We have demonstrated our commitment to supporting the survivors of domestic abuse by being awarded the prestigious Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation.

We work with local partners in all the areas we operate in to secure the best outcomes for our residents affected by all types of abuse. As a housing provider we are in a unique position to both identify abuse proactively and support survivors to seek safety, advice and practical help.

DAHA, a partnership whose mission it is to improve the housing sector’s response to domestic abuse, have awarded us the accreditation following an in-depth, rigorous assessment process. The assessment team found we have demonstrated passion, dedication and commitment to adopting and embedding the standards of the DAHA framework.

The assessors also heard from other agencies involved in domestic abuse support, who commended us on our swift action in supporting emergency moves and other practical interventions that reduce survivor’s risk. The assessment praised us for going above and beyond in supporting survivors with, for example, the provision of white goods, rapid rehousing, access to foodbanks and supporting those with no recourse to public funds.

Our Chief Executive, Claire Higgins, said of the accreditation: “I am incredibly proud of CKH and the team in achieving the DAHA accreditation. The process of achieving this has been a hugely positive one for everyone in the organisation and we have embedded a wider awareness of domestic abuse across all our employees in all business areas as a result. Domestic abuse is sadly a very real problem for many people, and the isolation of the various lockdowns made it even harder for people to reach out for support during the last couple of years. At CKH I am determined to ensure that any of our residents who reach out to us for help will be believed, listened to and supported in whatever they need to reach safety and start to rebuild their lives. We work closely with a number of other agencies, including funding a support worker with Peterborough Women’s Aid, to ensure an all-round support service for people in incredibly frightening and stressful situations. Our goal always is to take victims taking them out of these horrible situations and helping them back to happy and safe lives.”

Sharon Crosby, National Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) Regional Lead, East Anglia, said: “CKH has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the process of this accreditation. It has been more than a year’s hard work by the project team, and the wider business too, to embed the DAHA standards, and the results are outstanding. The passion with which this project has been led has been inspiring. By undertaking this work, we know that lives of victims/survivors will have been improved and that CKH can be considered a beacon of good practice around domestic abuse in Cambridgeshire.”

 

If you are a resident of CKH and are affected by domestic abuse, or know a CKH resident who is, please reach out and contact us . You can find more advice and support on our domestic abuse page . You can also contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 and the Men’s Advice Line on 0808 8010 327.