Trident Reach awarded funding to launch Respite Rooms

Trident Reach has been granted funding for a new Respite Rooms Service that will help rough sleeping women, who face or are at risk of domestic abuse, go from victim to survivor.

In March 2021, the Chancellor announced that £4.2m of funding would go towards a trial of several Respite Rooms, the areas to receive support were announced in July. The contract has been awarded to Trident Reach for twelve months – from the first of December – and will help women in vulnerable situations in their personal journey from victim to survivor.

Thanks to this funding, Trident Reach is providing nine units of accommodation in Birmingham, to support women who are homeless and facing or at risk of domestic abuse. These include four units for women only Respite Rooms, as well as five units of accommodation to support women as part of a move-on pathway into sustained housing and support.

Joanne Spence, Trident Group’s Interim Head of Housing and Support said: “Securing this funding will further enhance the positive collaborative working between partner organisations across homelessness and domestic abuse service provision in Birmingham, reducing barriers to access this intensive support and accommodation. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a positive difference to enable extremely vulnerable female rough sleepers to make informed choices about their steps towards recovery and their preferred long-term pathway from rough sleeping into safe accommodation”

The aim of the trial is to support women who are extremely vulnerable rough sleepers, who require specialist support to recover from the trauma of violence and abuse. The women will be provided with short-term (6 week) accommodation alongside intensive, trauma informed support.

The Respite Rooms trial will provide a clear focus on those sleeping rough with complex domestic abuse needs following an expert-led pathway away from the streets and into accommodation. As many as 67% of rough sleeper women have faced domestic abuse, compared to 27% of rough sleeper men.

Paul McKeown, Trident Reach’s Rough Sleeper Outreach Team Leader said: “In the past 12 months, there has been an increase in vulnerable women on the street, with a lack of suitable provision to offer support. The introduction of this service will be advantageous in helping us offer tailor-made support for the needs of these women.”

The Service will make a positive difference that enables extremely vulnerable rough sleeper women to be safe and recover from trauma and abuse. The Service is specifically aimed at helping women who would otherwise be unlikely to approach other domestic abuse support services; they are likely to present with complex and challenging backgrounds and behaviours.

For further information, please email RespiteRoomService@tridentreach.org.uk

For more information on Trident Group and its subsidiaries, please visit tridentgroup.org.uk