Domestic Violence Support Services

A pilot project to provide domestic abuse support services to a number of women's prisons aligning and supporting the Government’s Strategy for Violence Against Women And Girls. This will be achieved by: • A national network of Link Workers to establish strong partnerships between women in prison, prison staff, women’s centres and domestic abuse services ensuring early intervention on reception and dedicated support upon release. • Continued development of a ‘lived experience’ peer support network of Women’s Champion roles held by women serving prison sentences to increase reach, impact and engagement of women to access gender specific support pre and post release and to deliver structured group work and interventions to women experiencing or with a history of domestic abuse. • These Women's Champions would support and train new Champions ensuring sustainability after project end. • The project takes a holistic ‘whole system approach’ to meeting women’s needs and reducing reoffending, by connecting two key elements: gender specific community services and prisons. It will strengthen connections between women in prisons and women’s services, and joint work/referrals between prisons and domestic abuse organisations .