Councillors have agreed to fund programmes supporting young people who are both survivors and perpetrators of domestic abuse.
Members of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee agreed to spend more than £110,000 of government grants on three projects.
The decision was made in line with a requirement to support children and young people in safe housing in cases of domestic abuse.
The money was the final tranche of a £606,000 award from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
It was allocated to cover the costs of providing support for survivors and children in safe housing after the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 became law.
When the Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee met at Hove Town Hall last Thursday (10 March), Conservative councillor Dee Simson asked whether one organisation would run all three projects.
Council official Anne Clark said that a bid from a consortium would be preferred but if different organisations took on the three contracts, they would be asked to work together.
About £50,000 out of the £110,000 would go towards a domestic abuse and violence against women and girls outreach or case worker, councillors were told.
The role would be aimed at young people who were subject to or carrying out domestic abuse in their relationships or within their family.
Ms Clark said:
“Nationally, a lot of research shows between 14 to 21 there are very high incidents of domestic abuse. They are not necessarily reaching out for our services.
“In terms of prevention work, there are where young people at risk disclosing in school or at university, or maybe coming to notice at the GUM (genito-urinary medicine) clinic, this role will have a proactive approach working with those services.”
The money will also help young people who risk losing their home because of domestic abuse.
A safe housing pilot group will receive £40,000 to try to help young people resorting to violence in their relationships, including towards their parents.
Ms Clark told councillors that parents found it hard to report their own children for abuse. And she said that young people using violence may have experienced domestic abuse as children themselves.
A 12-week community programme will receive £21,000 to support younger children recovering from having seen domestic abuse.
The committee agreed to spend a total of £240,000 during the meeting on Thursday, with funding also allocated to support services for black, Asian and minority ethnic and LGBTQ+ survivors.
In February, the government announced a further £608,000 for the council in 2022-23 to provide support services to meet its responsibilities under the Domestic Abuse Act.
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