In partnership with
The pathfinders and modernisation: Working towards a regional approach
to the delivery of domestic abuse housing services
Ann Dann, North Wales Supporting PeopleJulie Nicholas, Gwent Supporting People
TheThe pathfinders andpathfinders and modernisation: Working modernisation: Working
towards a towards a regional approach regional approach
to delivering domestic to delivering domestic abuse housing services abuse housing services
Cymorth Cymru; Nuts & Bolts of Domestic AbuseLlandrindod Wells, 02.02.2011
Ann Dann; North Wales Supporting People Julie Nicholas; Gwent Supporting People
Contents The National Project Initiation Document
Research and findings 2009 The National Project Structure
The Gwent Pilot Group The North Wales Working Group
Project Initiation Document Background
SPIN/Homeless Network identified Domestic Abuse as priority area for reducing/preventing homelessness in Wales
3 x Regional events held 2009 Homelessness & Supporting People Teams, DA
Coordinators & Support providers attended Further research then undertaken PID: Published January 2010
Modernising Housing Services for those Experiencing Domestic Abuse
The Research Methodology
Map supply of existing DA Support services Listen to women who have been through system
74 women’s ‘journeys’ were submitted in total Additional interviews with professionals:
BAWSO, Hafan Cymru & Womens Aid Housing Options staffNorth Wales PoliceDomestic abuse support unitSocial Workers
Support Service Supply Map Most LAs have Refuge provision Floating Support available in many L.A.’s
Dedicated DA or Generic service Supporting People Revenue Grant
D.A. funding £8.14m p.a. Variety of funding levels & resources
Developed ad hoc locally Voids in refuges nationally
50% x refuges over 10%; 6 x refuges over 20% Is ‘emergency’ refuge offering ‘emergency’
provision & meeting needs?
Service User Interviews: Refuge Majority interviewed initially placed in refuge
Few problems reported with access out of hours- some access difficulties Women generally placed in local refuge Same day & usually within hours of making call
Most of them were still placed within a week But 1 woman waiting 4 weeks for refuge space Refuge not meeting needs
1 woman, 4 children, 1 room, 6 months Issues Accessing Move-on accommodation Complex needs; Few options
S. User Interviews: Homelessness LA advice services are inconsistent: “Homelessness were unable to find temp.
accommodation for a woman who wished to leave family home, the woman commented that left her with no choice but to go home. The homeless officer said ‘well it can’t be that bad then’“
“Ms B found the whole experience of applying for housing … personally difficult & stated that she found the way she was treated depended on who dealt with her at the LA”.
“Homeless Officer came to the refuge to do the homeless interview. She found the Homeless Officer very good and respectful of her situation.”
S. User Interviews: Support Delivery
The women interviewed were generally positive about the support provided :
“SJ stayed in refuge for 6 months and found the support that she received whilst in refuge invaluable, both from the support workers and from the other women.”
“I was an emotional wreck… the staff helped me reach my goals. They made me feel proud”
“A fantastic support during her time of need” “The Freedom Programme helped the most”
Research Findings
Current supply developed ad-hoc in Wales Uneven distribution & generic modelVoid issuesComplex Needs & Exclusions
Questioned how services are currently configured Issues with L.A. homelessness service Feedback on support services positive
Incl. mutual support of other women Refuge appropriate short-term, but not long-term Allocation systems post-refuge work against
positive outcome
Report Recommendations Homelessness staff- Training requirements Accommodation should be high quality & varied:
Existing (own) accommodation; Target harden Emergency Accommodation; Refuge Temporary / supported accommodation Move On accommodation
Ensure range of appropriate & accessible support services are available to service users Complex Needs & Children/young people
Improve partnership working
Modernising Domestic Abuse Services: National Project Structure in Wales
Project Board
Project Working Group
West Wales Pilot
Additional measures e.g. workshops
N. Wales Working Group
Gwent Pilot
Group
Other Actions/ Evaluation sub-group
Cardiff & Vale Pilot
Service User group
Principles of the Project Partnership working;
Project Board includes Supporting People, WAG, Support Providers, Community Safety
Focus on BME and minority group needs Service User Consultation integral Better use of resources to address service gaps Regional Approach
Best approach for complex & specialist needs Project Board/Working Group to Monitor & Evaluate
Timeframe April 2010- March 2012
Gwent Domestic Abuse
Pilot Group
Julie Nicholas Gwent Supporting People
Regional Development Officer
Supporting People: ‘The Gwent Model’
History of Regional SP Working since 2003
1. Strategic Planning: GNME and regional SPOP
2. Service Evaluation: Gwent Review & Monitoring
3. SP Eligibility Criteria: ‘Gwent Allowable Activities’
4. Gwent SP Regional Planning Group since 2008
5. Gwent Development Officer Post
Gwent DA Pilot Group first met Sept 2010 Training and service user sub-groups Links to Gwent DA Forum
Current Gwent DA ServicesSupport Units
Refuge: 49
Floating Support: 117
Support Housing: 6
Total Units: 172
The National Strategy says: ‘…the Welsh Assembly Government recognises that
the option of staying in the home will not always be available and that in many instances victims will continue to require a network of support services including: advocacy, temporary accommodation, refuge provision and counseling.’
Tackling Domestic Abuse: The All Wales National Strategy, Welsh Assembly Government:2005
However very little specialist supported housing options in Gwent, other than generic refuge and floating support
Gwent Pilot Group Membership
Gwent DA Providers DA Co-ordinators SP Representatives Service User Group
Progress: Action Plan in place Link to PID action areas Agreed local remodelling through group Homelessness Staff Training Progress Service User group established
Reporting Structure
.
Domestic Abuse Project Board
Domestic Abuse Working Group
Gwent Pilot Group
Supporting People Regional Planning Group
Service User Consultation Group
Gwent Action Plan
Training & Inter-Agency Working Opportunities Accommodation Standards & Target-Hardening Children's Services: Supply & Utilisation Improve Communication Support Service Survey in progress
Refusals/exclusions/evictions/complex needsCross Authority access & destinationLength of stay & Demographic information
What should Gwent supply map look like?
Service User Links
Service User Group Initial meeting October 10:Feedback to group on research findingsAssess interest in participationGood turn out6 volunteers for further meetings
2nd Meeting (South Wales)Training and developmentParticipation in Homelessness officer training
Gwent S. Users on Statutory Services Homelessness Services: ‘I found them very abrupt…They didn’t want to know’ ‘I’ve seen them having to deal with difficult people & I
know it’s not easy, but they tar us all with the same brush; we’re all seen as problem families’
‘I wasn’t believed; you should be believed straight away’
Social Services: ‘They don’t look at the bigger picture, they focus on the
kids not on the woman, they don’t understand the pressure the woman is under’.
‘They don’t give appropriate support’
Feedback about Police Service very positive
Gwent S. Users on Support Agencies
‘Not much service for the kids… that was very hard’ ‘The Freedom Programme is really important’ ‘Lots of people don’t want to go into refuge’ ‘I worried about who was going to be there, [in refuge],
you hear about people on drugs living in these places’ ‘First few weeks in refuge were like respite for me’ ‘I get support for my children…definitely helpful’ ‘I didn’t really care about the [lack of] space; I was safe
in a big room with my kids’ ‘Intensive services should come to refuge; not the
woman [having to] move out to them’
S. User Feedback: Housing Access No positive experiences of move-on from refuge. ‘Need more floating support for when you leave refuge’ ‘There’s the children and school transfer issues too’ ‘I can’t afford to top up my rent…& you need a bond’ ‘You are not in a long term tenancy in private rented
housing; you might have to move again soon’ ‘I was told I would have to go wherever I was offered, the
children would have to move school again, I would have to leave the friends I’d made in the area, start over’
‘I felt dumped in a bad area’
Opportunities
Link to Homeless leasing Service User Group Links to Kafka findings Homeless Agency Worker
Training Regional Approach Specialist Service Expertise
Joint Working opportunities
D.A. multi-agency centres
Threats
Protection of existing services
Revenue Funding Accessing Capital
Funding Difficulty in mapping
funding & costs Could be perceived
as back-door cost-saving exercise
Next Steps in Gwent
Complete Gap AnalysisFindings will feed into regional preferred model
Take forward Action Plan Identify Current Service Remodel options Harness Capital Opportunities Develop Service User Group Deliver Homelessness training Remodel Approval via SPRPG
Cymorth Cymru: The Nuts & Bolts of Providing
Domestic Abuse Services North Wales S.P. Perspective
Ann Dann
North Wales Supporting People Regional Development Officer
IntroductionThis presentation will cover:
• Journey Tracking• Commissioning Paper• Current Supply Picture• Challenges• Future Plans
Journey Tracking
Background Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire – 10 service users Agencies - BAWSO, Hafan Cymru, Women’s Aid Interviewed - Frontline staff, individuals, agencies
Commissioning Paper
Background
Content
Action Plan
Specialist D.A. Provision in N. Wales L.AService
Anglesey Gwynedd Conwy Denbigh-shire
Flintshire Wrexham
Float Supp 6 31 0 14 11 10
Grouped shared Ref. Beds
4 7 10 9 11 5
Grouped S. C. Ref. Beds
0 0 0 0 0 0
Satellite Ref. Beds
1 0 0 4 0 0
Disp. Ref. Beds
0 0 0 0 0 0
Temp. Sup. Accom.
0 13 0 5 10 0
D.A. Relevant Provision in North Wales
Local Authority
Anglesey Gwynedd Conwy Denbigh-shire
Flintshire Wrexham
Floating Support
12 0 0 15 7 2
Temp. Support. Accom. Beds
3 0 5 0 0 5
Challenges High voids in some refuges Complex Needs Development of Regional Schemes Move On Budget Cuts S.P. Review
Action Plan Expand amount of dispersed & self contained
refuge provision Training for refuge staff re high needs clients Develop a Move On strategy Ensure services are available for all groups Look to develop common referral/assessment
forms
Partnership Approach
National D.A. Project Group National D.A. Working Group North Wales Working Group Service User Group Training Package
Regional Links
NW SPIN
RSPPG
Thank you for listening
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