Tackling domestic abuse in North Wales through the Intervention Hub

The North Wales Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategic Board are now working in partnership with the charity Relate and the Red Snapper Group (RSG) to deliver a new innovative project to tackle domestic abuse in North Wales.

The partnership, led by the Regional Board, have been successful in their application to the Welsh Government to deliver group work programmes for young people at risk of perpetrating violence within intimate and familial relationships via Relate and a unique online programme called the Domestic Abuse Hub offered by the RSG service, The Intervention Hub.

The group work programme provided by Relate, “Choose2Change”, is an 8-10 week programme and will be the central provision of the pilot supported by the Domestic Abuse Hub.

The Domestic Abuse Hub is hosted on the RSG digital Intervention Hub, an interactive digital intervention tool based on Computerised Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CCBT)  which will be used to support the service for those that cannot access the main provision, to offer a 24/7 intervention and to support ongoing learning.

The aim of this pilot is to improve attitudes and behaviours of young people within Conwy and Denbighshire that perpetrate domestic abuse. To access this provision, young people will be referred into the pilot by Youth Justice Service and Children’s Social Services.

The pilot will commence in late December 2019 and continue until March 2020, where a full evaluation will take place regarding its effectiveness.

Upon confirmation of the pilot, Martin Jerrold, Managing Director of RSG had this to say:

‘We’re delighted to be working with the North Wales VAWDASV Strategic Partnership and Relate to provide a supporting intervention tool for this fantastic programme. This is exactly what the Intervention Hub is designed to do. To provide an enhanced experience for service users and facilitating greater and easier access. I would like to thank the Strategic Board, Relate, and the Welsh Government for engaging RSG’

The North Wales Lead has commented:

‘Our regional strategy reflects that of the Welsh Government, to “hold perpetrators to account and/or give them the opportunity to change their behaviour”. We have recently undertaken a full needs analysis of work with perpetrators of VAWDASV in North Wales and found that there is very little available in the form of interventions for young people and those living in rural areas. This online tool should help to bridge those gaps and support people to understand the consequences of their thinking and behaviours. It is only through tackling domestic abuse at an early intervention/prevention level that we can really break the cycle of abuse.’

To find out more about this service please contact Rhiannon Edwards, North Wales VAWDASV Advisor on Rhiannon.edwards@flintshire.gov.uk