The Transform Partnership: Sutton

This forms part of the council’s contribution to the Domestic Abuse Transformation Programme, set up in 2017 with partners across the borough, to tackle domestic abuse as an urgent priority and help make Sutton a safer place for everyone. The partnership includes Epsom and St Helier hospitals, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London Fire Brigade, Metropolitan Police Service, Primary and Secondary School Heads, Community Action Sutton, Sutton Clinical Commissioning Group and Sutton Housing Partnership, Public Health as well as Sutton Council, and was set up to combat the growing problem of abuse - domestic violence and abuse cases reported in Sutton rose 8% last year.

A new approach and services for people affected by domestic abuse 

The council has awarded the contract to deliver and manage the borough’s specialist domestic abuse services, commencing on 1 November 2019 to the Transform partnership. Transform has a clear, accessible and joined-up approach for people to get help for domestic abuse issues. The service will reduce risk levels for victims/survivors, children and families while effecting real change in the incidence of domestic abuse by perpetrators. 

The Transform partnership

Transform is led by Cranstoun, a charity with over 50 years’ experience of empowering people to live healthy, safe and happy lives. Transform incorporates local organisations, each bringing their unique skills and experience in domestic abuse to deliver support for the borough’s communities:

• Sutton Women’s Centre
• Sutton Homestart
• Jigsaw4U
• The Limes College
• Hestia

Transform will coordinate partner activity to enable people in Sutton to identify abuse and know what to do if they or their family or friends become a victim of domestic abuse or are concerned about their own behaviour. Transform will work with service providers to help them identify, assess and respond to signs of domestic abuse. They will provide specialist services to support victims/survivors and perpetrators that are accessible, effective and sustainable. This fresh partnership approach will build on existing good practice, incorporate innovation and develop new service opportunities.

Transform provision

The range of services includes:

Leadership and coordination

• Providing domestic abuse awareness and domestic abuse prevention training
• Building capacity and community resilience 
• Targeting services to the most vulnerable and hard to reach groups

Assessment and support for victims and children

• A one-stop shop offering advice to those experiencing abuse  
• Support to high-risk victims known to MARAC
• One to one and group support to children affected by domestic abuse
• Providing emotional and practical support to help break cycles of violence
• Provision of one to one, group and parenting support

Assessment and support for perpetrators

• Delivery of one to one and group support focusing on behaviour change
• Provision of linked partner and ex-partner support and safety planning

Women’s refuge and floating support 

• Delivery of a short-term crisis response refuge with on-site support
• Short term floating support
• Supporting service users to access appropriate accommodation

Education

• Offering support to children in schools
• Supporting the development and delivery of healthy relationship programmes

Health

• Working with health providers to establish referral pathways through social prescribing 

Our service provision will be strengthened by a network of partner relationships including GPs, hospitals, probation, police, courts, homeless services, social care, substance abuse, mental health, sexual health and education, training and employment providers.

Leader of Sutton Council, Cllr Ruth Dombey, said: “We are making this significant investment to help protect the extremely vulnerable in our community.

“Our shared vision for the borough, The Sutton Plan, sets out how we want everyone to have a better quality of life and greater opportunities. Tackling the root causes of issues and helping people as quickly as possible will improve social problems and injustice. We are committed to working to ensure that everyone in Sutton can live safely in their homes and neighbourhoods.

“We are ambitious for Sutton to remain a great place to live, work and raise a family and we recognise we have more to do to make this a reality for our most vulnerable residents. That is why we are focusing on both reducing domestic abuse and also improving our ability to look after and guarantee the safety of victims, survivors and their children.”

Additional information about Cranstoun and its work is available at www.cranstoun.org   

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Notes to editors:

The number of reported domestic violence and abuse cases rose from 1,451 to 1,573 between 2017 and 2018.