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