective legal options (non-molestation orders, occupation orders, Domestic Violence Protection Notices, Stalking Protection Orders), and maintain detailed records with formal multi-agency accountability. The IDVA role requires the SafeLives IDVA training and assessment — a nationally recognised accreditation comprising a three-day foundation training, supervised practice, and a competency portfolio assessment. It is not an entry-level role in the sector — most IDVAs have prior experience in DA support, social work, police, criminal justice, or health settings. You carry a smaller, more intensive caseload than a support worker precisely because each case demands a higher level of forensic engagement, legal awareness, and multi-agency coordination.

The MARAC system is a statutory multi-agency process embedded in police and local authority practice across all 43 police force areas in England and Wales — every area has an IDVA function connected to it. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 significantly extended statutory obligations on local authorities and police relating to DA, increasing institutional demand for accredited IDVA capacity. MARAC referral volumes have grown year on year as police risk assessment and referral processes improve. IDVAs are specifically named in statutory guidance as a required workforce component for high-risk DA work. The accreditation requirement, specialist knowledge, and multi-agency accountabilities mean that experienced IDVAs are genuinely in demand across statutory, third-sector, and NHS-commissioned services. Nationally portable: MARAC exists across all areas, and SafeLives IDVA accreditation is the recognised standard everywhere.

Morning: prepare MARAC submissions for three high-risk cases — reviewing police risk assessment forms (RARPs), completing the MARAC referral proforma for each client, and gathering information from housing, children's services, and GP records. Attend a two-hour MARAC meeting representing six victims, presenting client information, challenging risk assessments where needed, and recording the resulting safety actions. Post-MARAC: contact each client with an update on agency actions and safety measures agreed. Afternoon: accompany a client to the Crown Court for a trial in which her former partner is charged with assault — liaise with the CPS advocate, arrange a familiarisation visit, and support the client through a tense wait before proceedings begin. Update the case management system and respond to a safeguarding query from social care about a client's children.