This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please could you provide the following data:

1. Average waiting time for victims of domestic abuse and violence who have requested support services commissioned by your council between the years below. Please categorise the data by the types of domestic abuse and violence support services your council commissions (e.g. refuges, counselling).
a) Feb 14 2020-Feb 14 2021
b) Feb 14 2021-Feb 14 2022
c) Feb 14 2022-Feb 14 2023
We do not hold this data. Please see below on how referrals into our services are managed:

Cranstoun Domestic Abuse Service
Cranstoun respond to all initial referrals for adults within 2 working days. Referrals from Cranstoun to other agencies are made within 2 days of the request. These agencies include, but are not limited to: refuge, home refuge (safety measures at the victim-survivor’s home address), Aurora New Dawn (Stalking and harassment), legal support including applying for civil orders, financial support, mental wellbeing, food bank and housing. These referrals are made at any point throughout the client’s time with us, as and when the need arises.

Berkshire Women’s Aid Refuge
Berkshire Women’s Aid (BWA) do not hold a waiting list for any of our services aside from Choices group work and children’s work. An estimate of average lengths of time is approximately one term behind for children’s work, and about 1-2 months for Choices group work as this was in high demand in Wokingham.

Helpline will attempt three call backs, the first one always the same day but all three absolutely within 24 hours following a message being received.

In terms of outreach, we attempt contact with all clients within 24 hours of receipt of referral and as soon as contact is established, support essentially starts as we will be immediately completing signposting and safety planning. Once a client has been successfully contacted and accepted support, they would be allocated to an outreach worker within 1-3 days but with the option to make contact with us via the Helpline if support is needed in the interim.

In the case of refuge, this is very dependent on the client’s individual circumstances. Clients are contacted the same day to make arrangements for an assessment (which usually also takes place the same day but if late in the afternoon, possibly the next day). Once assessed as suitable, some clients arrive the same day, others the day after. Some clients prefer to wait with family over a weekend and come in on the Monday. Average waiting times would be between same day, and one week, led by client’s circumstances.

2. Please also provide a list of charities or organisations currently commissioned by your council.
Cranstoun run our comprehensive Domestic Abuse Service.
Berkshire Women’s Aid run our refuge provision within the borough.