Duty to provide support in safe accommodation

In partnership with Derbyshire County Council, we have developed the Domestic abuse support in accommodation strategy

The strategy sets out the shared ambitions for Derby and Derbyshire in terms of how local partners and services will work together to effectively address the provision of domestic abuse support in safe accommodation across the city and the county.

For local partners across Derby and Derbyshire, over the next three years, the focus of delivery of domestic abuse support in safe accommodation will be to achieve the following objectives:

• Undertake early intervention, before the point of crisis, to give people choices, including support in short-term emergency accommodation.
• Provide domestic abuse support in a range of safe accommodation, so that family make-up, individual needs and complexities are not barriers to accessing the help that victims require.
• Address the needs of all communities accessing our services and invest in support that reflects their characteristics, so that their experience is an inclusive one.
• Support victims and their families who wish to build a life within our communities, when they are ready to move on from intensive support in safe accommodation.
• Ensure services are accessible and provide up-to-date information about what is available so that victims and professionals know how to access services and the support available.
• Increasing our understanding and support for children as victims of domestic abuse in their own right.
• Work with sanctuary schemes and target hardening providers to provide support to enable people to remain safely in their own homes.

Public authorities are bound by the public sector equality duty and therefore must consider how their policies or decisions affect people who are protected under the Equality Act 2010.

This strategy aims to be fully inclusive and throughout its development, careful consideration has been given to how the needs of those with protected characteristics can be met.

Domestic abuse support in accommodation services will be regularly monitored and evaluated to ensure they continue to meet the needs of victims.