Victims of crime, witnesses and their families in Stone can now access free advice and support from the CAB as the Police and Crime Commissioner introduces a new ‘victim gateway’ into the county.
Matthew Ellis has introduced a new approach to supporting victims that puts them at the heart of the criminal justice system across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Staffordshire North and Stoke-on-Trent CAB won a three-and-a-half-year contract to develop this new ‘victim gateway’ which will offer free advice and support to victims, witnesses and their families. This will replace the current regional support service offered from Birmingham by Victim Support.
What makes the new CAB-led approach unique is that it is based locally – Staffordshire is the first area to employ this form of victim support and ultimately this means that it can offer victims a tailored service. For the first time support will be offered to all victims and not just the ones who report the crime to the police, meaning that this gateway will double the number of people offered help from 23,000 to approximately 50,000 a year. Whether it’s over the phone or face to face, all victims will get emotional and practical support along with timely advice in whatever way suits them.
Deputy Commissioner Sue Arnold, who is overseeing the service on behalf of Mr Ellis, said: “Currently, the very services that are there to support victims and witnesses can be anything but user friendly, meaning the experience people have of the courts and criminal justice system can be as taxing and traumatic as the original incident”. She also went on to state that “The Staffordshire Victim Gateway is a significant change that will fully focus attention on victims. It will make sure the system fits the victim rather than the victim having to fit around the system.
“The Gateway will put victims at the heart of decision-making, meaning that they are treated as individuals, and will avoid duplication by joining up multiple services regarding victims”. Arnold pointed out that this Gateway will also offer tremendous value for money because of the additional benefits victims will experience, such as better accessibility and local knowledge.”
Last year, a network of specialists were launched to offer support to victims who are vulnerable, due to issues such as mental illness and domestic violence. They will help to perform the transition between the Staffordshire Victims Gateway and specialist victim services. As part of the contract, any victim within the area will have the best opportunity to seek support as CAB has centres in all parts of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Staffordshire North and Stoke-on-Trent CAB’s chief executive, Simon Harris, said: “CAB is delighted to have been awarded this contract to deliver such an important service. Traditionally, a lot of people visiting CAB have experienced crime. From August, they will be able to come to us for support in that area as well as the other issues that they’re used to talking to us about.
“It’s an exciting development that allows us to build on the work which we have done for many years with victims of hate crime in Staffordshire and more recently working with the PCC’s office in hosting victims’ specialists to support vulnerable people. The new Gateway is a really good opportunity to extend the range of support that victims receive by giving them access to a broader range of advice and support delivered through CAB in partnership with experts from other organisations.”
If you would like to know more about the Staffordshire Victim Gateway or have any inquiries/questions, you can visit their website at www.staffsvictimsgateway.org.uk or you can call 0330 0881 339.
