The new money will improve facilities at refuges by supporting a refurbishment programme. It will also be used to address funding shortfalls and ensure that women and children using a refuge receive a holistic package of support during and after their stay. In particular, residents will be able to access a community psychiatric nurse, and staff offering support at the refuges will have more opportunities to access accredited professional training opportunities.
The council already supports a domestic abuse outreach service managed by Cambridge Women’s Aid with an annual grant worth £44,710 in 2015-16. This augments the work done in refuges by offering support to women seeking alternatives to refuges and follow-up support for those who have left a refuge. Cambridgeshire County Council provides the core funding for Cambridge’s refuges.
The successful bid was made following a DCLG announcement in November 2014 unveiling a national £10 million fund for local housing authorities to help them strengthen refuge services, to ensure effective national coverage that keeps victims of domestic violence safe.
Cllr Kevin Price, Executive Councillor for Housing, said: “This new funding is critical in helping women who have suffered domestic abuse get their lives back on track.
“Providing accommodation to make women safe is a very important part of the response, but this money gives us confidence that not only will the accommodation be sustained for years to come, but the excellent support services offered by Cambridge Women’s Aid will be there too.”
Angie Stewart, Project Coordinator at Cambridge Women’s Aid said: “For almost 40 years, Cambridge Women’s Aid has been proud to provide high quality safe refuge in Cambridge for women and children escaping domestic abuse.
“Our partnership with Cambridge City Council has been key to us being able to continue to offer quality support services over this time. We are delighted to hear that the Department of Communities and Local Government have decided to award the city £96,821 to strengthen our refuge provision. Like most charities, we have had to struggle with reduced funding in recent years, and this good news couldn’t have come at a better time.”
*******
Contacts
Cllr Kevin Price (Labour), Executive Councillor for Housing, email: kevin.price@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 07964 280689.
Cllr Andy Blackhurst (Liberal Democrat), Opposition spokesperson, email: andy.blackhurst@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 511937.
Cllr Marie-Louise Holland (Independent/Conservative), Opposition spokesperson, email marie-louise.holland@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 564126.
Alan Carter, Head of Strategic Housing, Cambridge City Council, email: alan.carter@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 457948.
_____________________________________________
New funding in place to support women’s refuges
12 March 2015
Women seeking refuge from domestic abuse can continue to find high quality support and help in Cambridge after Cambridge City Council and its bidding partners, Cambridge Women’s Aid, were awarded nearly £100k of additional funding over the next two years from the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG).