Kirklees Council has announced that they are committing £400,000 in funding to help tackle domestic abuse across the borough.
Domestic Abuse Consultants and Community Engagement
The council’s cabinet approved the funding on Tuesday, 16 March. The funding will bring in five new roles of ‘Domestic Abuse Consultants and Community Engagement’. They will train staff from frontline council services. Additionally, staff from partner and voluntary organisations will receive training too.
The new roles will help frontline staff support families and people in need. As well as training staff with the skills to reduce the impact domestic abuse has on children and young people.
Centre to the new roles is the importance of building relationships. The aim is to empower community groups and organisations to recognise the signs of domestic abuse. They will also ensure that those affected are connected to local support networks.
A key part of the roles will be to engage people from under-represented groups in domestic abuse services. This includes support for those from LGBTQ+, BAME, disabled and older and younger communities.
The funding will also support the establishment of survivor forums. The forums will be a safe space for people with lived experiences to communicate with consultants.
“Protecting our Kirklees Residents.”
Cabinet Member for Democracy and Housing, Councillor Cathy Scott, said: “This funding has the potential to make a significant difference to all of our communities in Kirklees. By investing in consultant roles who can then dedicate their time to training our communities, we are creating a sustainable programme of work that will have a long-term impact.
“Engaging with communities and specifically working with those who have lived experience to help us tailor our training, communications and engagement is vital in making sure we are delivering the appropriate messages in the most suitable way.
“Domestic abuse is a truly dreadful crime that ruins the lives of the victim but also, in some cases, their children. I fully support this funding and I’m thankful my colleagues see the potential this funding has in protecting our Kirklees residents.”
Local support
In addition, there is a wide range of local support for people suffering from domestic abuse. For more information, you can find the details of local and national support as well as emergency response umbers on the Kirklees Council website.