Domestic Abuse Service - East Sussex
Criteria for support
We can support anyone aged 16 and over who is currently experiencing domestic abuse or has experienced domestic abuse in the past three months.
We’re not a counselling service and do not provide group or therapeutic support. If you would like these services, please visit our find more support page.
Referral guidance for professionals
If you are a professional working with someone who is experiencing or at risk of domestic abuse, we're here to help.
This guide will help you to assess someone’s level of risk, refer them to our service if appropriate, or refer them to other relevant services if necessary.
Assessing someone’s level of risk
To understand the level of risk faced by the person you are supporting, you can complete a Domestic Abuse, Stalking, and Honour Based Abuse (DASH) checklist.
You can find out more about DASH checklists and how to use them on the website of the charity SafeLives.
If the DASH assessment places someone at high risk, you should refer them to the East Sussex MARAC team using this link.
MARAC stands for Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference. It is a regular meeting where local services work together to support people affected by domestic abuse who are at high risk of harm.
Once someone has been referred to the MARAC team, they will automatically refer them to our service for us to make contact with them (where safe to do so). Please be aware that we will therefore make the person aware that you have referred them into MARAC for a multi-agency discussion.
Domestic Abuse Standard or lower than medium risk referrals are accepted by Victim Support Service.
Our eligibility criteria
Our service is available to anyone who meets all the criteria below:
- Aged 16 and over.
- Currently experiencing domestic abuse, or has experienced domestic abuse in the past three months.
- Assessed as medium or high risk by DASH assessment.
If someone meets these criteria when they are referred to us, we will allocate an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) or case worker to support them. Together they will develop a Safety and Support plan.
If someone does not meet these criteria when they are referred to us, we will contact you to discuss our decision.
We recommend you complete a DASH assessment before you make a referral. This, and your professional judgment, will determine someone’s level of risk and help you choose the best service to support them.
Emergency and statutory duties
Emergency and statutory duties still apply throughout the assessment and referral process.
Please speak to your safeguarding lead for advice on processes and procedure for adults and children at risk, and imminent risk of harm.
Always call 999 for police and medical emergencies or 101 to report a non-emergency crime.
Other support services to consider
Although our service might not be right for some people, there is lots of support available.
For more information about other organisations that can help, see the 'Find more support' tab at the top of this page or follow the link below: