Skip to content

Hertfordshire County Council

Funding for domestic abuse support services

Two vital support services are now available for Hertfordshire residents experiencing ‘high-risk’ domestic abuse, thanks to funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Hertfordshire Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership.

From 1 July, Refuge was re-commissioned to deliver Hertfordshire’s Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) service, while Safer Places is now providing Hertfordshire’s safe accommodation service, in partnership with St Albans and Hertsmere Women’s Refuge and Druglink. These services, which are funded to run for the next two years through contracts totalling more than £5m, are helping to make Hertfordshire a safe place for people who are experiencing – or who have experienced - domestic abuse.

Tony Kingsbury, Executive Member for Adult Care Services at Hertfordshire County Council, met with service users and staff from Safer Places and Refuge this week. He said:

“Domestic abuse is such an awful thing to happen to someone. We need to do all we can to support these people to let them get on and lead their lives as best as possible.”

“There are so many ways that people can be affected, and it varies over time. Domestic abuse is not linear, and the experiences of those affected will differ. We want to make sure all victims and survivors of domestic abuse can access the right help for them, at the right time.”


It is estimated that more than 114,000 women and 78,000 men in Hertfordshire will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. In the last year alone, around 42,285 adults aged 16-74 in Hertfordshire will have experienced some form of domestic abuse. The Hertfordshire Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership is committed to funding and developing services that help and support all those who are experiencing – or who have experienced - domestic abuse in Hertfordshire.

Refuge’s IDVA service provides support for women and men experiencing abuse within intimate or family relationships and are at high risk of harm or homicide. The service provides free, confidential, non-judgemental specialist support tailored to their individual needs such as housing, safety planning and emotional support.

Safer Places is providing Hertfordshire’s safe accommodation service. They provide accommodation-based, and community outreach support to those who are unable to remain in their own home due to the high risk of further harm. Safer Places has a range of safe accommodation options to ensure all those who are experiencing – or who have experienced - domestic abuse, and their children, have equitable access and choice to services, including spaces for male clients.

 

The funding for these services is part of a whole system response to those who are experiencing – or who have experienced - domestic abuse, including children, across Hertfordshire. More information about strategic partnership’s approach is included in its new Domestic Abuse Strategy 2022–25.

 

 

Cookies

Like many other websites, we place small information files called 'cookies' on your computer.

Why do we use cookies?

To remember your settings, for example your language and location. This means you don’t have to keep entering these details when you visit a new page.

To find out how you use the site to help us update and improve it.

How do I change my cookie settings?

You can change the settings of your web browser so that it won’t accept cookies. For more information visit AboutCookies.org.

But, doing this may stop you from using some of the online features and services on this website. 

Cookies we use

Cookies do a lot of different jobs, and we use 2 types of cookies:

Required functionality cookies – these cookies are essential for the website to work.

Performance and feature cookies – these cookies help to improve the performance and feel of this website, for example providing you with personalised services.


Take a look at a list of cookies we use on our website:

NameTypeHow we use itHow long we use the information for

ASP.Net_Sessions

 

Required functionality

An automatic cookie set by our software. 

Just for the time you are on our website.

ServerID

 

Required functionality

An automatic cookie set by our software. 

Just for the time you are on our website.

_ga

Required functionality

To track the effectiveness of our website using Google Analytics. 

2 years

saved-pages

Performance and feature

To save the pages that you visit by clicking the heart at the top of the page. 

1 month

geoPostcode

Performance and feature

This stores your postcode (or partial postcode) when we ask you for your location.

Just for the time you are on our website or 30 days (you choose this).

geoCoordinates

Performance and feature

This stores your location as a pair of latitude / longitude coordinates.

Just for the time you are on our website or 30 days (you choose this).

reckonerName-history

Performance and feature

This keeps a history of all answers submitted to the ready reckoner.

This is set in the control for each ready reckoner. If you haven't interacted with the ready reckoner for the set amount of days, the cookies are deleted.

reckonerName-content

Performance and feature

This keeps a history of what content cards are clicked on when using the ready reckoner.

This is set in the control for each ready reckoner. If you haven't interacted with the ready reckoner for the set amount of days, the cookies are deleted.

SQ_SYSTEM_SESSION

Required functionality

This used to track user sessions on forms hosted on eservices.hertfordshire.gov.uk

Just for the time you are on our website.


Third party cookies

There are links and content from other sites and services on our website. These sites and services set their own cookies.

Below are a list of cookies that the other sites and services use:

Service namePurposeMore information

Google analytics (_utma/b/c/z)

These are used to compile reports for us on how people use this site.

Cookies of the same names are also used for the same purpose by other websites such as Building FuturesCountryside Management Service and Hertfordshire LIS.

Visit the Google Analytics website for more information about the cookies they use.

You can prevent data from being collected and used by Google Analytics by installing Google's Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Google Translation - googtrans

This cookie is used to remember which language to translate each page into if you have chosen to do so.

It expires at the end of your browser session.

Bing

We use a Bing cookie to track the success of our marketing campaigns and make them more efficient.

Visit Bing to find out more about their cookies.

Google

We use a Google cookie to track the success of our marketing campaigns and make them more efficient.

Visit Google to find out more about their cookies.

Facebook

We have a number of presences on Facebook, which we may link to. Facebook may set some of its own cookies if you follow these links.

Visit Facebook to find out more about their cookies.

Twitter

We have a number of presences and feeds on Twitter, which you may wish to follow or read from this website. Twitter may set some of its own cookies.

Visit Twitter to find out more about their cookies.

YouTube

We have a YouTube channel, which we may link to. YouTube may set some of its own cookies if you follow those links.

Visit YouTube to find out more about their cookies.

Netloan

This ASP.NET_Sessionid cookie is essential for the Netloan secure online payments website to work, and is set when you arrive to the site. This cookie is deleted when you close your browser.

 

HotJar

This session cookie is set to let Hotjar know whether that visitor is included in the sample which is used to generate funnels.

Visit HotJar to find out more about their cookies.

Siteimprove

These cookies are set to help us report on how people are using the site so we can improve it.

Visit Siteimprove to learn more about their cookies.