Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse

Who we are

The charity consists of a Prevention team and a Provision team which work in tandem to act and react effectively in tackling domestic abuse.

Provision- We are a small but very busy team of IDVAs supporting all Oxfordshire's survivors who are at high risk of serious harm.

This involves spending time with those living or having left an abusive relationship; working with partner agencies such as Health, Police and Social care- to ensure the best response locally and engage with the local MARAC (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference).

Prevention- Our training team provides training and support to over 7,000 multi agency Champions of Domestic Abuse who reside in our online hub. Most are in Thames Valley area, but we also have a network in the North East and Torbay and offer training to individuals anywhere online.

We also focus on informing communities through working locally to spread awareness of the issues and thus reduce the risk.

We also have over 30 topics in different (DA related) modules and our catalogue is listed on our website.

We want to reduce the risk they face and work together to transform lives.

Our culture and values

Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse was founded in 2007 with the goal of:

• Increasing the safety and wellbeing of adults and children at risk through domestic abuse and protecting people who are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation
• Strengthening our community’s capacity to keep vulnerable people safe, promoting good practice and fostering multi-agency partnership to tackle domestic abuse together effectively

We are dedicated to the safety and empowerment of victims of abuse and of those who support them whether they be professionals, volunteers, or friends and family.

Our core values of compassion, empowerment, and transparency are centred by our tailored, one-on-one support for victim-survivors.

As a charity we aspire to be:

• A beacon of good practice
• Collaborative – working in partnership – and flexible to meet new needs
• Local with national impact – recognising the importance of grass-roots expertise

We are a small local charity but we have had a significant impact on work in our field both strategically and operationally.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Reducing the Risk is committed to promoting equal opportunities and to the proactive provision  of inclusive services.   The charity is opposed to all aspects of discrimination on grounds of colour, race, nationality,  ethnic or national origin, gender or transgender, marital status, sexual orientation, faith, age or  social status.  These values will be embedded in all aspects of its activities 

These values will be embedded in all aspects of its activities 

• Individual casework: Reducing the Risk will seek to respond flexibly to the specific  circumstances and needs of individual clients and aspires to excellence in its work with  all service users and potential service users. Reducing the Risk will seek to prevent any  discriminatory practice, however unintended, in its services and will take every step it  can to ensure equal access and service delivery. 
• Service development: Reducing the Risk will strive for continuous improvement in  developing inclusive services through drawing on established good practice, utilising available expertise and resources, and seeking and acting on feedback and proactively  seeking to overcome any barriers to access to or benefitting from its services.  Reducing the Risk will proactively engaged with individuals from protected groups and marginalised communities in relation to the charities governance, development and service delivery to ensure the voices of those with a lived experience are reflected in our work. (see Experts by Experience Involvement and Engagement Strategy)
• Employment: Reducing the Risk will ensure its recruitment and employment practice is  non-discriminatory and that decisions made in relation to staff and volunteers, or  potential members of staff or volunteers, are taken without prejudice, based on clear  objective criteria, and are implemented with respect.   
• Reducing the Risk will promote a working environment which is supportive, and inclusive  and will not tolerate behaviour which is bullying, harassing, segregating or intimidating.   

The trustees will promote equal opportunities and inclusion, and ensure reducing the risk meets  its legal obligations through all associated policies and procedures and especially those  addressing: 

• the quality assurance of our service   
• employment including: recruitment practice, disciplinary and grievance procedures,  dignity at work and harassment 

The promotion of an inclusive environment and implementation of non-discriminatory practice is  the responsibility of all staff and volunteers associated with Reducing the Risk.