Becoming an IDVA

An IDVA gives independent, specialist emotional and practical support to people harmed by domestic abuse, whether or not they have reported to the police.

The role

The work includes assessing risk, building a safety plan, supporting the survivor through the courts and speaking up for them at meetings such as MARACs.

Since May 2025 the role has been recognised in statutory guidance issued under the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, which sets clear expectations for training and supervision.

Routes into IDVA work

Most people come into IDVA work from related roles in support work, housing, social care or the voluntary sector, bringing skills that transfer into advocacy.

Lived experience and a strong commitment to survivors matter as much as any particular background, and many services value both when they recruit new advocates.

Some people start in an outreach or support role in a domestic abuse service, then move into an IDVA post as their experience grows.

Qualifications

The statutory guidance expects IDVAs and ISVAs to have a Level 3 regulated qualification relevant to the role as a minimum standard for practice.

That qualification covers areas such as risk, case management, trauma-informed practice and the criminal and civil justice systems that survivors have to navigate.

Many employers support new advocates to complete the qualification once they are in post, and accredited courses are often funded by the employer or commissioner.

The guidance also expects advocates to keep learning throughout their career and to receive regular clinical supervision, so the qualification is the start of development.

Training as an IIDSVA

Our IIDSVA programme leads to the OCN London Level 3 Certificate in Domestic Abuse: Prevention and Early Intervention, with the Diploma available as an enhancement.

Every learner completes the IDVA and ISVA units, so they leave able to work across domestic and sexual violence and abuse with an intersectional lens.

The programme runs over twenty-one online training days, and you can register interest in future cohorts or ask about closed cohorts for your team.

Next steps

You can experience our approach at a free one-hour introduction to the Intersectional Risk Tracker Tool before you decide whether the IIDSVA programme suits you.

You can find answers to common questions about the IDVA and ISVA roles in our IDVA, ISVA and IIDSVA FAQs.