Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Wiltshire Public Health on the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC)’s Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant and how the grant supports victims of domestic violence in the county.

The Chairman welcomed Hayley Morgan (Consultant - Vulnerable Communities) and Daisy Manley (Projects Officer - Domestic Abuse) from the Public Health team who were in attendance to give an update on the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC’s) Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant and how the grant supports victims of domestic abuse in the county.  It was noted that this was the final year of the current four year funding programme.

Summarising the more detailed presentation included in the agenda pack, it was highlighted that:

·            The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 introduced statutory duties and increased accountability with local authorities being responsible for the delivery of domestic abuse support to victims and families in safe accommodation.  There was a strict criteria of how the grant could be spent and the Team had looked at creative and innovative ways to utilise the funding which was only received on a year by year basis – this meant that it was hard to be able to plan and to commission that funding money in a short period of time and the increase in funding over the four year period had not reflected the demand;

·            Wiltshire’s core domestic abuse support service FearFree, was made up of 5 themes.  During 2022-23 there were 2788 victim referrals and 8669 reports of domestic abuse;

·            Funding was allocated to multiple providers during year 1 and 2 of the grant including the Connect Service, Julian House, Wiltshire Council’s Housing and Social Care Teams and the Wiltshire Bobby Van all to help address the local areas of need;

·            The funding results from November 2021 to October 2023 showed that there had been a positive impact for victims of domestic abuse in Wiltshire including therapeutic support, victims’ homes being target hardened (security measures installed) and Community Connectors supporting victims to rebuild their lives after abuse.  There grant was also used to deliver staff training and enable Engagement Worker projects;

·            In September 2023 the year 3 and 4 proposals were approved by Cabinet and following that procurement processes were carried out with the majority of contracts beginning on 1 November 2023.  The first year 3 multi agency monitoring meeting took place in February 2024;

·            The year 3 and 4 funding allocations would see the continuation of the 2 previous years provisions together with workforce training on domestic abuse in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities, specialist support within safe accommodation for victims with complex needs, move on funding to support victims to maintain separation from perpetrators and an additional Children’s Worker to support children who have witnessed domestic abuse;

·            Successes included evidence of positive outcomes and impact, stronger relationships with providers and robust monitoring processes;

·            There were some recruitment challenges due to the limited employment pool, employees moving within services and the nature of the temporary posts due to the short term funding.  There was a high demand for services and challenges with delays in obtaining safe accommodation premises; and

·            The next steps included the monitoring of outcomes through quarterly meetings, monitoring underspend and repurposing where required, there would be continuing conversations with existing providers about client impact when the funding ends and how this would be managed and assessment of local need/gaps in provision in anticipation for potential continuation of funding.

The Chairman thanked Officers for their presentation and the Committee asked questions about if the support received included those children that were fostered/adopted, what work there was ethnic minority groups and support for military families.

Resolved: That the Select Committee

1.          Notes the overview of the work funded to date by the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant. 

2.          Requests an update in 2025 on the work funded by the grant, to include post grant plans to support victims of domestic abuse.