Domestic Abuse Accommodation and Floating Support Service

Market Sounding Advert: Domestic Abuse and Floating Support Service for North Somerset Council:

We are exploring options for the provision of Domestic Abuse and Floating Support Services.

North Somerset has a population of approximately 209,944 people. On average, each year our Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) receives over 300 referrals and our domestic abuse service receives over 400 referrals to Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVA’s) and over 250 referrals to floating support. Together, with an increasing referral rate, our needs assessment has shown an increase in the number of people requiring support for domestic abuse who also have mental health and/or substance misuse issues.

We are currently considering the new service we wish to commission and, ideally, would like it to include the following aspects:

• Emergency accommodation which includes opportunities for communal, peer support but which allows people to be accommodated who may have problematic behaviour. We would also like the service to be able to accommodate male victims whilst retaining safe, comfortable space for women.
• A floating support team which includes accredited IDVAs and expertise in support around mental health, alcohol and substance misuse issues
• A service which can respond and support complex cases where there is no clear perpetrator
• Provision of training for professionals
• Provision of pattern changing courses for survivors
• Support for children and young people affected by domestic abuse
• A service which works closely to support partner agencies, including health services
• A service to challenge and support perpetrators of domestic abuse
• A service which is accessible to all, including those with protected characteristics and those who live in all parts of the district
• A service which enables survivors to be involved in service development
• The provision of a Dedicated Domestic Abuse Helpline
• Development of a peer support groups/buddy system

We would be interested in potential providers’ thoughts on how the above support could be provided within the area. In particular, we are interested in hearing views on:

• How to retain the advantages of survivors being able to benefit from peer support (as happens in a refuge) whilst also allowing flexibility to accommodate male victims, older children and individuals who cannot live communally
• Ways to work with couples where there is no clear perpetrator
• Ways to support individuals who have complex needs, including mental health and alcohol/substance misuse issues

If you have any thoughts/questions/comments, please could you use the messaging section on the portal to send them to us by 1pm on 5th July 2017.

*This is not a call for competition, we are completing a market sounding exercise.