In May 2025, in compliance with requirements under the Victims and Prisoners Act 2025, the Ministry of Justice issued Statutory Guidance on the role and functions of Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs). The Statutory Guidance aligned this role with the Government’s ambition to standardise victim support roles, strengthen multi-agency working to ensure that victims consistently receive the right support and to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.
However, a new national survey conducted by LimeCulture reveals the ISVA workforce is under intense strain — with sustainable investment and policy reform to safeguard ISVA services now urgently needed.
Based on 150 responses from ISVAs and their managers working on the frontline across 91% of Police Force areas in England and Wales, the report paints a stark picture with:
- Over 50% of ISVAs reported a 20–50% increase in caseloads over the past year.
- Services are being forced to scale back: 65% of services have introduced waiting lists to manage demand, 17% have closed their waiting lists entirely, 7% have tightened access criteria, and 52% have reduced or limited the support they can offer due to capacity constraints.
- Over 75% of ISVAs reported experiencing burnout, with many describing high levels of emotional strain and vicarious trauma.
- Job instability, limited access to continued professional development (CPD), and training gaps compromising the service quality and staff wellbeing.
Despite these pressures, ISVAs remain committed, offering trauma-informed, client-centred care, however, without long-term structural change, the current ISVA service delivery model is not sustainable.
“We have a resilient and extremely skilled workforce, but resilience has its limits. The ISVA role is essential to victim recovery, justice engagement, and safeguarding, yet too many ISVAs are working in conditions that put their wellbeing and effectiveness at risk. We need urgent, coordinated action to protect this workforce and future-proof the support provided by ISVA services that victims and survivors rely on.”
- Stephanie Reardon, CEO, LimeCulture
In response to the Survey findings recommendations have been coproduced by LimeCulture, ISVAs and their Managers and Commissioners. These recommendations include:
For Government
- Provide sustainable, multi-year funding for ISVA services
The Government should commit to long-term, multi-year funding to enable stable, equitable service delivery and workforce retention.
- Invest in National ISVA infrastructure
Support professional networks, training, and operational systems to ensure high-quality, consistent care.
- Create a national ISVA service specification
Develop a unified specification to reduce regional disparities and enable consistent, quality commissioning. The specification should also be capable of being adapted to reflect local needs and context, ensuring services remain relevant and responsive across different communities.
- Support a national minimum data set (MDS)
Implement standardised data collection for transparent monitoring and evidence-based decision making.
- Ensure ISVAs are involved in criminal justice reform
Embed ISVA insight into the design and evaluation of reforms, strengthening survivor-centred processes.
For Commissioners
- Commission services that meet national quality standards
Ensure commissioning aligns with LimeCulture ISVA Service Quality Standards for professional, trauma-informed care.
- Enable effective caseload management
Work with providers to support realistic, complexity-based caseloads to protect quality and workforce wellbeing.
- Invest in local infrastructure
Include funding for training, data systems, supervision, and innovation within contracts.
- Promote ISVA leadership in multi-agency systems
Embed ISVAs in safeguarding and justice partnerships, ensuring their voice shapes coordinated responses.
- Adopt a data-driven, survivor-centred approach to monitoring
Use outcome-focused data and survivor feedback to improve and benchmark service delivery.
For ISVA Services
- Collect and use data to drive quality
Implement systems for risk, outcome, and feedback data to improve accountability and service development.
- Adopt risk- and needs-led caseload management
Prioritise based on complexity, geography, and intensity, not volume alone. Use regular case reviews.
- Prioritise training and professional development
Ensure access to accredited initial training, CPD, and refreshers tailored to diverse client needs.
- Strengthen emotional support provision
Train ISVAs in trauma psychoeducation, emotional regulation, and coping strategies.
- Embed structured supervision and wellbeing
Provide regular clinical supervision, reflective practice, and peer support, including recovery time post-court or trauma exposure.
LimeCulture is urging Government (both Ministers and Policy Leads), Commissioners and strategic partners to engage with the findings and work collaboratively with ISVA service providers to strengthen the delivery of consistent, high-quality, and sustainable support for victims and survivors of sexual violence.
Read the full report here – LimeCulture Independent Sexual Violence Adviser and ISVA Managers Survey Report
We are looking for an exceptional individual to join our busy team at LimeCulture.
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