Victims of domestic violence said a new approach to support has made them "feel better" about trusting children's social services
The trial scheme helping abuse survivors has been described as a “first” for using those who have experienced abuse as go-betweens to improve trust with childrens’ social services.
One domestic abuse survivor said the approach “just made [her] feel better” when it came to engaging with social services. She said: “I’ve been a mum for nearly 12 years, and then suddenly to have so many professionals involved, it’s scary."
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She added she was able to seek advice and “felt really relaxed and at ease. Nothing like I did when I met the social worker because then I was very anxious, nervous. I just felt at ease, like the way she spoke to me.”
Other people also said they were listened to more and were able to trust social services more.
The comments were amongst some of the praise given to the trial project, We Can Talk About Domestic Abuse, getting those with knowledge of domestic abuse to work alongside social workers to improve the experience of families affected.
Donna, who previously suffered abuse, is employed through the trial in one of those new roles. She said: “For me to be that person who can sit with another woman and tell her it’s okay I have been there, I understand, but this is what we need to do to keep you and your children safe.”
Donna described her life up until she was 49 as “a world in which chaos thrived.” She said: “Despite being a mother to my beautiful children, the pain and the trauma always won” and she struggled with addiction.
After seeking help through a friend and a narcotics anonymous group, she was able to recover.
She now describes the work she does as “an honour” and said the scheme was “the first time ever women who have suffered from domestic abuse have had advocacy in children's social care.”
It is one part of a wider Wirral Council programme called “Breaking the Cycle” aiming to improve people’s lives. Targeted at poorer areas like Birkenhead, it launched in October 2021.
The programme brings together eight different projects from pregnancy support for first time mums, help for those older than 16 struggling to get secure jobs, and a programme to prevent harm to victims of domestic abuse and their children.
It aims to be a “more joined-up, person-centred approach” to tackling issues such as sexual violence, domestic, drug, and alcohol abuse as well as caring for young people who have lost a parent through divorce, death or abandonment.
More than 2,300 people have been helped through the scheme including nearly 1,500 young people and children. This includes 141 first-time mothers, nearly 300 people seeking support for mental health, drug and alcohol related issues as well as male and female survivors of domestic abuse.
The project has also seen some success, particularly working with high-risk and high-harm perpetrators of domestic abuse. Here there has been a 84% reduction in physical abuse and 85% reduction in harassment and stalking. The project has also seen a complete reduction of sexual abuse by 100% among those it works with.
Donna said the work “has taught me I am enough, my experiences are important, my work is important,” adding “I want women to know, you are not alone, you can do this, there is a life waiting for you.”
Donna has also helped create a group for women to share their experiences of abuse and inform how the service continues to support people in the future. Donna said: “I was that woman who wasn’t being heard, so to be part of a group who by sharing experiences will shape the provision for future women is amazing.
“For women to come and share their voice and for services to be listening to that voice is amazing.”
The project was delivered over a 15-month period with the new role of domestic abuse family advocates “considered the most valuable” with Donna and her co-workers described as “instrumental” in helping 73 cases more away from child protective services.
It was funded through £6.54m with nearly £700,000 coming from Wirral Council. Other funding came from the EU and the UK Government.
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