Cheshire East Council has launched a new ‘whole family’ domestic abuse service.
The free service aims to offer expert service for families, adults, children and young people who are affected by abuse.
National figures show one in three women and one in six men are harmed by such abuse.
In 2017/18, more than 2,500 referrals were made to specialist domestic abuse services across Cheshire East.
The Cheshire East domestic abuse service will be delivered through a partnership with the council and My CWA (formerly known as Cheshire without Abuse).
The service includes advice clinics, support groups, recovery programmes, a counselling service, crisis accommodation, support in staying safe in your own home and behaviour-change programmes for adults and children.
Mark Palethorpe, acting executive director of people at Cheshire East Council, said: “This new service builds on the previous three years of work, where all agencies have been working together to ensure those affected get the right help at the right time.
“We want to ensure that no one is turned away from critical support services and we are working hard to provide support at an earlier stage so that fewer people will reach crisis point and need refuge, or other secure accommodation.
“As ever, I’d like to thank all those who have worked singly and together to make children and families affected by domestic abuse safer and stronger in Cheshire East.”
Saskia Ritchie, chief executive of My CWA, said: “Our vision is for a healthy community where adults and children can live free from the fear of domestic abuse.
“We know that, when we focus attention only on the victim and children, we are failing to tackle the root cause of the problem and often just shifting it to another family.
“Engaging with those who harm will be another critical element of our work, which, in no way reduces the need to hold offenders to account but offers a solution for the future.
“The new service will continue to give families, friends, colleagues and employers the information and skills they need to support people when they are concerned about them and promote where they can get specialist help, if it is needed.”
If you are affected by domestic abuse or concerned for someone else, call 0300 123 5101 at anytime or visit www.openthedoorcheshire.org.uk or in an emergency always call 999.
(Pic – From left to right – deputy chief executive of My CWA Bev Wrighton; My CWA operations manager Vicky Sail; My CWA chief executive Saskia Ritchie and Cheshire East Council’s Mark Palethorpe)
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