More help for Sheffield victims of domestic abuse

Sheffield Council has received £14,500 from the Government to provide additional childcare at refuges and to extend a sanctuary scheme further into BME communities.

The sanctuary scheme is for people who can’t leave their homes but are in fear of being attacked by an ex-partner or family member. It can provide home security including window and door locks, personal alarms, fireproof letter boxes and in extreme cases, safe rooms within the property.

Sheffield Area Refuge and Support (SARAS) and Action will each receive £7,000. The remaining £500 is an admin fee by the council.

The latest money is a top-up to £93,500 which the council previously received from the Government. The Department for Communities and Local Government shared £20 million nationwide to help support victims of domestic violence.

That first lot of funding was spent on broadband, wifi and computers to two refuges, childcare support, translation services, staff training, consultancy and materials to provide more psychological and therapeutic support.

A council report says: “There is growing research evidence that clients with histories of neglect, abuse and trauma benefit from an approach which creates an enabling environment where practice supports the management of psychological and emotional difficulties but not in the structured way that clients would reject.

“These are positive implications for women and children, fleeing and/or recovering from abusive relationships.”