New Hub Plan To Help Domestic Violence Victims

Better help is being developed for Swansea children and families experiencing domestic violence or escalating relationship problems. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council is working with others to ensure the right help is available at the right time to prevent damage and repair lives. The council has been talking to staff, service providers, partner agencies, charities and survivors about future needs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As a result, the council plans a new domestic abuse hub. It would seek effective support for all families identified as being at risk from – or suffering – domestic violence. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The hub has grown out of a successful pilot scheme where police reports of suspected domestic violence came into a council-led service which sought help to keep children safe and to support families. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new hub would take a wider range of referrals from all agencies, including cases where a family is at risk of domestic violence. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Christine Richards, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Services for Children and Young People, said: “We’re working with our partners to prevent domestic violence before people come to harm and to help survivors move on with their lives. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The cost of domestic violence to individuals who experience or who witness it as children is enormous. There is also a social and economic cost to our society and an added financial burden on city services if we fail to act or let cases slip through the gaps. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The new hub, and its better partnership with agencies, will prevent duplication and enable better information sharing, early identification and intervention. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Families will get a service that is empowering and responsive. They will only have to tell their story once to open the doors to a range of services to help them turn their lives around.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The findings of the council’s domestic abuse review – which is part of a council review of its family support services through its Sustainable Swansea programme- will be presented to Cabinet on February 16. Members will be asked to give the go-ahead to creating the new hub. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​