Our support workers are here to offer you support and advice to keep safe and will work with you to make informed decisions and explore your options.
Our support workers recognise that telling someone about abuse is not an easy step and they are here to listen to and support you.
“Specialist professional who works with a victim of domestic abuse to develop a trusting relationship. They can help a victim with everything they need to become safe and rebuild their life and represent their voice at a Multi-agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC), as well as helping them to navigate the criminal justice process and working with the different statutory agencies to provide wraparound support”
Our support workers are here to offer you support and advice to keep safe and will work with you to make informed decisions and explore your options.
Our IDVA’s are here to offer you support and advice to keep you safe and will work with you to make informed decisions and explore your options.
The role of an IDVA is to assess the immediate risks from domestic abuse using a risk assessment tool, and to complete safety planning and support plans with clients. IDVA’s will offer practical support with the aim to support clients and their children in regard to their safety. Support can be provided through the civil courts and the criminal justice system. IDVA’s will ensure the voice of clients are heard with other multi-agencies, advocating on the clients behalf when required.
Most importantly our IDVA’s recognise that telling someone about abuse is not an easy step and they are here to listen to and support you. We recognise that not everyone wants to or is ready to take action and we will support you to be safe whether you decide to remain with your partner or not. All our support staff are independent of other services such as Police, Courts, Housing and Social Care however they can work with a range of agencies to advocate for you where that helps or is needed.
We will support you and advocate on your behalf in a number of ways depending on your needs and circumstances, our role is to prioritise your safety and to work with you to set and achieve your goals.
Listen to your experiences, offer emotional support and understanding without judgement.
Talk to you about your safety and make sure you are not at risk.
Support and advocate through the Criminal courts, including keeping you informed about Police and CPS decisions, requesting Restraining Orders to prevent your abuser continuing to contact you after a court case has finished, complete Victim Personal Statements with you so the courts are aware of the impact the incident has had on you and support you during a trial if needed.
Be your voice within the MARAC (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference) should you be referred, this is a forum for agencies to consider the potential risks to you and support in making you and your children safer.
Talk with you about your legal options and assist you and support you to access legal advice and any actions you wish to take including attending court.
Help to liaise with other agencies such as social care, housing, health services etc.
Support you with options around safe accommodation and financial abuse.
Children should be recognised as victims of domestic abuse in their own right. Witnessing or hearing abuse is as damaging as being the primary victim.
We offer 1-1 support to enable young people to make informed choices around their relationship; offering support to increase safety from domestic abuse and work through their feelings to identify the impact the abuse is having on their lives.
The direct work will be a client led approach that will allow young people to explore the relationship between power and control abuse and toxic relationships; developing their understanding of healthy and unhealthy relationships.
This is a service for young people aged 13 – 24 years who are experiencing domestic abuse in their own interpersonal relationship.
Support will be provided to help recognise signs of domestic abuse and unhealthy relationships and develop an awareness of how to respond to domestic abuse.
The Young Person’s IDVA will provide a safe space to challenge societal norms and gendered beliefs; increasing confidence and self-esteem.
We provide safety planning advice and support, this includes information on safety services that are available to a young person.
The Young Person’s IDVA will liaise with other professionals, to voice their views, wishes, feelings and queries.
We recognise that not everyone wants to, or is ready to take action and we will support you to remain as safe as possible, whether you decide to remain in your interpersonal relationship or not.
The Young People’s IDVA recognise that telling someone about abuse is not easy, they are here to listen and support you.
We are currently offering free workshops to schools and colleges across Middlesbrough.
Each workshop has a focus on exploring healthy and unhealthy relationships; developing knowledge around acceptable behaviours, consent, respect and boundaries. Each workshop can be tailored to the groups individual needs in terms of timing and content.
The workshops are interactive and aim to engage young people in challenging their thinking of what a healthy relationship is. Unfortunately for many young people, they have already had experience of a ‘toxic’ or abusive relationship. The workshops will help to develop their understanding of domestic abuse and the relationship between power and control.
Domestic abuse is the largest single reason for homelessness in Middlesbrough. The scheme provides a preventative approach to resolving homeless issues through early intervention and safety planning.
See this one minute guide for more information.
The Sanctuary Scheme aims to prevent victims who, whilst no longer residing with the perpetrator, are still experiencing or are at risk of domestic abuse but want to remain safely in their homes by providing additional security for them. It is a victim centred initiative, with the objective of making it possible for victims to remain in their own home and feel safe.
The scheme is available to residents in the Middlesbrough Borough Council area who are victims of domestic abuse and threatened with violence where, without the support of the scheme and additional security measures, would likely become homeless.
Applicants can be local authority, private or Registered Social Landlord tenants or homeowners, however, legal occupation of the property must be solely in the applicant’s name and the scheme must obtain consent from the landlord.
The scheme is run as a partnership with the Sanctuary Scheme Co-ordinator based at My Sisters Place working closely with Crime Prevention Team at Cleveland Police, Cleveland Fire Brigade. The scheme is funded by Middlesbrough Council.
If a referring agency is satisfied that without the work the victim would be at risk of harm and likely to become homeless a Sanctuary Referral Form is completed and submitted to admin.msp@msp.cjsm.net or reception@mysistersplace.co.uk, together with a Risk Assessment Checklist.
Economic Abuse support workers provide practical support to survivors of domestic abuse and work alongside the IDVA team. The support entails many of areas of support a client may need to live safely and independently, including housing support needs and financial issues.
Domestic abuse is a health issue, and we recognise that domestic abuse has devasting health impacts affecting both the physical and mental health of victims and survivors of domestic abuse and their children.
My Sister’s Place is proud to deliver the IRIS Programme in Middlesbrough and since the launch in 2021 it has transformed the way that My Sisters Place and primary care professionals in Middlesbrough work together to support their patients who are impacted by domestic abuse.
General Practice plays an integral role in addressing the issue of and transforming responses to domestic violence and abuse.
The IRIS (Identification and Referral to Improve Safety) is a collaboration between primary care and third sector organisations specialising in domestic abuse.
The IRIS Programme provides training, support, referral, and advocacy model to support General Practice to better support their patients affected by domestic abuse.
The training ensures that General Practice staff are equipped to confidently respond to domestic abuse which will essentially improve the safety, quality of life and wellbeing of their patients who are victims and survivors of domestic abuse.
It is aimed at women who have experienced or who are experiencing domestic abuse from a current partner, ex-partner or adult family member and provides information and signposting for male victims and for perpetrators.
We know that victims/survivors of abuse trust Health Professionals and 80% of women in a violent relationship seek help from health services and these are often a woman’s first, or only, point of contact (Department of Health).
Victims and Survivors will often attempt to disclose during a consultation, half of women that access domestic abuse specialist support services have visited a GP practice an average of 4.6 times in the 12 months before they accessed specialist domestic abuse services (SafeLives 2016).
The programme provides two specialist members of staff, the Advocate Educator (a specialist domestic abuse advocate from My Sisters Place) and the Clinical Lead (a GP) who work together to train practices about domestic violence and abuse.
Our Advocate Educator with the support of the Clinical Lead, will deliver training and support for each IRIS practice in the Middlesbrough area to GPs and clinicians. Training and support are also provided to all frontline staff including Reception Staff.
The training focuses on providing information on how to recognise and identify domestic abuse through clinical enquiry and how to respond in terms of assessing immediate risk, how to record this information and to refer patients for specialist support.
Once each practice has received training, the practice becomes a domestic abuse aware practice. This is recognised and promoted to patients by the displaying of posters and information on social media.
The role of the Advocate Educator at My Sisters Place is to also provide advocacy and emotional support to patients whilst identifying risk, implementing safety plans and signposting to other services if necessary and acts as a named contact for patient referrals made via the IRIS programme.
IRIS trained practices are ‘domestic abuse aware’ and are a safe place to disclose abuse and access support.
We currently have 15 domestic abuse aware practices in Middlesbrough:
Please speak to your GP Surgery if you would like a referral to IRIS.
If you are a GP practice and you would like to become a domestic abuse aware practice, or for more information on IRIS please contact our IRIS Advocate Educator, Leanne Smith by e-mailing, leanne.smith@mysistersplace.co.uk
In 2022 Leanne Smith (Advocate Educator/Project Lead) and Dr Jen Standen (Clinical Lead) were awarded the Healthwatch Community Innovator Award for the work delivering the IRIS programme.
Leanne Smith (Advocate Educator/Project Lead) and Dr Jen Standen (Clinical Lead) along with colleagues at Parkway Medical Centre who were our first domestic abuse aware practice in Middlesbrough.
We understand how difficult it can be if you are a man experiencing domestic abuse or other forms of violence. You might feel scared, isolated, and confused. You might feel ashamed or afraid to tell anyone about your situation. But you are not alone – there is support available, we will believe you, we will support you. Get in touch.
You can also contact Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men | Men’s Advice Line UK (mensadviceline.org.uk) or Menkind Help For Male Victims – ManKind Initiative 01823 334 244 a national helpline a specialist provider for men experiencing domestic abuse.
