Services and staff to help children deal with the impact of domestic violence will be commissioned in Nottingham.
Nottingham City Council has been awarded £873,640 by the government to deliver a range of services to better support those fleeing violent and abusive relationships.
The council says domestic sexual violence and abuse reporting has “hugely increased during Covid.”
The grant – which needs to be spent by the end of March 2023 – will enable the council to fulfil the functions of its statutory duty.
The council said: “Children and young people will be identified as survivors of domestic violence and abuse in their own right for the first time in the statutory duty and it is recognised that a specialist role as part of the refuge team is critical to supporting children and young people effectively.
“Children are a large group of service users in refuge and move on accommodation and Nottingham has been unable to commission service for children since 2017 when the funding source ended.
“The Crime and Drugs Partnership flexed its funding to enable refuges to utilise budgets for children’s workers, but that has put pressure on support worker roles for women.
“Some refuges fundraised through charities and trusts, however as these funders recognise the role of the statutory duty in funding services for children, these funding sources have ended.”
Now, a specialist therapeutic service for children will be provided for those children and young people in refuge and move on accommodation.
It was previously delivered by Family Care, a charity which closed due to funding issues.
Services have identified a gap in provision for children. The service will support children to come to terms with the impact of domestic violence on them and the relationship with their mother.
It will also improve engagement and behaviour in education.
A number of children’s worker roles will be funded, working with children aged up to 16-years-old.
Training will also form part of the funding as recruitment has been problematic during the pandemic.
The council said: “We are aware that there has been a sudden increase in recruitment in Juno, Nottingham Women’s Centre – who deliver our therapeutic service – and Central the independent refuge. These services are all struggling to fund the training requirements for their new starters and for staff recruited during the pandemic.
“All (domestic violence) services UK wide are struggling to recruit skilled and experienced staff and locally recruitment has focussed on new staff with the right values, attitudes and transferrable skills.
“This training programme will ensure the staff have the right knowledge and skills to provide a service for this vulnerable cohort of citizens.”
Nottingham has 31 commissioned bed spaces and four additional bed spaces for survivors with ‘multiple disadvantage’.
The city also has 12 units of move on accommodation, with a number associated with each refuge.
The funding will create four additional bed spaces for survivors with multiple advantage and to support costs to deliver services to survivors in move on accommodation.
Funding is also allocated for a flexible housing fund, so that refuges can ensure that women with specific needs have access to a budget whilst they settle into the refuge.
Work is also being undertaken to consider the needs of male survivors for safe accommodation.
Further work is also required for survivors who identify as non-binary and who are not comfortable being referred to women’s services.
Nottingham City Council’s Commissioning and Procurement Committee met on Tuesday, April 12, to accept the grant and the delivery of services.
The following organisations offer support to survivors of domestic abuse within Nottinghamshire.
To report domestic abuse to Nottinghamshire Police, please call the 101 non-emergency number or, in an emergency, always call 999.
For more information about Domestic Abuse please read our supporting survivors of domestic abuse page.
SHARE BY EMAIL
Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid website
Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid provides an extensive range of services for women, young people and children.
Newark Women’s Aid provides safe accommodation, with associated support services, for women with or without children, who are living with or have experienced any form of physical, sexual, emotional, psychological or economic abuse. Tel: 01636 679687
The UK’s only registered charity arranging Non-Molestation Orders, Prohibited Steps Orders & Occupation Orders
Men’s Advice Line is a confidential helpline for male victims of domestic violence and abuse.
It offers emotional support, practical advice and information on a wide range of services for further help and support.
Juno’s 24-hour domestic and sexual violence helpline offers support to women, teenage girls and children who have been affected by domestic or sexual abuse.
Tel: 0808 800 0340
Email: enquiries@junowomensaid.org.uk
Deaf and hearing-impaired women can access the Helpline by:
Text Relay/NGT: 18001 0808 800 0340 24 hours a day
Email: helpline@junowomensaid.org.uk daily, 9am – 9pm
Equation: Domestic abuse support for men
Equation provide a free helpline for men which is available Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 4.30pm.
A 24/7 confidential answerphone service is also available.
Call: 0115 960 5556
Email: helpline@equation.org.uk
Nottinghamshire Alliance Against Violence
Make a stand against violence. ‘Like’ our Alliance Against Violence Facebook page
Nottinghamshire Independent Domestic Abuse Service website
NIDAS is a registered charity, formerly known as Mansfield and Ashfield Women’s Aid.
Its aim is to help people experiencing domestic abuse.
They work hard with other agencies to raise awareness of domestic abus
Karma Nirvana is a registered charity that supports victims and survivors of forced marriage and honour-based abuse.
A free to download app providing support and information to those affected by Domestic Abuse, available in 5 languages, has a unique directory of support services and links of further resources including a journal which you can record incidents.
Safeguarding people- a simple shake or tap activates Hollie guard, immediately notifying your chosen contacts, pinpointing your location and sending audio and video evidence directly to their mobile phones.
Broxtowe Women’s Project (BWP)
BWP are here to help women living in the Borough of Broxtowe who are experiencing domestic abuse.We provide a confidential helpline, outreach service, training courses and drop in sessions, all aimed at empowering women and to help them survive domestic abuse.
Find out more about our services below.
Call us if you need our help on 01773 719 111 or email enquiries@broxtowewp.org
