Our Tenancy Services team support and advise vulnerable tenants and work closely with specialist services to help you get the support you need. To mark the start of Domestic Abuse Awareness month, we caught up with our new Domestic Abuse Coordinator, Regan, on how her role fits into the team and how she can support you.
What are your main responsibilities within the Tenancy Services team, and what does a typical day look like for you?
My main responsibility is to make sure there is specialist oversight across all of the domestic abuse cases we deal with. I offer support and guidance to the Tenancy Services Officers, who are going out daily to support survivors of domestic abuse.
I audit all open cases to make sure we’re acting appropriately to safeguard you and get you the support you need. I attend meetings across all of the local authorities that we operate in to discuss current concerns, changes to legislation, and how we can deliver excellent work through these partnerships.
Keeping you safe in your home is our top priority. In my role, I coordinate multi-agency risk assessment conferences (MARAC), which are confidential meetings with partners like the police and social services to create a joint safety plan for tenants at high risk of serious harm. I make sure our Tenancy Services Officers are attending these meetings and following through with the recommended actions.
My typical day will often look like the duties listed above, but it can change at any point depending on what support the team needs.
For a tenant who is in a difficult situation and bravely decides to reach out, what support can they expect? Could you walk us through the practical steps your team would take to help someone with their immediate safety and housing situation?
For anyone who has taken the brave step to talk about what’s happening to them, it can be very worrying to not know who’ll support you.
We will assign your case to one of our specialist officers, who’ll act appropriately to safeguard you and your children and make sure you feel safe in your home.
My role is to oversee these cases and make sure that your dedicated officer is doing everything we set out to do. This will include understanding your fears and concerns for initial safety planning, working with you to secure your home, and offering appropriate housing advice based on your circumstances. Your officer will arrange to visit you when it’s safe and can make referrals and signpost you to agencies offering specialist support.
And what would ongoing support look like for a victim of domestic abuse?
Once we’re aware of what’s happening, we’ll continue to help with things like monitoring referrals and keeping your case open until we’re satisfied that the right support is in place to help you.
We’re signed up to the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) ‘Make a Stand’ pledge. How does your role help us uphold our commitment to tackling domestic abuse?
I think it’s important for us to be held accountable for the role we play in supporting survivors of domestic abuse. Working against a framework helps us to understand the expectations that are placed on us as a housing provider, but also our limitations.
All our officers have access to the DAHA training to help give you peace of mind that your case will be handled confidentially and with care.
Some people may be too frightened to report domestic abuse, or they might be unsure if their situation ‘counts’ as abuse. What is your message to someone who might be hesitant to get in touch?
My message would be that you’ve already taken the first step – even if you feel hesitant or unsure. The fact that you’re recognising that something doesn’t feel safe in your relationship means you’re already on the journey to seeking out support.
It can feel incredibly frightening to say the words out loud, but I’m here to remind you that every single domestic abuse disclosure will be heard, believed, and listened to. We’re here to help you every step of the way, whenever you feel ready to talk to us about it.
Looking forward, what do you hope to achieve in your role? What is the single most important thing you want our tenants to know about the confidential support your team can provide?
Whilst we already do some great work, every organisation can make room for improvement, especially given how fast domestic abuse legislation can change. I hope to continue improving our approach to supporting domestic abuse survivors, and hope that all of our officers feel confident in their decisions and the hard work they do every single day.
The single most important thing you need to know is that we’re here to support your safety and make sure you feel listened to – no matter what your situation may be.
To talk to one of our trained officers, please call us on 0345 60 20 540 or email contact@midlandheart.org.uk. Any information you give us will be dealt with confidentially and sensitively. You can take a look at our domestic abuse policy, click here.
In an emergency, where you, your family or someone you know are in immediate danger, you should call the police on 999.
