Redbridge Council the first Local Authority in London to receive accreditation for domestic abuse programme

Redbridge’s domestic abuse programme set up during the pandemic has been given top marks and accreditation by a national body.

Redbridge Council’s Spotlight Programme, set up to help perpetrators of domestic abuse to tackle their abusive behaviours, has received accreditation from Respect, the National Association for Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programmes and Associated Support.

Redbridge is now the first Local Authority in London with an accredited Local-Authority led perpetrator programme. With funding from the Home Office via The Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime, the Spotlight Programme was set up by the Council’s Community Social Work Team within Children and Families.

Created for those who have been abusive and are committed to changing their behaviours, the Spotlight Programme is a safe space to help people develop respectful and non-abusive relationships. The service prides itself on being welcoming, supportive, committed, non-judgemental, inclusive, and diverse and uses a range of resources and tools to support individuals, including Antser’s virtual reality headsets.

Although the programme is perpetrator-focused, the primary aim of the work is to increase the safety and wellbeing of survivors and their children. Redbridge’s integrated support service helps to ensure that the programme does not create any additional risk, and that the intervention is having a positive impact on the wellbeing, safety and freedom of users and people impacted by their behaviour.

To achieve accreditation, Spotlight had to evidence that it could meet all 98 high quality standards and best working practices, which was a 14-month process.

Since the programme was set up during the pandemic, it has already received over 530 referrals.

An individual who completed the Spotlight Programme said: “We can share ideas between ourselves and nobody’s judging us. It was nice to share your feelings with the group. You meet a lot of people with the same type of problems, you’re not really alone. In the end, I looked forward to every group and I really enjoyed it”

Councillor Khayer Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Crime, Safety and Community Cohesion, said: “Change has to start from within. Research into Respect accredited programmes shows that most women and children feel significant improvements in their sense of safety after the perpetrator has taken part in a programme like this.

“We understand that talking about how you have treated others badly isn’t easy, so we have set up the Spotlight Programme as a safe space where we will help develop respectful, non-abusive relationships.

“This is an incredible achievement for Redbridge Council and all those involved with this project, particularly being the first London Local Authority to gain Respect accreditation. I would like to thank the Redbridge Team, along with the Home Office for funding and MOPAC for their support, which has allowed us to develop the service.”

To find out more about the Spotlight Programme, including how to apply, can find our booklet here.