Somerset Domestic Abuse Support

Access to safe refuge and safe houses

• Specialist refuge for women and children
• Safe houses for single men or fathers who have children, or mums whose male children are too old to safely house in the refuge
• Safe houses for transwomen and transmen escaping domestic abuse

Support for high-risk victims

• Specialist support in your community in Somerset
• We can meet you in your home, out for a coffee, wherever feels safest for you
• Solutions to help you stay safely in your own home, window locks, door chains etc
• Access to and support for criminal justice processes

Children

• For children aged 0-18
• Support for non-abusive parents and children through play therapy
• Group sessions for parents
• Practical and emotional support
• Specialist support for young people instigating harmful behaviours at home or within their own intimate relationship

Recovery groups and drop-ins

• Community, virtual or face to face
• Helping to understand trauma and how we respond
• Sharing information and knowledge to better understand and deal with previous experiences
• Scheduled drop in sessions across the county

Advocacy

• Attending meetings with you
• Speaking with you and on your behalf
• Explaining the impact of violence and abuse to others so they can better understand your response
• Sharing our knowledge about domestic abuse and the impact of trauma
• We can help look at the best ways of keeping you safe and support you with civil or criminal proceedings

Family safeguarding team

• Working together with children's social care to minimise the impact and reduce domestic abuse in families.
• Developing parenting strategies where domestic abuse has had a negative impact
• Specialist support for children and parents

Marginalised and isolated communities

• We know that many people living in marginalised and isolated communities are often more reluctant to speak about their experiences due to cultural pressures or fears of reprisal
• Our diverse team have lived and work experiences in many different communities
• This will include BAME, LGBQT+, elder abuse, forces and other service personnel

Counselling

• We have a team of specialist counsellors who work with victims and survivors of domestic abuse

Behaviour Change Programme (perpetrators/people causing harm):

Engage behaviour change programme (for perpetrators/people causing harm)

• One to one assessment and support with a specialist team
• Structured group work
• Ongoing support

Partner support

• Ongoing support for the partners of people engaged with the behaviour change programme
• Safety planning

Animal Fostering: (coming October 2023)

• • Securing safe and suitable animal foster placements for victims leaving an abusive environment and not wanting to leave a beloved animal behind

Volunteering

• • Exciting and practical opportunities for volunteers to help support victims, their children, and help shape the service for the community they live in