SPLITZ Support Service
aking a differen m f ce o rs in a ou ye r 5 2
25 YEARS
1989 - 2014
ies nit mu m co
Cele bra tin g
Annual Review and Financial Summary 2013-2014
Executive Director’s Report
Content Executive Director’s Report DVPP DV Outreach Young People A volunteer’s perspective 25 years at a glance Housing Buddy Scheme Achievements Impact Financial Summary Thank you
When this organisation started its life in May 1989, there was just me and a small steering group. I never had any kind of ‘vision’ for geographical area, high numbers of people to be helped or anything remotely 2 ambitious. I simply wanted to help to make a difference for people who 3 found themselves ‘parenting alone’ – 4 no matter what the reason. 5 6 Recently, I contacted a local town council in my efforts to track down an old colleague. I told the clerk my 7 name and she gasped. “I know you, Fran! You saved my life 25 years 8 ago”. She reminded me of her story. 9 10 I must admit her story brought tears 10 to my eyes. I was well choked up! But this sums up the whole point of 11 providing this service; helping people to make choices, and supporting 12 them through the dark times. Since those days we have carefully replicated our services in other geographical areas; Bristol, Gloucestershire and Devon.
For every £1 spent supporting us
99.6p goes on beneficiaries 0.4p is spent on running the charity 0.0p is spent raising income
We have also developed new services and formed partnerships with other organisations who share our ethos. Alongside that, we have achieved about seven national accreditations illustrating what we already knew; we deliver the very best service for the most marvellous people! Sincere thanks go to all those people who have helped us along the way; our trustees, volunteers, staff, funders – and most of all, our precious service users who trust us enough to allow us into their hearts and lives.
Other reports available for this period:
Annual accounts Equality Monitoring report Environmental Monitoring report Available at: www.splitz.org/reports
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DVPP Our domestic violence perpetrator programmes (DVPP) in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol continue to attract a steady stream of referrals, with an increase in referrals from social care. There were over 70 referrals in both Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. Due to funding cuts the programme in Bristol stopped taking referrals in November 2013. The Wiltshire programme was funded by the Big Lottery Fund, Plain Action, Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the MoD Community Covenant and the Charles Hayward Foundation. The Gloucestershire programme was funded by Gloucestershire County Council and the Bristol programme was funded by Safer Bristol.
Case Study Mr Brown was referred to the Turnaround programme via Social Services. Mr Brown was being abusive to his partner and there was concern about neglect of the children. Mr Brown started the programme in July and his partner was offered support alongside the programme. He engaged well with staff and was very remorseful for his past use of abusive behaviour. His children were experiencing issues and the eldest had been placed in care.
With additional funding and high demand we had been able to deliver 3 groups in Wiltshire this year. However, we are unsure if we will be able to continue this next year.
Social Services noticed a significant change in his behaviour. His partner had been experiencing some issues but had struggled to access support, and Mr Brown had not been offering support. After talking with programme staff he decided to work less and spend more time with his family.
During the year we reviewed our programme content and structure. The programme was reduced from 30 weeks to 25 weeks, and the session length increased to 2¼ hours. This will allow us to complete 2 programmes each calendar year, while maintaining the same course content.
Due to the positive changes and improvements Mr Brown made, Social Services decided to assess him for his ability to become full time carer to the children allowing Mrs Brown the opportunity to get the help she required. Mr Brown gave up his job in order to provide this care and settled into a routine with the children.
The integrated women’s safety service saw some changes too, with updates to the working manual and the introduction of a regional forum.
One of the children was referred to Splitz KidzPace. She was on the verge of being expelled from school and was demonstrating some very challenging behaviour. She is now settled at school and succeeding.
Our programmes were due to be re-accredited by Respect in early 2014 and the process was completed in October 2014. We are delighted to have been recommended for re-accreditation.
Mrs Brown is accessing the support she requires and the family situation is beginning to turn around. Mr Brown remains in touch and will attend the follow-on group once his home situation is settled.
Module review meeting 2014
Annual Review and Financial Summary 2013-2014
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DV Outreach Domestic violence (DV) outreach services involve one-one support with additional telephone support and an opportunity to attend group workshops. This year 684 people in Wiltshire and 1899 people in Gloucestershire accessed our DV outreach services. We are grateful to Gloucestershire County Council, the Big Lottery Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, Wiltshire Community Safety Partnership and the Community Foundation for Wiltshire and Swindon for their support. In addition we have specialist IDVAs in Gloucestershire, including the Court IDVA funded by the Ministry of Justice. These roles are essential in managing high risk cases through multi-agency working to reduce the risk. The Court IDVA is a dedicated role keeping women safe as they deal with the issues again while going through the justice system.
Case Study Hilary and Pete have been married for five years. Originally from Uganda, he is a Commonwealth soldier based in Wiltshire. His assaults against her had became progressively worse with both police and Army Welfare involvement. Hilary self referred to Splitz after being given our leaflet at the Hive. Hilary was struggling to accept her failed marriage, which culturally is considered shameful. Pete had been back to Uganda and married again, which seems to be legal in Uganda. He wanted to bring his second wife and baby into the quarters; escalating acrimony.
Demand for outreach work remains very high, but early intervention can help many victims deal with abuse in their own home while maintaining their important social networks. In some cases we can help a family move to a place of safety while work is undertaken to reduce risks and enhance safety and security. We deliver a range of workshops with the aim of reducing isolation and enabling women to come together in a structured and safe way. The group provides a supportive environment that is non judgemental and accepting. This process also models healthy boundaries for women who have had their own personal boundaries violated by domestic abuse.
DV awareness week
relevant emergency phone numbers. Pete was removed from the married quarter and put in the barracks. He was told to keep away from the quarters. Hilary was advised to contact the police if she was threatened, but needed reassurance that the police would attend as her experience in Uganda was somewhat different. In the end she was afraid to stay in the married quarters alone and decided to stay with friends. Hilary found somewhere to else to stay, and with help from Army Welfare she was supported through the process of handing over her quarter.
Hilary’s health improved and her confidence increased. She made friends and joined in with local Pete automatically had UK citizenship as he was a member of the Armed Forces, however Hilary didn’t. activities, increasing her social network. She is now thinking of attending university. Acquiring a visa was a priority and she was helped to find an immigration solicitor through the Army As support came to an end Hilary received news Families Federation. that she had been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain. She now feels safe for the first time in many Hilary was in fear for her life and a safety plan was years and is setting future goals with confidence. made involving the Unit Welfare staff and including
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Splitz Support Service
Young People Our aim is to continue providing support services in the community where there is a need and a demand. Many of our services are developed to reduce the gaps in provision, and this is most evident in the services provided to young people who have witnessed and/or experienced domestic abuse. There were over 250 referrals for this service. SplitzKidz and KidzPace involves ‘one to one’ support and structured group work, and is mostly funded by BBC Children in Need, Comic Relief, the Blagrave Trust and the Steven Gerrard Foundation. A key goal is to improve the young person’s understanding of domestic abuse, and that the abuse between their parents isn’t their fault. Another goal is to help young people deal with their feelings in a positive way. Many young people found it difficult to maintain
healthy non abusive relationships when they started dating. Historically, we had a number of girls who had previously engaged in our service subjected to sexual and physical assaults by partners or acquaintances during their adolescence years. Educating children and young people about domestic abuse is not yet mandatory in the UK. However, the management and teachers at secondary schools we work with in Wiltshire have expressed an interest in promoting the message that abuse is unacceptable in all its forms. This is why we developed TeenzTalk, a pilot programme, which is funded by the Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner. Parents of all attendees had the opportunity to attend an information evening explaining the programme.
Case Study Sandra had experienced and witnessed domestic abuse from a very early age. She is the youngest of a family of 5 and the daughter to the perpetrator; the other children were his step-children. Her father misused drugs and would become extremely violent when under the influence. She watched as her father physically and emotionally abused her mother, halfbrother and half-sister. On one occasion Sandra stopped her brother from drowning in his own bath as his father had punched his face so hard that he was knocked out for nearly three hours.
Sharing experiences
domestic abuse and its impact. Her guilt for failing him turned into anger and guilt for not stopping, for once believing that she could change him. Sandra learned that violence is a choice made because of a desire to overpower and control the weak and vulnerable.
At age 14 Sandra met Joe, a 23 year old. He promised her the world, that they would be together, that she could depend on him always. Sandra became pregnant at age 15 and lost her baby due to constant beating.
She learned what she should expect of a healthy relationship and she learned to respect and love herself again. Sandra recognised she was never a child, or a teenager, but now she is now a fully grown human being with the knowledge of her right to exist and the strength to make the pain and suffering worth its weight in her pursuit of happiness.
Sandra had been put into care, but had decided to start her journey of recovery. She had started to attend the freedom programme and was engaging in education. Sandra was helped to better understand
Sandra is now 17. She is attending college and has moved into independent lodgings. She is currently trying to pursue something which was taken from her. Her dreams.
Annual Review and Financial Summary 2013-2014
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Kim’s Story I love volunteering for Splitz! The charity has given me loads of brilliant opportunities through which I have gained a whole new sense of fulfilment and purpose. It has been amazing to have the chance to get involved with so many aspects of the work being carried out by the organisation. I am always astonished at the resilience of people and I feel honoured that they are willing to share their stories with me which is such a privilege. It’s also incredible to watch people come through their awful situations and grow in confidence. Splitz has made that possible and enabled me to reach a place in my own development where I can challenge myself and grow as well. I feel Splitz Support Service carries out a worthwhile and important role in people’s lives and I am very proud to be a part of this brilliant team! So you see, it is a two way thing. The people who are helped and the people who provide the service; we all benefit! The people who work in this fantastic organisation sure know how to make a person feel good about themselves!
Becky’s Story I was made redundant from my job in Bath and couldn’t believe my luck when a friend mentioned that there may be a temporary job opportunity working for Splitz carrying out administrative duties. With two children to raise I needed to work. I remember my first visit to the Splitz office (then in duke street) very clearly. It was nothing like my previous working environment, I was immediately welcomed and made to feel comfortable and at ease. I knew from this moment on this was my place to be and just prayed my interview went well! What went from a temporary job soon became a permanent job working full time hours which was perfect for me and my family. After a year of being with Splitz I discovered I was expecting my third child! Not at any point was I worried about telling management about this as by this point I had come to realise that Splitz was an organisation that encouraged their employees to put their families first and that family was most important. After having my son I returned back to work after a year’s maternity leave. I had already been given the opportunity to discuss the hours that would be manageable to me and Splitz did everything they could to ensure that I was not taking on too much and I worked on a part time basis. During my time at Splitz I have always been given the opportunity to undertake training and to further my knowledge. This has been great for me as I was able to work within other projects.
Becky
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Seven years on I continue to be part of the admin team and am now also a youth worker providing support to young people in the Wiltshire area. Splitz has helped and encouraged me to grow and become the person I am today. Splitz Support Service
25 years at a glance FIGURES FOR 1989-2014
REFERRALS
OVER
OVER
17,000
Includes referrals to partnership projects Community4 and GDASS.
GENDER of service users
80%
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TOTAL INCOME
£ Million
20%
NUMBER OF STAFF EMPLOYED BY SPLITZ
1 64 1989
March 2014
FIGURES FOR 2013-14
AGE
50 - 59
DISABILITY
60+ 16 - 19 20 - 29
♿
14%
ETHNICITY
40 - 49
6% BME
30 - 39
Annual Review and Financial Summary 2013-2014
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Housing Community4, the housing related floating support service has continued to develop. There have been changes to the way the service has been delivered which saw an increase in the number of people supported. An improved triage process and fewer on-site visits, together with more telephone support has meant the service has maintained the high throughput with reduced capacity. We await a revised service specification from Wiltshire Council for a new, replacement service due in 2015. Newburn House, the mother and baby unit in Trowbridge has seen changes too. There was a steady stream of referrals for places at the house, which meant fewer voids. There was also a greater level of involvement from Social Care as more of the young mums had additional needs. The closer working relationship meant
Case Study Liz, a lone parent with 3 children was referred to Community4 by the Paloma Project when she required support to move to a new area after experiencing domestic violence. One of Liz’s issues was a lack of confidence and it was thought that this was mostly caused by a lack of knowledge of her housing options. Her confidence visibly improved when the different housing options had been explained. Liz decided and was determined that she wanted to move as quickly as possible and discounted refuge accommodation as it would be distressing for her daughters and choice based lettings as it would take too long and expose her to further risk from her ex-husband. Liz felt that other members of her minority group were watching her and reporting back to her ex and his family. For this reason she decided to move to the city, a city where she had one trusted friend and large enough for her and her children to remain anonymous. After receiving information on local
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child protection issues were more closely monitored and reported. The cookery project was moved from a Friday to a Wednesday lunch time, which suited everyone, including Carole our volunteer. There were other group sessions for the residents covering “managing a tenancy” and “health and well-being”. These continue to be well received and understood, as evidenced by the high success rate of those mums who move on to independent tenancies.
housing allowance rates available with the local authority, Liz found herself a privately rented home. She asked for and received help with contacting Southampton council and completing the housing register application. With support, she applied for and was awarded a budgeting loan for rent in advance and removal costs. After help from C4, she terminated her tenancy with her social landlord and closed her existing utility accounts and set up new ones on her property in Southampton. Although Liz was motivated to move forward she asked for support in her new area. Accordingly, we researched appropriate local agencies and a referral was made. Liz engaged found the support helpful. After Liz had moved to the city she remained in telephone contact with us for a couple of weeks until she felt confident enough to move forward with local support. Liz and her family successfully moved into their new home and she enrolled into her second year course at a college.
Splitz Support Service
Buddy Scheme This year has seen another successful year for the Buddy Scheme, our volunteer mentoring and befriending service in Wiltshire. We have seen a record number of referrals (59) and have consequently been very busy. We are particularly pleased that over 60% of our referrals came from outside of Splitz rather than from another project within Splitz, demonstrating that as a project we have a far increased level of awareness in the community on previous years. Over the last year we waved goodbye to 6 Buddies, all of whom moved onwards and upwards to new and exciting work commitments. One of our main objectives for volunteers is to re-engage with local communities and the workplace - and Buddies achieving paid employment is just marvellous. So to replace those who have left and in order to add to our ever growing core of long term Buddies we took on 7 new volunteers who are all working hard and putting their own stamp on the Buddy Scheme. On average, our Buddies now support 3 service users at any one time – above and beyond what they committed to and we thank them for it. We believe that through a sensitive, inclusive approach to both our volunteers and service users, the Buddy Scheme has made a real difference to peoples’ lives and we are grateful to The Henry Smith Charity and a whole host of donors for their continued financial support to this project.
Case study Helen approached us in March 2013. She was depressed, struggling through the process of losing her daughters to long term foster care, living on a budget and still struggling to get out of a controlling relationship, even though she was divorced 5 years ago and her ex was remarried. She was also being controlled by her son who lived with her ex, his father. Helen struggled initially, but only because it was so ingrained in her to agree with everything that was suggested, which meant that after discussing issues she talked of the ideal course of action with such determination, but never followed through with any actions. It was about four weeks in, when we asked her whether she really felt that what had just been suggested was something she could actually do, that she looked sheepish and agreed that she had no idea how to do it. This was effectively the start of her growth spurt. She became absolutely open about her ability to stand up for herself and the repercussions of speaking as she wished. We spent time on these issues. The difference now is that, having fully engaged in two Lift Psychology courses - one on stress and mood management and the other on self esteem, she is able to stand up to her ex and constantly asserts her rights to live her own life.
working together
She has also embarked on a new relationship, and whilst her new partner has issues with confidence, trust and self-esteem, she refuses to let him control her, recognising that if she doesn’t set the boundaries now she will end up with a similar relationship. Helen is currently looking to move to a new home for a new start in her new stronger, more confident persona.
Annual Review and Financial Summary 2013-2014
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Achievements Accreditation
Conference In September 2013 we had a successful conference in Gloucester with guest speaker Tony Porter from A Call to Men.
During the last 12 months we have been reaccredited by Investor in People and attained their highest award of GOLD.
In recent months, Respect, the national umbrella body providing quality control to organisations running perpetrator programmes and associated support services for victims in the UK re-accredited our organisation. There are only about 10 nationally accredited organisations with Respect, and we are one of them! We have been awarded other nationally recognized quality marks; Positive about Disabled People, Investing in Volunteers, an Approved Provider with the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation, and Living Wage employer.
Tony Porter
Qualifications Our drive to improve the professional qualifications of our team has seen Kim Patton achieve a level 5 certificate in Leadership and Management from the Chartered Management Institute. A number of staff have achieved domestic abuse qualifications through CAADA and Women’s Aid, Respect and SeaChange. We are very proud of our team and the enthusiastic way they embrace new training opportunities.
Impact Outcomes Satisfaction Our services were rated at 89% by those completing a programme. 99% felt their needs had been met. 100% would recommend us to others.
After completing DV Outreach support 96% of victims report feeling safer. 87% report feeling more confident.
Referrals
81% report feeling more optimistic about the future.
3728 adult referrals: 752 male and 2976 female
77% report they better understand domestic abuse and its impact.
with 3246 dependant children 257 young people referrals: 151 boys and 106 girls
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92% report feeling more positive about making healthy choices and healthy decisions about future relationships.
Splitz Support Service
Financial Summary Income donations 0%
investment 1%
Income Incoming resources Donations Investment income Total income
grants 33%
contracts 66%
Expenditure Cost of charitable activities Governance Total expenditure
Expenditure
services 100%
governance 0%
Thousands
5 Year View 1600 1400 1200
2013-2014 £ 1,349,630 935 7,725 1,358,290 £ 1,339,242 5,508 1,344,750
Assets Tangible assets Debtors Cash at bank/in hand Liabilities Amount due in 1 year Net assets
£ 40,349 71,707 554,229 295,233 371,052
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total charity funds
331,260 39,792 371,052
1000 800 600 400 200 0
2010
2011
income
2012
2013
2014
expenditure
Staff composition FTE Employees full-time part-time Volunteers
44 64 16 48 15
Contribution in kind from volunteers more than £30,000
Annual Review and Financial Summary 2013-2014
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Thank you to the individuals, companies, trusts and organisations that supported us in 2013-2014 Terry Evans The Big Lottery Fund Comic Relief BBC Children in Need Chippenham Borough Lands Charity Colonel William Llewellen Palmer Educational Charity Community Foundation for Wiltshire and Swindon Ernest and Marjorie Fudge Trust EsmÊe Fairbairn Foundation Friends of Bradford on Avon Community Healthcare GE Aviation Linnet Trust Lloyds TSB Foundations for England and Wales Rotary Club of Bradford on Avon Sainsbury’s Bradford on Avon St James Trust Steven Gerrard Foundation Summerfield Charitable Trust The Blagrave Trust The Charles Hayward Foundation The Dawe Family Trust The Henry Smith Charity The Noel Buxton Trust
Vodafone Walter Guinness Charitable Trust Westlea Community Investment Trust Wilts PGL Benevolent Fund Zurich Community Trust Amesbury Area Board Bradford on Avon Town Council CAFCASS Calne Town Council Corsham Town Council Dorset County Council Gloucestershire County Council Marlborough Town Council Melksham Town Council Ministry of Justice Plain Action Safer Bristol Salisbury City Council Tidworth Town Council Wiltshire Community Safety Partnership Wiltshire Council Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner
Splitz Support Service
Oak House, Epsom Square, White Horse Business Park, Trowbridge, BA14 0XG November 2014 | Registered charity no: 1064764 Company limited by guarantee: 3360057