The Council works closely with Basildon Women’s Aid to ensure that the needs of the women are met. A designated Homeless Officer is the liaison officer between the Council and the refuge.
The designated Homeless Officer ensures that queries raised by the women about their rehousing, are answered. She also attends the refuge on a regular basis so women do not have to leave the safety of the refuge to make a homeless application in order to obtain rehousing.
As part of Basildon’s Domestic Violence Panel, which is a multi agency partnership, the Council has contributed to the successful application for Joint Finance Funding for the Careline Project.
The Council has also begun to look at how everyone within the organisation can assist survivors wherever the interaction takes place. We are currently working with the Police and the refuge to develop a Corporate Policy on Domestic Violence. From this partnership work it is hopeful that a district wide multi agency “Good Practice Guide” can be developed. This has led to the Corporate group being instrumental in making Domestic Violence a ‘stand alone’ item in the district’s new Community Safety Strategy.
The Council will continue to work with the refuge and support the work they do in order to create a safer environment for the survivors of today and for those of the future.