New domestic abuse proposal to be considered
A proposal to invest £3.8m to tackle domestic abuse is being unveiled by Lancashire County Council this week.
A new report sets out a fresh approach to supporting victims, perpetrators, and families at a much earlier stage.
The proposal includes providing:
• £63,650 to support the Parachute Programme, a targeted scheme for 14- to 19-year-olds who are behaving in an abusive way in relationships.
• £294,900 funding for specialised practitioners to work with children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse.
• £148,760 to fund transition, recovery, family and group support. This helps victims and their children to recover from the trauma of domestic abuse, move on from refuge and safe-house accommodation, and rebuild their lives and relationships.
The proposal is to fund these new schemes while continuing to invest in existing domestic abuse services. This ongoing funding includes:
• £1,985,920 to commission refuges and specialised safe-house support.
• £422,250 for Safe at Home services for those who want to live safely in their own home without using refuges or safe houses.
• £300,000 contribution to the Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner's Victim Support Service.
The proposal, which will be considered by the county council's cabinet on Thursday 20 January, follows the introduction of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
County Councillor Peter Buckley, cabinet member for community and cultural services, said: "This £3.8m investment is a key part of our plans to protect families and communities from the devastating effects of domestic abuse.
"If approved, we will be able to do more to prevent or stop abuse earlier with targeted schemes like the Parachute Programme. We will also offer extra support to help families affected by abuse to rebuild their lives.
"We will continue to invest in the crucial services we already fund, such as refuges, safe houses, victim support and rehabilitation programmes for perpetrators.
"The proposal will mean the county council can meet the standards set out in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. We will also continue to support campaigns such as Lancashire Resilience Forum's #NoExcuseForAbuse scheme, which ensures domestic abuse victims have easy access to the support they need."
For more information, read the full cabinet report by searching for agenda item 12 on our cabinet page
For more information about the #NoExcuseforAbuse campaign, visit https://www.lancashire.police.uk/campaigns/noexcuseforabuse-in-lancashire/