About the role
Join Us as a Domestic Abuse Proactive Support Specialist (DAPSS)
Be at the forefront of national change. Save lives. Shape the future of domestic abuse response.
Cambridgeshire is proud to be part of Phase 2 of the national rollout of Raneem’s Law — a landmark initiative transforming the way police respond to domestic abuse emergencies.
Raneem’s Law was introduced after the tragic murders of Raneem Oudeh and Khaola Saleem, following multiple emergency calls where critical warning signs were missed. This role exists to ensure that never happens again.
This isn’t just a job — it’s a chance to be part of a nationally significant step forward in domestic abuse protection.
As part of this pioneering programme, we are recruiting four passionate, highly skilled Domestic Abuse Proactive Support Specialists to work at the very heart of emergency response: the 999 Force Communications Centre.
This is a rare and powerful opportunity to directly influence real‑time decision‑making, strengthen victim safety at the most critical moments, and address the gaps that have cost lives in the past.
For more information or to chat about this opportunity please contact Julia.Cullum@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
What will you be doing?
As a DAPSS, you will bring your specialist domestic abuse expertise directly into the police environment — providing immediate, expert advice to call handlers and officers in real time to ensure no safeguarding opportunity is missed.
You will be employed by the Cambridgeshire IDVA Service and your week will be split between:
♀️ The Police Force Communications Centre (Huntingdon HQ)
- Responding instantly to high‑risk domestic abuse incidents
- Guiding officers and call handlers on risk, safeguarding, and survivor‑centred practice
- Helping shape high‑quality police responses under Raneem’s Law
The IDVA Service
- Providing direct support to victims and survivors
- Holding a small caseload
- Using your on‑the‑ground control room insights to improve our wider system response
Your expertise will directly improve safety, influence culture change, and strengthen partnership work between policing and specialist services.
Hours and working pattern
You will work a 5‑day week, with approximately 2–3 days in the Control Room and 2–3 days in the IDVA Service.
Control Room shifts:
- Sun–Thu: 2pm–10pm
- Fri–Sat: 4pm–12am
You will work roughly one weekend in three, with compensatory days off during the week.
Enhanced pay applies to:
- Saturday shifts
- Sunday shifts
- Bank Holidays
- All hours worked after 10pm
Flexible working is possible when not on shift.
About you
We’re looking for exceptional candidates with:
- Deep knowledge of domestic abuse dynamics
- Extensive experience supporting victim/survivors, particularly those at high risk
- The confidence to make fast, informed professional judgements
- Strong partnership skills and the ability to work within multi‑agency systems
- A commitment to survivor‑centred practice and trauma‑informed responses
If you thrive in high‑pressure environments, care deeply about saving lives, and want to shape national practice, this role is for you.
Be part of something truly transformational
This is an extraordinary opportunity to use your expertise in a setting where your knowledge will directly and immediately protect victims, influence frontline policing, and contribute to a landmark national initiative.
If you’re ready to step into a role with impact, purpose, and national significance, we would love to hear from you.
Interview dates – 24th and 28th April
Our benefits
We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension and mileage…
- A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family
- Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro-rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme
- Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
- Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
- Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth
- Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
- Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network
- Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards
- An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in-store and online discounts as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes
Take a look at our Employment Benefits Brochure attached to this advert to find out more.
About us
Cambridgeshire is a great place to work and live with a diverse population, an urban centre in Cambridge, historic Isle of Ely, Huntingdon and St Ives as well as more rural landscapes.
Our four values are central to our culture, driving everything we do.
We are proud to serve the diverse communities of Cambridgeshire and want our workforce to be reflective of this diversity, which we firmly believe benefits our colleagues, the organisation and our communities. If you don’t meet every single requirement in the job role but think this could be you, please don’t be put off. We are committed to building a workplace that is compassionate and inclusive as well as diverse, so if you think you could be a good candidate for this role please consider applying and speak to the recruiting manager if you have any questions.
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, along with our employee network 'IDEAL' and self-organised peer support groups help us to foster an inclusive, supportive and safe working environment where people feel valued, respected, and empowered. We collect relevant diversity data for monitoring as part of the recruitment process to understand the diversity of our applicants and monitor any trends throughout the recruitment processes so that we can take meaningful action.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We fully support providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process, as well as when you join us, and we encourage candidates to contact the Hiring Manager, whose details can be found in the advert, to discuss any adjustment needs. Through a Guaranteed Interview Scheme, we will offer an interview to all applicants who disclose a disability and meet the essential criteria for a job vacancy. On your application form you can indicate you are disabled. Some examples of reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process could include additional time to complete an assessment or printing a document on pastel coloured paper with larger font size and line spacing. We would value talking about what might be possible to enable you to join us and thrive, so if there is something that would help you to do your best during your journey with us, please get in touch.
Visit our jobs and careers section to find out more about our wide range of learning and development opportunities; apprenticeships; our wellbeing package; staff benefits; our commitment to equality, diversity and Inclusion.
Attached documents
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