Senior Practitioner, Triage

Ref FDI26/13: To apply for this role, please download and read the full job description/person specification and if you feel you meet the criteria, please download an application form and return it, along with the optional equality monitoring form, to: recruitment@fearfree.org.uk.

FearFree delivers services across the Southwest for victims, children and perpetrators of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking with the aim to break the cycle of abuse and support all to live free from fear. We provide trauma responsive support, and this post will be fundamental to ensuring service users, stakeholders and partners experience this in our daily delivery

Our Triage Team act as the front door into our service providing a responsive, trauma-informed service via the duty line and referral pathways. The Triage Team is a multi-disciplinary team that provides triage and early intervention support to individuals of all ages and risk levels affected by domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking, including those with harmful behaviors. Our duty line operates Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm and allows for service users and professionals to get a quick response from our service.

As a Senior Practitioner, you will play a key role in supporting the effective day-to-day delivery of the triage service. This includes:

• Acting as a lead practitioner within the duty line / call handling function
• Providing expert advice, oversight and decision-making on complex cases
• Supporting quality, consistency, and safe practice across the team
• Providing line management and supervision to a small number of staff.

You will combine hands-on call handling and casework with practice leadership, ensuring high standards in risk assessment, safeguarding and service user experience.

FearFree is committed to flexible and hybrid working and this role will be a mix of home based, and office based, alongside requiring travel for multi-agency meetings and other deliverables.

This role may include evening and weekend work when required.

Key Responsibilities

Practice Leadership and Team Support

• Act as a senior point of contact for triage staff, providing day-to-day guidance and decision-making support.
• Provide line management to a small team, including supervision, support, and development
• Support staff to develop skills in call handling, risk assessment, and safeguarding practice
• Promote a culture of reflective, trauma-informed practice and wellbeing.
• Assist the Team Manager with induction, mentoring, and performance support

Duty Line and Call Handling Expertise

• Take an active role in the triage duty line, managing calls, referrals and enquiries
• Demonstrate and model best practice in call handling, including:
  • empathic communication
  • call control and de-escalation
  • accurate information gathering
  • clear decision-making and next steps
• Respond to complex, high-risk or escalated calls
• Support team members with live case consultation during duty
• Ensure a high-quality first response, recognising this is often the first contact for service users

Safeguarding and Risk Management

• Lead on risk assessment and safety planning, using tools such as DASH, RIC and other relevant frameworks
• Provide guidance on complex safeguarding decisions and high-risk cases
• Support the team to respond to crisis situations, including suicidal ideation and immediate risk
• Make and advise on referrals to:
  • Children’s Social Care
  • Adult Social Care
  • MARAC
  • Mental health and emergency services
• Ensure safeguarding practice is robust, timely and in line with policy

Quality Assurance and Practice Oversight

• Support the Team Manager in maintaining quality standards across the triage function
• Review and provide feedback on:
  • case records
  • risk assessments
  • referrals and decision-making
• Identify themes, risks and learning from triage activity and share with management
• Promote consistency and good practice across the team

Multi-Agency Working

• Act as a key contact for internal colleagues and external partners
• Provide professional advice to multi-agency stakeholders
• Maintain strong working relationships to improve outcomes for service users
• Support attendance at multi-agency forums where required

Operational and Administrative Duties

• Ensure calls, referrals and enquiries are managed efficiently and safely
• Maintain accurate and timely records
• Support monitoring, reporting and service performance requirements
• Assist with rotas, duty cover and workload distribution where required (supporting manager oversight)