As an organisation continuing to deliver a service during the COVID-19 pandemic to women and children experiencing domestic abuse, Fife Women’s Aid has had to develop new ways of maintaining contact. It was important to ask people what was important to them during the lockdown and to adapt and respond appropriately – this has included face to face contact for essential visits and remote contact through online means.
| Lockdown has meant an increased demand for refuge and new refuge accommodation was needed to be able to meet some of this need. Working in partnership with Fife Council has enabled this to happen. Strong partnership working has provided a foundation for responding to meet the needs of families during lockdown. The organisation has had to adapt to remote working, including making sure the correct IT infrastructure is in place as well as ensuring communication and support for staff is in place while working differently. One example of this is that prior to lockdown, group work for women had been offered but many faced barriers to participation, such as transport and travel. The use of virtual group work removed these barriers and demand has far exceeded that of face to face sessions. But… how do you make sure a vulnerable client can be connected? Awareness of the impact of lockdown for families experiencing domestic abuse has highlighted the significance of digital exclusion. This has resulted in tangible changes taking place quickly, such as installation of internet access in refuge accommodation and the provision of equipment for families where this was a barrier to participation. This was essential for children who were required to continue their education from home as well as for women to maintain contact with key people, such as family and professionals providing support. Generous donations were received from the local community and organisations, including the University of St Andrews and Rotary Clubs in Fife as well as the Scottish Government. This allowed the purchase of IT equipment. Additional funding received allowed the provision of tablets for families where needed |