Barnardo’s Cymru has welcomed today’s announcement of additional Home Office funding to continue its whole family approach to tackling domestic abuse.
The money will fund the Opening Closed Doors project for the next 12 months. The announcement comes as charity helplines report a doubling of domestic abuse reports during lockdown.
The Barnardo’s Cymru service, which has supported 261 families since it began last March with £950,000 of Home Office funding, will be able to continue in Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Newport and Monmouthshire.
Sarah Crawley, Director of Barnardo’s Cymru, said: “Domestic abuse is an epidemic with devastating effects on children and their families. It leaves families in a state of trauma, with significant impact on their emotional and mental health.
“We are very concerned about the rising levels of domestic abuse since lockdown so this announcement is particularly well timed.”
The Barnardo’s whole family approach allows both parent and child victims to receive trauma informed support whilst the perpetrators of domestic abuse access a programme which is designed to change behaviour, rebuild relationships and keep families safe.
The Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes University recently published a report into the service. It said there was a very high level of demand and that it had a “very promising positive impact” on children and families.
Homes were now safer and there were striking improvements in children’s emotional health and wellbeing. Many families were progressing in their journey of recovery from domestic abuse and were making sustainable change in their behaviours.
Barnardo’s support workers were praised for their high level of commitment, motivation and skill. By building relationships with family members they could have open and honest conversations and be both
supportive and challenging when needed, said the report.
