Domestic abuse specialist refuge services 2010-2018

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information:

1. How much money has been spent by your council on specialist domestic abuse refuge services in each of the last eight financial years? (2010-2018)

Public Health Devon assumed responsibility for commissioning domestic violence support in 2014/15 on behalf of Devon County Council. Since then, no funding has been spent on specialist domestic abuse refuge services. Instead, the model that has been promoted is a tiered approach to safe accommodation, called the Places to Safety Model. It starts from the premise that the best outcome is for the Police to remove the perpetrator from the home to maintain continuity for the victim and their children through a Domestic Violence Protection Order (PVPS). Where this is not possible and the victim needs to leave the home, the District Council will place the victims in temporary Places of Safety until they can return home or move on to safe accommodation. Teignbridge District Council has led the scheme that has provided 3 dedicated Places of Safety across the county and is currently expanding. The associated set up costs have been
2015/16 – £25k
2016/17 – £15k
2017/18 – £10k
2018/19 – £4k (allocated)

2. How many individual specialist domestic abuse refuge spaces have there been in your local authority area in each of the last eight financial years?

From 2014 to current, has been one specialist domestic abuse refuge providing 8 bed spaces.

From 2015 to current, there have been an additional three places of safety for 3 adults and 11 children.