Exchange House Ireland now wishes to recruit an

Domestic Abuse Senior Social Work Practitioner

Full-time; 12-Month Contract

Job Description

Outline of the position

• An exciting opportunity to lead the development of a comprehensive domestic abuse service to meet the needs of the Traveller community. The service aims to enhance survivor safety by reducing risk through a holistic community-led response. The role involves direct work with individuals who perpetrate domestic abuse as well as with survivors including Traveller children and young people. The development and delivery of models of practice including programmes for perpetrators of domestic abuse, peer group-work, early intervention, support for children, awareness raising and inter-agency work will be core activities of the role.
• The Domestic Abuse Service sits within the Family Support and Crisis Intervention Service in Exchange House Ireland which provides frontline services to the Traveller community within the greater Dublin area.

Reporting to

• Family Support and Crisis Intervention Service Manager and/or National Traveller Mental Health Service Manager.

Main duties

Case Work

• Manage a complex caseload of individuals and families affected by domestic abuse, requiring a high level of social work competency and expertise in domestic abuse.
• Provide one-to-one support including crisis intervention, safety planning, court accompaniment.
• Deliver evidenced-informed group and individual interventions to perpetrators of domestic abuse.
• Support perpetrators of domestic abuse to understand the impact of their behaviour on their partners, children and other family members.
• Support perpetrators to develop and implement behaviour change and risk management.
• Manage challenging behaviour professionally, maintaining clear boundaries.
• Monitor and review progress, ensuring accountability and engagement.
• Support individuals and families affected by domestic abuse to understand legal processes including protection orders and child contact arrangements.
• Link individuals and families affected by domestic abuse to relevant support services e.g. mental health, housing etc.
• Adhere to procedures outlined in Children First legislation and guidance, safeguarding and confidentiality policies, ensuring that survivor safety is always the priority.

Leadership and Service Development

• Provide support and guidance to colleagues working domestic abuse cases.
• Supervise and support students and newly qualified social workers.
• Deputise for the Service Manager as appropriate.
• Develop models of evidence-informed practice in the area of domestic abuse in line with national policies and strategies and international best practice.
• Review and contribute to the organisations’ policies, procedures, guidelines to reflect best practice in the area of domestic abuse.
• Develop and deliver a community-led, scoping exercise to develop interventions for perpetrators of domestic abuse.
• Develop and deliver domestic abuse initiatives including outreach and preventative interventions.
• Support capacity building to facilitate peer group work to engage the community around the issue of domestic abuse.
• Develop strategies for raising awareness around domestic abuse within the community.
• Collate data from Exchange House Ireland, as well as other relevant stakeholders.

Inter-Departmental and Inter-Agency Work

• Liaise with the Designated Liaison Person in Exchange House Ireland in all matters related to Child Protection and safeguarding.
• Liaise with the Designated Liaison Person in Exchange House Ireland in all matters related to Child Protection and safeguarding.
• Work closely and holistically with other Exchange House Ireland departments.
• Contribute to Exchange House Ireland organisational development as required.
• Contribute and participate in Exchange House Ireland EU projects.
• Attend Conferences and seminars as approved by line manager and CEO.
• Attend relevant inter-agency committees, forums, working groups, and interdisciplinary settings to support the inclusion of Traveller issues in dialogue regarding domestic abuse.
• Develop positive working relationship with all relevant agencies, statutory and voluntary, to promote needs of the Traveller community.
• Work in partnership with relevant agencies including An Garda Síochána, Tusla Child and Family Agency, probation services, and domestic abuse support organisations to manage risk and enhance survivor safety.
• Liaise with outside agencies to develop awareness campaigns and regular service launches, round table discusses etc.
• Improve the capacity of outside agencies to provide equitable access to their service for the Traveller community.

Record Keeping

• Adhere to service’s system of record keeping in relation to clients, work records, statistics etc.
• Furnish line manager and CEO with records, statistics as required.
• Provide written reports to line manager or CEO when required.

Other Duties

• Uphold the ethos of Exchange House Ireland, which operates accordingly to the principles of community development.
• Attend relevant internal and external training.
• Participate in documented support and supervision sessions with the Line Manager in accordance with Exchange House Ireland’s policy and guidelines of staff supervision.
• Provide cover for other members of staff when required.
• Take on other tasks and duties that will further develop the aims and objectives of Exchange House Ireland as requested by the CEO and Board of Management Directors.

Person Specification

Qualifications:

• Social Work Qualification.
• Must hold current membership of CORU.

Experience in the following is essential:

• Experience in working with survivors or perpetrators of domestic abuse.
• Experience working within family support, safeguarding, behaviour-change or related fields.
• Experience of report writing and assessments.
• Experience of working within a medical/social work/community/statutory work setting.

Experience in the following is desirable

• Experience in working with perpetrators of domestic abuse.
• Previous experience of working with the Traveller Community.
• Experience of delivering mental health interventions e.g. motivational interviewing.

Job Specific Competencies and Knowledge

• Demonstrate knowledge of social work principles and practice (theories and values) particularly around domestic abuse, trauma and relevant policy and practice.
• Demonstrate an understanding of community development approach.
• Ability to develop and deliver group work with perpetrators around domestic abuse.
• Ability to be a strong advocate for the community in inter-agency or multi-disciplinary settings.
• Ability to challenge behaviours constructively while maintaining a non-judgemental approach.
• Ability to partner with individuals to  to develop and implement risk management, crisis intervention, behaviour change and personal development.
• Ability to work in crisis situations.
• Ability to work as part of a team and on own initiative.
• Ability to supervise and support staff as appropriate.
• Ability to work with individuals at various levels and in various positions.

Attributes and Attitude:

• Commitment to Traveller work and Travellers.
• Commitment to survivor safety and perpetrator accountability.
• Ability to manage conflict and challenging effectively.
• Reflective and non-judgemental.
• Communicates effectively both orally and written.
• Self-motivated and proactive.
• Ability to work on own initiative and motivate others.
• Ability to work under pressure and in stressful environments.
• Ability to work flexibly and with others.

Terms and Conditions

Based in

• Exchange House Ireland’s offices on Great Strand Street, Dublin 1, D01 WC97.
• Outreach and site work will be a part of this work and as such, access to a car is desirable with a full clean license, current NCT, tax and insurance which covers the vehicle for work purposes.

​Hours of work

• 35 hours net per week
• Some flexibility may be required on occasion in relation to working hours and travelling.
• Opportunity for hybrid working at manager’s discretion.

Salary:

• 12-Month contract.
• The salary will be as per the HSE’s Senior Social Work Practitioner scale 2025 [€ 61,440- € 79,126] commensurate with qualifications and experience

How to apply

If you feel you are a good fit for Exchange House Ireland and would enjoy working with us, please send your application to HR@exchangehouse.ie with the subject line ‘Domestic Abuse Senior Social Work Practitioner Application’.

• Your application must include a cover letter and up-to-date CV combined and sent in one document
• Please keep your cover letter to a maximum of one page. In your cover letter, include:
  • Why you feel you are a good fit for this role with Exchange House Ireland; and
  • Details of your relevant experience

More information is available by calling the HR Department on 01 872 1094

Closing date for receipt of applications is Monday 15th June 2025 at 17:00

This position is supported with funding from Cuan, the National Agency for coordinating Ireland’s response to Domestic, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) under the remit of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

• Applications from members of the Traveller community, with relevant qualifications, are especially welcome.
• All positions in Exchange House Ireland are subject to Garda Vetting and full reference checks.
• All positions in Exchange House Ireland are subject to ongoing funding.
• All applicants must have the eligibility to work in Ireland.
• This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the responsibilities and requirements of the position. It may be subject to change based on the organisation's needs and the evolving nature of the role.
• Exchange House Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer.