Shelter And Support For Victims of Domestic Abuse

Descriptions

West Lothian Womens Aid have built and maintained good working relationships with West Lothian Council and work in partnership with the council and partners to improve and raise awareness of domestic abuse services within West Lothian. The service provides 12 spaces in refuge accommodation and has recently engaged with local Registered Social Landlords for the provision of 2 additional properties as move on supported accommodation. It is recognized from analysis of the benefits and risks to people who use services and their families that a change to service provider would impact on service continuity to vulnerable people. The service provided by West Lothian Women’s Aid remains strategically relevant and integral both in terms of West Lothian’s Violence Against Women Strategy & National Strategy: Equally Safe. The local strategy underpins the need for the strategic approach taken by West Lothian Women’s Aid to work in partnership with DASSAT to align domestic abuse services across West Lothian for women and children. The proposed direct award will ensure continuity of care for women and children receiving services. Furthermore this will enable the continued development of future services on a solid footing based on an established partnership. The length of contract period is required to allow deployment of the West Lothian Council's 5 year Rapid Re housing Transition Plan (RRTP). The RRTP will have a significant impact on the re housing options for women and children affected by domestic violence. A major aspect of the RRTP will be the move away from providing temporary accommodation and support for homeless households (including those fleeing domestic violence) to the provision of direct settled accommodation and support. The move to this provision will be reliant on the council reviewing its allocation policy, giving a greater percentage of council lets to homeless households and agreeing an increased percentage of lets to homeless households by RSL partners. The new Allocations policy is expected to be deployed within the lifetime of the RRTP.