Safe Accommodation Strategy

1.1 The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 placed a new statutory duty on local authorities to ensure that victims and survivors of domestic abuse and their children can access the right support, within refuges and other types of domestic abuse safe accommodation, when they need it. In developing our safe accommodation strategy and related provision we will follow the government safe accommodation guidance.

1.2 The duty aimed to address inconsistent approaches to the commissioning and delivery of support within safe accommodation and set out a statutory framework requiring local authorities to:

• assess the need for accommodation-based support for victims and survivors of domestic abuse
• develop and publish a strategy for the provision of this support to cover their locality, having regard to the needs assessment
• implement the strategy (through commissioning and decommissioning decisions)
• monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy

1.3 A broad definition of safe accommodation has been adopted, which recognises the diverse nature of accommodation where victims and survivors and their children may live. The new duty will cover the provision of support to victims and survivors and their children living in the following accommodation types:

• refuge accommodation
• specialist safe accommodation
• dispersed accommodation
• sanctuary schemes
• move-on or second-stage accommodation

1.4 The types of domestic abuse support required under the new duty include:

• advocacy support - development of personal safety plans, liaison with other services (for example, GPs and social workers, welfare benefit providers)
• domestic-abuse prevention advice - support to assist victims and survivors to recognise the signs of abusive relationships, to help them remain safe (including online) and to prevent re-victimisation
• specialist support for victims and survivors with relevant protected characteristics and or complex needs. For example, interpreters, faith services, mental health advice and support, drug and alcohol advice and support, and immigration advice
• children's support - including play therapy and child advocacy
• housing-related support - providing housing-related advice and support. For example, securing a permanent home and advice on how to live safely and independently
• counselling and therapy for both adults and children

1.5 All councils in England were allocated 'new burdens' funding to support the delivery of this statutory duty to provide support in safe accommodation. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, (now the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government MHCLG) confirmed that funding will continue until March 2025.

2.1 The council currently has 21 units of accommodation for victims and survivors of domestic abuse; 12 refuge units and 9 dispersed units. This accommodation is currently funded through a mixture of commissioning budgets and safe accommodation funding.

2.2 The floating support service also effectively supports survivors of domestic abuse. This is provided across three different teams currently, each with slightly different remits. A floating support review is planned to resolve and simplify how this service operates.

3.1 The Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2022-2027 identifies that domestic abuse is a primary cause of homelessness. The strategy emphasises the importance of early intervention in relation to domestic abuse to prevent homelessness, as well as the provision of supported housing for those who become homeless and require housing and support.

3.2 Three supported housing accommodation pathways have been defined for homelessness: domestic abuse, young people and homeless, and multiple and complex needs.

3.3 To fully understand the accommodation needs of victims and survivors of domestic abuse and to build on the evidence of need and demand captured in the Homelessness Review, a 'deeper dive' into the data on domestic abuse was undertaken to ensure a robust evidence base in determining future recommissioning requirements.

3.4 Following this detailed assessment of need and demand, a Domestic Abuse Commissioning and Procurement Plan was developed, confirming the required types and volume of safe accommodation needed to meet this need and demand, together with a cost appraisal.

3.5 The Domestic Abuse Commissioning and Procurement Plan was approved by the council's Cabinet in October 2022. The plan included requirements for the following safe accommodation provision for victims and survivors of domestic abuse:

A costing exercise was undertaken to compare the costs of the safe-accommodation-based provision required (61 units as shown in the table above) against the budget envelope. Following this exercise and after receiving feedback from the Domestic Abuse Working Group, it was decided to prioritise the commissioning of the following schemes to better meet local demand, providing a total of 37 units:

1) Refuge safe accommodation - for single females aged 25+ and females with children aged 18+, 24/7 support on site, 8 units.

2) Complex needs safe accommodation - for single females aged 18+ 24/7 support on site, 12 units.

3) Dispersed safe accommodation - for those aged 18+, singles and or families, floating support within dispersed properties, 17 units.

Following subsequent grant confirmation, it was confirmed that commissioning could also progress with additional young person's safe accommodation provision to meet identified need as follows, taking the total number of commissioned units up to 43:

4) Young persons safe accommodation - for single females aged 18-25yrs, 24/7 support on site, 6 units.

3.6 Successful procurement of the above four schemes will result in a significant increase in the overall commissioned safe accommodation unit numbers. This plan was supported by the Domestic Abuse Partnership Board in January 2023. Commissioning of the above four schemes is due to begin in December 2024 with contracts due to be awarded in 2025.

LGBTQ+

4.1 A gap has been identified in terms of LGBTQ+ accommodation in the North East. We have an insufficient demand to develop services locally, however our intention is to work with regional colleagues to look at joint opportunities to commission appropriate services on a regional basis. There is currently no LGBTQ+ refuge provision in the North East. This has been highlighted in regional health, care and homelessness workstreams as an identified gap. The increase in dispersed provision enables more accessibility of safe accommodation to those who identify as LGBTQ+ who may not wish to reside in refuge accommodation.

Ethnic minorities

4.2 Gateshead has no direct refuge provision for ethnic minorities, although there are some ethnic-minority refuges available within the North East. We will work with regional colleagues to look at opportunities for joint commissioning on a regional basis. The increase in dispersed provision enables more accessibility of safe accommodation to those who identify as ethnic minorities who may not wish to reside in refuge accommodation.

Disability

4.3 Gateshead requires provision that is accessible to those with a disability. However, there are currently no safe accommodation units dedicated to those with physical disabilities who may need adapted and or accessible properties. Further work will be undertaken to review this gap and seek to address this.

Male victims

4.4 There is no refuge provision currently in Gateshead for male victims. The increase in dispersed provision enables more accessibility of safe accommodation to male victims. Further work will be undertaken to review this gap and seek to address this.

Floating support

4.5 The commissioning and procurement plan also identified a shortfall in floating support, despite there being a substantial quantity of floating support and specialist domestic abuse support available. There is currently no commissioned domestic abuse floating support service for those moving on from our commissioned safe accommodation schemes. However, referrals will be made to existing domestic abuse support services where appropriate.

Safe accommodation

4.6 The commissioning and procurement plan also identified a need for a further 18 units (12 units of dispersed accommodation with visiting support and 6 units of refuge accommodation). Should further safe accommodation funding be available in the future, the council would look to procure additional safe accommodation to address this unmet need.

Children's therapeutic work

4.7 There is also a gap in the provision of children's therapeutic work, which we will seek to address within strategic reviews and plans going forward.

Sanctuary scheme

4.8 The council is likely to require a review of our sanctuary scheme and the measures we offer to victims and survivors to enable them to remain in their own home, if it is safe to do so, to ensure it is meeting our need/demand.

5.1 Several groups were consulted in the development of the Domestic Abuse Commissioning and Procurement Plan including:

a) Gateshead Homelessness Forum - which includes representation from statutory services including health, police and probation as well as providers of homelessness accommodation and support, registered providers, advocacy agencies and representatives from the voluntary sector. It also includes representation from our community safety, social care, housing solutions and public health colleagues.

b) Service user consultation - a survey was sent out to service users living in our specialist and supported accommodation, to seek views and feedback as part of our statutory homelessness review.

c) The Domestic Abuse Working Group, Homelessness Steering Group and Homelessness and Allocations Core Project Group - all with cross department internal representation, including specialist domestic abuse services who were able to feed in the views of their service users.

d) The Domestic Abuse Partnership Board - The Chair of the Domestic Abuse Partnership Board, together with individual board members, were consulted and supported the proposed model for recommissioning and remodelling and the priorities outlined. The statutory partner board members were also given the opportunity to feed back any comments on the recommendations and proposals.

e) Housing Portfolio - consultation was undertaken with the Lead Member for Housing and Chair of the Strategic Housing Board on the proposals.

5.2 In 2024, a new Housing Improvement Programme was established. The provision of safe accommodation with appropriate support for victims and survivors and their children falls within the remit of the Specialist and Supported Accommodation Board, which is led by the Service Director - Strategic Housing and Commissioning. Any issues and key decisions are escalated to the Strategic Housing Board and then to Cabinet.

6.1 All services will be staffed by a female-only workforce as a genuine occupational requirement. This will be specified in our tender documentation. Dispersed safe accommodation can take male victims and survivors and therefore providers may offer a male worker, at the request of a male victim or survivor, from their wider workforce. If a BME or LGBTQ+ victim or survivor requests a staff member who is representative, we would support a 'by and for' approach to support and would expect the provider to meet this request within their workforce where possible.