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The appointment of Alan Jones, Independent Domestic Violence Advisor [IDVA] and Arron Roberts, Children and Young People’s Worker over the past 18 months have been a welcome addition to the team at Gorwel, a service, run by Grwp Cynefin, which operates in Gwynedd and Anglesey providing help and support to people suffering domestic abuse.
According to Gorwel Chief Officer, Osian Elis, the posts were introduced to fill ‘a gap in the service’s provision’ in providing support for victims by male domestic abuse support professionals, which is a provision that did not previously exist in the organisation. The work of the two new advisors has been funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, which commissions Gorwel to provide its vital services to victims in the area.
The need for male advisors was identified following COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, during which Gorwel saw a sharp increase in referrals, with the number of male domestic abuse victims and witnesses having risen compared to previous years.
Alan’s role as an IDVA sees him support high-risk adult victims which have been referred to Gorwel via the police or statutory / third sector services. Duties in the role can include carrying out safety planning as well as supporting victims with court proceedings.
IDVAs work to address the safety of all people at high risk of domestic violence and abuse from intimate partners, ex-partners and family members to secure their safety and the safety of their children. Operating as the primary point of contact, IDVAs typically work with their clients from the point of crisis to assess the risk, review options, and develop and implement plans to address their immediate safety, as well as longer-term solutions. These plans will include actions from the Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) as well as sanctions and remedies available through the criminal and civil courts, housing options and services available through other organisations.
Arron’s caseload is focused on young people aged 5-15, who are experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse, through providing advice, establishing support & safety plans and promoting the idea of healthy relationships within the home to build resilience and positive coping strategies.
Over the course of 2021, Gorwel’s Children and Young People’s service has seen 392 active cases of children and young people accessing support. From January-June 2022 alone there have been 262 live active cases, proving the need for the support Gorwel offers.
North Wales Police & Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin stated: “The work that Gorwel does in supporting victims of domestic abuse is vital and I am pleased to see it able to expand its services through the funding given by my office.
“The importance of the work Gorwel does across Anglesey and Gwynedd and the experience received from service users speak for itself.
“Domestic abuse victims have faced more challenges than normal given the coronavirus pandemic and the effects of lockdown and I’m pleased that a service like Gorwel is at hand to provide support to victims and witnesses and to help on their road to recovery.”
Gorwel Chief Officer Osian Elis stated: “The appointment of both Alan and Arron has been a huge advantage to the team here at Gorwel, and their experience and dedication has been of great benefit to many, especially given that they are both Welsh speakers.
“From supporting a high number of children within the service, we recognised some gaps within support; the main gap being that some children were missing a positive male role model.”
“It is important that the appointment of a male IDVA and Children and Young People’s Worker not only benefits men and boys enlisting our help, but we have also seen a female service user request a male Children and Young People’s Worker as this better suited her own needs and enabled her to communicate her needs better.
“Examples like this prove that we are now able to offer a greater choice and are really fulfilling the person-centred approach to our service and providing the best support with the right resources.”
Gorwel is the part of Grŵp Cynefin that provides bilingual support services for people facing difficult situations with a particular focus on tackling domestic abuse and preventing homelessness. It is embedded in North Wales communities and currently works across Gwynedd, Anglesey and Denbighshire.