Essex Community Budgets

Community Budgets Pilot Scheme

All public sector partners in Essex have been taking part in a Government Sponsored Community Budget Pilot. The aim of the pilot is to explore how partners can improve outcomes for service users and achieve significant cost savings by investment in earlier intervention and better co-ordination of services. One of the key strands of the community budget work is domestic abuse. Each year Essex Police attend over 23,000 domestic abuse incidents where children are members of the family, and over 800 children are accommodated in refuges. The impact of domestic abuse on children is known to be significant contributing to behavioural problems, mental health issues, and eating disorders, besides the strong possibility of suffering violence or other abuse.

A business case has been completed which proposes, among other things, that the following measures are introduced across Essex: improved screening for domestic abuse in NHS services in advance of new NICE requirements, and an enhanced advice and support service for survivors and professionals working with survivors based in a multi-agency HUB.

If you would like to be involved in the project, or to get a copy of the business case or more details of the project please contact Kevin Nunn at Essex County Council on 01245 437527, or kevin.nunn@essex.gov.uk