My CWA (Cheshire Without Abuse)

As we reflect on another busy year of providing domestic abuse expertise and training, we're both heartened and sobered... ❤️ Heartened by the incredible feedback from our participants - from healthcare workers who now feel confident identifying early warning signs and social care practitioners better equipped to safeguard vulnerable families, to HR professionals implementing workplace support policies that are already making a difference. 💔 Yet the latest ONS statistics remind us why our work is so vital. Nearly 2.5 million people experienced domestic abuse last year - a 200,000 increase from the year before. Behind every one of those 200,000 is a person whose life has been changed by abuse. What's become crystal clear is this: reducing these numbers requires a truly systemic approach. It's not just about police response or refuge spaces - though these are crucial. It's about creating a society where domestic abuse is understood and addressed effectively across every touchpoint: When a survivor:  🏥 Visits their GP  💼 Confides in their manager at work  🏫 Interacts with their children's school  🏘️ Seeks help from housing services Needs support with mental health  ⚖️ Navigates the criminal justice system This is why we're passionate about equipping professionals across all sectors with proven, evidence-based approaches. We support: 🏥 Healthcare providers implementing routine screening  👥 Social care teams enhancing risk assessment skills  💼 Employers creating domestic abuse workplace policies  🏛️ Local authorities exploring cost-effective interventions  📚 Educational institutions building safeguarding capacity  ⚖️ Legal professionals deepening understanding of survivor needs Let's talk! Sometimes the most important conversations start with a simple hello. Our friendly team is always happy to have a no-obligation informal chat about your needs. Happy New Year to you all. #DomesticAbuseAwareness #ProfessionalDevelopment #SocialImpact #WorkplaceSafety #Healthcare #SocialCare #LocalGovernment #HR

A note of gratitude... You know those moments when you're so filled with gratitude that ‘thank you’ just doesn’t seem enough? That's exactly where we find ourselves as we look back at 2024. To each and every person who has donated their time, skills, money and items we need - thank you ❤ Whether you've shared our posts, shown up as a volunteer, brought your energy to our events, or supported us with donations – you are appreciated. Each gesture, no matter how small you might think it was, has created ripples of transformation in our community. The survivors we support are always so touched that their community cares for them. Your generosity and care bring hope and comfort in dark times. We want to wish you all a New Year full with the same love and hope you've so generously given to others. As we step into 2025, we are so grateful to have you with us on this journey. With gratitude, Your MyCWA Team 💜

Honouring Excellence – Harriet Grant Award Winner Announced 🌟 We’re proud to share that Superintendent Claire Jesson of Cheshire Police (Cheshire Constabulary) is the very first recipient of our Harriet Grant Award - celebrating fresh, innovative approaches to trauma-informed support. This award was created in memory of Harriet, our client and friend, whose life was tragically cut short last year. Her legacy lives on through this honour, recognising those who make a real difference in the lives of survivors. Together with Harriet’s family, we wanted this award to shine a light on individuals who go above and beyond - showing creativity, compassion, and care in their work. 🗨️ Harriet’s family shared why Claire was such a deserving winner: "Claire's unwavering support of Harriet showed how transformative compassionate policing can be. She went beyond professional duties, offering consistent, creative solutions that honoured Harriet's dignity and strength." Claire’s work shows just how powerful policing can be when it’s trauma-informed. She’s led the way by: 👉 Putting survivors’ dignity and choices first through pioneering survivor-centred approaches 👉 Building strong partnerships between police and support services 👉 Creating innovative approaches that make a lasting impact Her leadership is proof that when law enforcement embraces trauma-informed methods, it can spark real change - creating ripples of positivity across entire communities. #TraumaInformedPolicing #CommunityImpact #InnovativeCare #SurvivorLed #PositiveChange #CheshireWithoutAbuse #CheshirePolice #Cheshire

Social workers are often the first professionals to identify and respond to domestic abuse cases, making life-changing decisions about family safety.    However, research shows*:  📊 84% of social workers handled domestic abuse cases in the past 6 months 📊 Only 68% feel adequately trained for these situations 📊 Just 38% feel confident engaging with perpetrators   This training gap puts both practitioners and families at risk.   Our CPD-accredited training transforms how professionals handle domestic abuse by: • Enabling early recognition of escalating abuse patterns • Building confidence in perpetrator engagement • Creating sustainable behaviour change • Protecting adults and children through accountability   Don't take our word for it. Here's what Kate Hammond (FHEA), Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Social Care, experienced:   "This groundbreaking method represents a significant step forward in how professionals support individuals and families affected by abuse, offering a systemic and transformative model that fosters lasting change."   Visit https://lnkd.in/ek2NfZwk to learn more.  *2024 study commissioned by Foundations   #DomesticAbuseAwareness #SocialWork #ProfessionalDevelopment #SafeguardingFamilies

📢 We're thrilled to announce some amazing news! Thanks to generous funding from Wilker Auto Conversions, we'll be bringing our 'Monkey Bob' early intervention programme to 15 primary schools across Crewe and surrounding areas! 🎉 Monkey Bob helps young children (up to age 8) understand healthy relationships and friendships, teaching them that it's never okay for anyone to hurt them or make them feel scared. While this programme is especially valuable for children who have experienced domestic abuse at home, its lessons benefit ALL children. Since 1977, MyCWA has been supporting families across Cheshire toward healthy, safe relationships. While we love delivering Monkey Bob ourselves, this funding lets us multiply our impact by training school staff and providing them with complete Monkey Bob toolkits! Early support is crucial to building safe, healthy relationships for the future, and donations like Wilker’s quite literally create better futures and save lives. ✨ If you’re interested in funding more Monkey Bob programmes, or any of our other adult and child victim educational and recovery programmes, please email us at info@mycwa.org.uk. #MyCWA #DomesticAbuseAwareness #Cheshire #EarlyIntervention #HealthyRelationships #CommunitySupport #Crewe

🎓 Milestone Achievement: We're proud to announce that our ground-breaking ‘The Engage Approach’ training has achieved CPD certification. At Domestic Abuse Experts, we're transforming how professionals address domestic abuse through our innovative whole-family, whole-system approach: ‘Engage’. Engage uniquely prioritises victim safeguarding by encouraging perpetrator accountability, leading to more effective interventions and lasting change. The Engage Approach training equips practitioners with: 👉 Research-backed frameworks for understanding domestic abuse dynamics 👉 Practical skills for maintaining professional neutrality while engaging effectively 👉 Confidence in addressing harmful behaviours while prioritising victim safety 👉 Tools for multi-agency collaboration and risk management 💭 This certification marks more than just professional recognition - it represents our commitment to elevating industry standards and empowering professionals with the tools they need to create meaningful change in domestic abuse intervention. Join the growing community of professionals making a difference in domestic abuse prevention and intervention. 💡 Visit https://lnkd.in/ek2NfZwk 💡 #DomesticAbuseAwareness #ProfessionalDevelopment #CPDCertified #SafeguardingTraining

❓Would Your Workplace Know How to Handle Domestic Abuse Disclosures?❓ 💬 "They're a huge company but they had absolutely no idea about domestic abuse. I was forced to continue working with my perpetrator." - Domestic Abuse Survivor 💬 📊 With 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men experiencing domestic abuse, it's affecting your workplace right now. Yet while 86% of employers feel a duty of care, only 5% have dedicated policies. This gap in support costs UK businesses £316 million annually in lost productivity.* For survivors, work can be their lifeline - offering financial independence, social connections, and sanctuary. But only with proper support. Our Engaged Employer programme equips your organisation to: ✅ Create a safe, supportive culture ✅Enhance employee wellbeing and safety ✅Meet Domestic Abuse Act 2021 obligations ✅Strengthen ESG commitments ✅Improve retention and reduce absences What we provide: 👉 Expert-led policy development 👉Manager disclosure training 👉Organisation-wide awareness sessions 👉Secure reporting pathways 👉Impact assessment 📋 How it works: - 3-6 month programme - Flexible delivery options - Suits any organisation size - Ongoing support Because work should be a sanctuary, not another place of silence. 📲 Contact us to learn more: send us a message on LinkedIn or email training@mycwa.org.uk *International study from KPMG commissioned #WorkplaceSafety #EmployeeWellbeing #HRLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #CorporateResponsibility #ESG #SocialImpact

Breaking the Cycle: A New Approach to Ending Domestic Abuse 📊 The latest ONS figures tell a sobering story: 2.3 million people experienced domestic abuse last year in England and Wales - up from 2.1 million. In Cheshire alone, 1 in 5 recorded crimes were domestic abuse related, with only 6.9% ending in conviction. These numbers haven't significantly changed in decades. Why? Our Founder, Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, shares insight from her 30+ years in the sector: 💬 "The focus has been making adult and child victims of domestic abuse safe. And they should always come first. But survivors have consistently told us there also needs to be programmes for perpetrators - to hold them accountable, to dig deeper into root causes and break the cycle. This is why we created Engage: the whole-family, whole-system approach to ending domestic abuse." The numbers won't change until we tackle two fundamental challenges:  👉 Addressing root causes through whole-family intervention 👉 Ensuring every professional has the skills to respond effectively At Domestic Abuse Experts, our approach is two-fold: 🔄 👉 Whole-Family: Keeping adult and child victims safer by holding perpetrators accountable 👉 Whole-System: Equipping professionals across every sector to respond effectively to domestic abuse Our most impactful training programmes include:  👉 Understanding and Responding to Domestic Abuse 👉 Healthy Relationships Programmes for Young People 👉 Perpetrator Behaviour Change Training We know the statistics are daunting - but they're not unchangeable. From almost 50 years of frontline experience, we know real change happens when we combine targeted intervention with system-wide transformation. Ready to learn more? 📧 Book a free consultation: training@mycwa.org.uk 🌐 Visit: https://lnkd.in/ek2NfZwk #DomesticAbuseAwareness #EngageApproach #SystemicChange #ProfessionalTraining #EndAbuse #MyCWA #DomesticAbuse

Meet Alice Young: Helping Shape the Future of Behaviour Change For over a decade, our expert team at My CWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) has been at the forefront of behaviour change interventions in domestic abuse. Now, a fresh perspective is enhancing our pioneering approach. Meet Alice, whose unique blend of philosophical inquiry and psychological practice adds new depth to our established behaviour change services. As our Behaviour Change Team Lead, she's building on years of successful intervention work with an innovative fusion of academic rigour and practical insight. 💭 "What fascinates me about MyCWA's approach is how it's always evolved with our understanding and listening to survivors over decades," Alice reflects. "Now we're adding new dimensions by combining philosophical questions about human behaviour with evidence-based psychological interventions." With advanced degrees in Philosophy and Psychology of Education from Manchester University, plus British Psychological Society Graduate Membership with specialisms in Forensic and Clinical Psychology, Alice brings rich academic insight to our proven approach. This evidence-based perspective enriches her work with individuals facing complex challenges - from harmful sexual behaviours to exploitation and trauma. Her SafeLives accreditation in 'Engaging with Those Who Harm' and therapeutic training ensure interventions that are both academically rigorous and deeply empathetic. ✨ "Every intervention we design builds on years of proven practice while incorporating the latest research. When we merge experience with innovation, we see real transformation happen." Want to learn more about how we can train your team in behaviour change interventions? Visit 🌐 https://lnkd.in/e48NG9zz or email 📧 training@mycwa.org.uk #16DaysOfAction #DomesticAbuseAwareness #BehaviourChange #EndAbuse

Live Free - A Revolutionary World-First Recovery Programme for Trans and Non-Binary Survivors 🏳⚧🏳🌈 Are you: 👉 A trans or non-binary survivor looking for healing and empowerment? 👉 A professional working with LGBTQ+ clients? 👉 An organisation committed to inclusive domestic abuse support? 👉 A community leader looking to expand your resources? A Galop survey of 2,042 LGBT+ adults revealed that 55% have experienced abuse from family members and/or partners. For trans and non-binary survivors, domestic abuse recovery is further complicated by unique challenges - from widespread discrimination to gaps in support services. That's why we created Live Free: The first online recovery programme developed by and for the trans and non-binary community.  🌟 Live Free's Unique Approach: ✅ Trauma-informed content developed by and for trans and non-binary individuals ✅ Flexible, accessible self-paced learning that fits your schedule and comfort level ✅ Comprehensive tools for rebuilding confidence, identity, and independence ✅ Safe space for healing without judgment or discrimination Accessible Support: ▫️ Individual survivors: Access the full programme for just £25 ▫️ Organisations: Flexible licensing packages available to integrate Live Free into your services Contact Trans Without Abuse: 🌐 transwithoutabuse.org.uk ✉ transwithoutabuse@mycwa.org.uk 📱 01270 250390 #TransRights #DomesticAbuseSurvivors #LGBTQ+ #MentalHealth #CommunitySupport #MyCWA #WhiteRibbonWeek #WRD2024 #TransCommunity #TransSupport