Published Thursday 26 November 2020 at 16:50
Blackburn with Darwen Council will receive a boost in funding to support domestic abuse services including a new programme to focus on young people.
Over £250,000 in Home Office funding has been secured by Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire. The Commissioner, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Lancashire County Council, Blackpool Council and Lancashire’s Violence Reduction Network will match the funding bringing total investment in Lancashire to over 450k.
The isolation of families during the Coronavirus pandemic is sadly more likely to exacerbate domestic abuse, as perpetrators are more likely to be at home with the victim, and the traditional routes to help and support such as schools, GPs and workplaces may be closed.
Isolation means there are less opportunities to identify the early warning signs of abuse as new domestic abuse cases emerge.
Between January 2019 and August 2020, Lancashire Constabulary responded to 669 domestic abuse incidents involving offenders aged 10 to 16.
The Wish Centre, commissioned by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, will use the government funding to expand their work with perpetrators of domestic abuse and to establish a new programme aimed at young people.
The Young People’s Programme works to help children and teenagers form healthy relationships to prevent them becoming adult perpetrators of domestic abuse as they get older. The project looks to support young people who may have had extended periods of absence from school due to the coronavirus pandemic, meaning more time at home, potentially resulting in abusive behaviours.
The funding will also help to further roll out the Wish Centre’s established ‘Make the Change’ programme which will be available across the whole of Lancashire going forward.
Councillor Mustafa Desai, Executive Member for Adult Services and prevention, said:
This funding is very important for the families who have suffered due to domestic abuse – it will help us to give them the support they need, especially during these incredibly challenging times we are living in.
The funding will also go towards the Wish Centre’s Young People’s programme which will help support young people to help prevent them from becoming offenders in the future. This will work towards lowering the chances of domestic abuse in future generations.
Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw, whose office secured 250k in Home Office funding to support this work, added:
We need to tackle domestic abuse from all angles. Vital support for victims of abuse is already established across Lancashire and I am pleased that the additional funding can be used to focus on working with perpetrators.
Breaking the cycle of abuse is so important and programmes like this can make that difference. I am really pleased that partners across Lancashire have come together to support this approach which means that the existing perpetrator programme is now available across the whole of the county and that young people can be supported to change.
Shigufta Khan, CEO at the Wish Centre said:
We are really pleased to be able to introduce the Young People’s Programme to Lancashire. The sooner we can work with young people to help them manage emotions and develop a better understanding of healthy relationships the more likely we are to stop them from offending in the future.
The new programme is expected to start in early 2021.
If you are in need of support contact the Wish Centre on 01254 260465 or by emailing info@thewishcentre.org.uk.
If you are need of urgent help, please dial 999.