Fears raised over lack of funding for domestic violence cases

While calls to various domestic abuse helplines, refuges and services have increased as people have been forced to stay home during the Covid-19 pandemic - it is expected that as lockdown rules start to be lifted they will actually increase, and create even more demand on a sector that is already struggling to cope.

Sinead Cregan, head of development and innovation at Inspire North, said funding is already at a premium and expects that any extra money domestic violence services may have been in line for will be re-directed - to health and education services for example.

It will come to a head, she warns, when they can’t take any more referrals.

She told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “This is a double-edged sword. We are raising awareness because we want to make a difference to victims but there is potentially not enough supply to meet the demand. That is a challenge without a doubt. There will come a point where we can’t take anymore because we can’t cope. There is just not the hours within the contract to do that.

“We have seen a real big increase in referrals for independent domestic violence advisors (IDVA) for the area that we run the refuge in and they are from the police normally. The issue that we have got is that there is a lack of funding for IDVAs. We are struggling to meet the demand but doing our best.”

Inspire North came to be in 2018 when it brought together the works of charities, Community Links and Foundation. Now the parent organisation, it finds ways to provide services in mental health, wellbeing, housing and domestic abuse across the north of England.

With regard to domestic violence, Inspire North operates a refuge that houses 12 women and children, which is always full and never has vacancies. If someone moves out to supported accommodation, in a partnership with private landlords, that refuge place is taken again the very same day.

Inspire North also provides therapy services for the children who have also experienced domestic violent homes and backgrounds.

Prior to lockdown, Inspire North had hoped to raise around half a million pounds to create its own accommodation as a next step for refuge women to move into, which would help free up refuge space and would also like to recruit another IDVA to help deal with referrals.

However, the usual fundraising activities have been canceled due to coronavirus and social distancing and Inspire North has been told that there will be no more made available in the budget. The six months worth of money that the government is making available won’t be enough to help with either of the above projects.

Ms Cregan added: “In terms of funding, a lot is through local authorities or police and crime commissioner money. This is in context of nearly 11 years of austerity where budgets have been cut and cut and cut. That puts added pressure on support services because funding has been reduced.

“The government has made some money available. It is for 6 months and that is to support the current work that we are doing. So for example we can’t employ someone on a permanent basis, that will run out in September.”

“We expect that level of funding (current budget) will remain the same. We have had conversations with our commissioners. There will not be any increase.”

On top of that, there is a predicted spike to come as more movement is allowed - giving victims space and time to make that call for help.

“We are worried about what will happen when lockdown is loosened again. We are expecting to see a surge in referrals.

“How do we meet that demand going forward and try to plan for that. There is not a funding solution available to us. That is my concern, we need a solution and there is not one.”