An Insight Into The Role of A Domestic Abuse Navigator
An Insight Into The Role Of A… Domestic Abuse Navigator.
Foundation Durham offers the Domestic Abuse Navigator service which provides a responsive integrated support service for clients with complex needs who are fleeing domestic abuse.
It provides assertive outreach and strength based needs-led support to help clients (and their children) navigate and overcome barriers which have prevented them from accessing stable accommodation. The service supports clients to enable them to take control back over their lives and improve their safety, well-being and independence. The service also supports men who have experienced domestic abuse and enables them to take back control of their lives, regaining their independence and improving their sense of safety and well-being.
Inclusion and accessibility are at the core of the service. It aims to reach diverse communities within County Durham, including those within the LGBTQ+ community and ethnic minorities, ensuring support is culturally and socially appropriate, tailored to the individual’s needs.
Foundation Durham is a registered social landlord that supports victims fleeing domestic abuse to access safe accommodation and support clients to rebuild their lives in the wake of domestic abuse.
Foundation Durham supports clients to gain independence and take an active part in working towards their recovery. Domestic Abuse Navigators support adults with complex needs who are unable to access other services due to their complex experiences.
To learn more about this role and the service, read on as we caught up with Amiee Kealey, Team Leader at Foundation Durham.
Tell us about your experience working at Foundation Durham.
I first came to Foundation Durham as a Dual Diagnosis Worker on a pilot scheme to support clients who were experiencing mental health issues and issues surrounding drugs and alcohol. Whilst working on the services I worked closely with our DAN (Domestic Abuse Navigator) service to support clients who had experienced domestic abuse. I discovered that clients accessing the DAN service were unable to access some traditional services due to their complex needs. During my time on the dual diagnosis services, I worked very closely with the DAN services and noticed that a staggering number of victims and survivors suffered with complex issues due to the abuse they had experienced, which creates further barriers for them to access support.
I feel very privileged to work so closely with people who have entrusted the DAN services with their stories. I felt very proud in helping them to reach their goals and take positive steps towards recovery. We can make a real difference every single day and that’s what makes the job so rewarding.
What does your team of Domestic Abuse Navigators do?
Domestic Abuse Navigators are responsible for supporting clients to access safe accommodation. Our navigators support clients to move into our supported accommodation, ensuring the safe and smooth running of the service. Domestic Abuse Navigators support clients to learn about healthy relationships and support them to break patterns of abuse. Our domestic abuse navigators also support clients with multiple disadvantages, reach services to address other issues that they be presented with.
We focus on building therapeutic relationships, working collaboratively to identify key areas of development and provide support around emotional, mental, and physical health.
We work together with a range of multi-disciplinary teams and develop support plans focusing on things like daily living skills, meaningful activity, crisis risk management and coping strategies. We support people and empower them to engage with treatment, prevention, and intervention.
No two days are the same and there are always new opportunities to learn and develop.
What advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a Domestic Abuse Navigator?
There are several qualities that I believe are essential to have if you are considering becoming a Domestic Abuse Navigator…
-A caring nature – Showing kindness and compassion is integral to building positive relationships where people can feel safe.
-Being non-judgemental – It is important that people feel they can approach you and have honest conversations without fear of judgement.
-Patience – Everyone’s journey is unique, and recovery is not always linear, therefore it is important to approach situations in a calm, understanding and person-centred manner.
-Good communication and active listening skills – We need to ensure that people feel as though their voices are heard and include them in all aspects of their care.
-Problem solving skills – The ability to be adaptable and think creatively to achieve the best outcomes when problems arise is key.
My advice would be to never lose sight of what inspired you to choose this career, keep service users at the heart of everything you do and remember that it’s so important to look after yourself too.