Closed: Consultation on Homes First Domestic Abuse Policy

Homes First Domestic Abuse Policy consultation report July 2023 (PDF, 204 KB)

From Monday 6th June to Wednesday 5th July 2023, we invited feedback from tenants, leaseholders, residents, and statutory and voluntary partners for their views on our draft Homes First Domestic Abuse Policy. 

The policy has now been adopted and is available at: Domestic Abuse Support

Background

Homes First, the housing service for Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council (in partnership with Eastbourne Homes Limited), believe that tenants, leaseholders and people living with them should not live in fear of violence or abuse.

We take all forms of domestic abuse seriously and are committed to providing a sensitive and confidential response to anyone who approaches for assistance in cases of domestic abuse.

Our draft Domestic Abuse Policy outlines the approach we take to assist and support people experiencing or threatened, with violence or abuse. The policy has been developed in consultation with our tenants.

The scope of the policy includes all tenants, leaseholders and people living with our tenants and leaseholders. It also applies to customers accessing housing via the housing waiting list and customers accessing support from our Housing Options and Wellbeing Team. Non-housing customers will also benefit from an increased awareness of domestic abuse issues and support amongst staff across the councils as a result of the policy and DAHA accreditation. For example, general staff will be better able to identify where abuse could be occurring and escalate or signpost to appropriate support.  

We have created a policy to clearly demonstrate our commitment to helping people Homes First tenants, leaseholders and people living with our tenants or leaseholders, who are experiencing domestic abuse.

We invited feedback on our draft policy. 

Draft Homes First Domestic Abuse Policy (PDF, 299 KB)
 

Next steps

Homes First officers considered the feedback received through the consultation and updated the policy.

The revised policy was shared with the Eastbourne Homes Limited Board for further comment before being submitted to the relevant Lead Cabinet Members in each authority for approval. 

If you have any questions about our Domestic Abuse Policy, please email Ray Brickley - Senior Specialist Advisor Domestic Abuse  Ray.Brickley@lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk

The policy is part of our organisation's ongoing work towards the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation. 

• Find more information about DAHA and its key aims