Essex Change is a community domestic abuse intervention project composed of a programme to prevent abusive behaviour for non-convicted men, run parallel with specialist, pro-active, associated women's and children's services.
The Women's Safety Worker
Support for women is provided for at least as long as the man attends the programme. Following initial risk assessment, women will be offered group work with other women and individual support which may include counselling. The women's support work is centred on risk assessment and safety planning and is proactive with staff routinely contacting women and monitoring safety plans.
Programme Delivery
The programme is 32 sessions over a 9 month period
Initial Assessment - Full Assessment - Orientation - 9 modules - Post Programme Sessions.
Each module is delivered over 3 sessions, one per week and at the end of each module there is a catch-up session, which allows for any non-attendance that may occur.
Outcomes of the Programme
For those men undertaking the programme, expected outcomes are that on completion of the programme participants will be able to :-
- Take responsibility for their use of abusive behaviour
- Identify beliefs and intents that underpin their abusive behaviour
- Acknowledge the effects of their use of abusive behaviour on their xpartners and ex-partners, children, others and themselves.
- Take specific, positive steps to change their behaviour in relationships xusing non-controlling behaviour strategies learnt on the programme.
Groups run in Chelmsford on a Monday evening and in Harlow on a Thursday evening. A new group is due to start in Colchester later on in the year.
