Our Helpline is running across West Mercia, including Herefordshire, and everyone that works for us has access to the technology to enable them to continue to contact women and families. Our Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs) and Hospital Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (HIDVA) are still working hard to ensure that people at high risk of harm from domestic abuse are safe. Each IDVA/HIDVA is continuing to advocate on behalf of their clients with partner agencies such as the Police, Probation and Health agencies. Children and Young People’s Workers are providing parents and teachers with on-line resources and advice so that children who have been affected by domestic abuse can continue to be supported by the people who are caring for them at home or in school. Supporting families in refuge and safe accommodation is more challenging but not impossible. Residents already shop for themselves and take care of their own families like everyone else, and those in refuge will still have regular contact with someone they know and trust from Women’s Aid. Women are still being admitted to refuge as long as they have not been advised to self-isolate. West Mercia Women’s Aid is still open for business, if not quite business as usual. We are working hard to ensure that those who need us can still get support.”
Sue Coleman, Chief Executive of West Mercia Women’s Aid