Bassetlaw District Council has committed to doing more to tackle domestic abuse and provide extra support to survivors of domestic abuse.
The Council has taken the first steps to achieving Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) Accreditation, a benchmark for how housing providers across the UK should respond to domestic abuse.
This includes a council-wide audit of policies, procedures and practices, in addition to its entire workforce undergoing training that will increase awareness of the signs of domestic abuse, and how to support survivors.
The Council is working alongside domestic abuse specialist Christie Conroy from the charity Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid to achieve the accreditation. If successful, Bassetlaw will be the second Council in Nottinghamshire to attain DAHA Accreditation.
Christie said: “We want to ensure a joined up, holistic approach to tackling domestic abuse. For instance, a housing repairs team may see signs of abuse in the home such as holes in a door or wall, whereas someone on reception may sense that a visitor to the Council has an air of fearfulness.
"It’s about being aware of what to notice and what to do and say to someone if you suspect they could be a domestic abuse survivor, and how to hold perpetrators to account for the abuse.”
“The training and accreditation will highlight the fact that the Council can offer a safe space for anyone wanting to disclose domestic abuse. It will also ensure that clear pathways are established with external agencies so that survivors can be effectively supported and enabled to make an informed choice.”
An audit of the whole council, focusing on policy, process and practice around domestic abuse is set to take place, which will include writing and reviewing policies, instilling good practice within teams and ensuring all processes are survivor-led.
Cllr Lynne Schuller, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at Bassetlaw District Council said: “I am pleased to see this Council-wide approach to supporting a vulnerable group within our community. Enabling our workforce to know and understand the signs of Domestic Abuse, providing safe disclosure and allowing those who need support to receive it will improve outcomes for those who have at times suffered in silence”.
David Armiger, Chief Executive at Bassetlaw District Council said: “As a Council we are committed to doing everything we can to tackle domestic abuse in all its forms. A key part of ensuring we meet this objective will be through us delivering this training to all of our workforce and obtaining DAHA accreditation. This approach has been fully endorsed by the Senior Management Team as well as Full Council.”
The costs of meeting the standards of the accreditation are being met by funding from Nottinghamshire County Council. You can find out more about DAHA accreditation at: https://www.dahalliance.org.uk/
Last Updated on Wednesday, May 8, 2024