Shropshire Council

Domestic abuse service

The paramount intention of the Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service is to provide aid to anyone who may be experiencing domestic abuse of any form, whether it be:

  • Emotional abuse
  • Financial abuse
  • Physical abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Stalking and/or harassment

The service provides various types of help dependent on each individual's situation. They can offer group work, which gives individuals access to educational programmes such as 'freedom' and 'power to change'. These groups give the individual the opportunity to gain skills and knowledge surrounding the topic of domestic abuse. They're based in various locations throughout Shropshire, usually in central locations such as local community centres to ensure that they're accessible to as many people as possible.

Outreach support is also available. Outreach support is provided by a team of qualified and experienced support workers to support those experiencing domestic abuse who still live in the community. The individuals who access the outreach support could still be living in relationships where domestic abuse is occurring, or they may be survivors of domestic abuse who have fled to a place of safety but still need that emotional or practical support. Outreach workers can help to find a way of dealing with the emotional impact of domestic abuse. They can also accompany individuals to important appointments with other professionals such as social workers, solicitors, and housing associations. If the support workers are unable to help with a specific matter, they'll signpost to someone who can.

There's also refuge support for immediate risks to safety. Refuge can house individuals or families and serves as a safe haven for those who feel they're in danger staying where they are. There are dedicated support workers who deliver advice, assistance and guidance from the first point of contact with the individual right through to the end of their journey, including resettlement for individuals from refuge to their own accommodation. The aim is to look not just at the individual but also the bigger picture, looking after the wellbeing of the whole family.

The children’s workers work with any children whose parents are engaging with our service, whether that is within refuge or outreach. SDAS will refer to the children’s worker when the parents engage. The workers work with the children within schools or on a one-to-one basis at refuge.

The work at refuge is based around keeping safe, feeling safe, keeping the location of the refuge confidential and normalising their feelings around being exposed to domestic violence.

The children’s workers do similar work with the children on outreach but do additional work around court proceedings and what may happen. Within schools they work closely with pastoral staff to manage emotions and behaviours they may be displaying because of being exposed to domestic abuse.

SDAS also deliver a parenting group. This 12-week programme aims to help victims and survivors to understand how living with domestic abuse may feel for their children. It helps them to recognise how children may have been affected by domestic abuse and how to support their children to cope with their experiences. Participants will end the programme with strategies in place for rebuilding or reinforcing a healthy relationship with their children.

Additionally, the Inspiring Families programme is a ten-week programme for families where domestic abuse has been identified and the families are choosing to stay together and trying to work through it. The abusive and non-abusive partners will attend separate weekly small group sessions, enabling each to identify patterns of abusive behaviour, the capacity of each to change, the impact on the non–abusive partner and on any children in the family.

If you feel you could benefit from any of our services, or know someone who could, please contact Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service on 0300 303 1191 or via our website.