The Haven Wolverhampton Named Lead Local Domestic Abuse Services Provider for Women and Children with £2.5m City of Wolverhampton Council Contract Win
The Haven Wolverhampton will provide safe accommodation, community outreach services, and target hardening improved safety measures scheme for women and children at risk of domestic abuse. The success comes as the charity’s CEO, Laura Rogers, celebrates first year in post.
The Haven Wolverhampton has been named the lead local domestic abuse support services provider for women and children with its £2.5m City of Wolverhampton Council contract win.
The Women’s Aid charity, which supports women and children affected by domestic abuse, has been successfully recommissioned by the local authority to provide safe accommodation and community support services to women and children, along with the successful award of multiple newly commissioned services.
The new three-year minimum contracts also include the return of Wolverhampton’s ‘Sanctuary Scheme’, which will see target hardening improved security measures available for victims, from CCTV to fireproof letterboxes, all intended to keep people safer in their own homes.
Honouring her vocal commitment to improved and collaborative partnership working since she joined the charity a year ago, The Haven’s CEO, Laura Rogers, welcomes three-year minimum subcontracts with multiple additional specialist services as part of the award. Children’s charity Barnardo’s will come on board as part of the community Children and Young People’s offer, the Refugee and Migrant Centre will partner to support victims with insecure immigration status, and Black Country Women’s Aid will lead on a brand-new training offer for safeguarding professionals across Wolverhampton.
In England, safe accommodation services are notoriously facing financial pressures. It has been found that at least one in eight refuge services receive no local authority funding, with the number of refuges running a dedicated children and young people’s service having decreased by 11.6%.*
The new contract has meant that continued funding for children has not only been secured for The Haven’s safe accommodation but will now be newly introduced to its Community Outreach service for the first time. With just 1.1% of refuge spaces nationally being suitable for wheelchair users*, six new specialist accommodation units will open as part of the contract, supporting women and children with complex needs, such as physical disabilities or severe mental health conditions.
CEO Laura Rogers said:
“Any organisation which has been through recommissioning will know the immense pressure which comes with it, something I have felt especially, having come into post just a year ago. The efforts by our teams in ensuring our strength and readiness for this process, in what is a highly competitive environment, has been an exceptional thing to witness. We saw sunsets, and indeed sunrises, sitting at our laptops in the same 12-hour periods as we developed the new model and turned it into a submission that told the incredible story of The Haven and all it has and will continue to do for women and children. Sleep may have evaded us, but success certainly didn’t and I am so very proud of every single one of my staff for their role in that.
“We rely hugely on local authority funding and other essential fundraising to offer vital and life-saving support to victims and survivors of domestic abuse. When challenging those who choose to abuse, it is integral that services and partners stand together, united. We are therefore delighted to have our partners on board – helping improve specialist support to those who need it and ensuring we are always taking a best-practice and collaborative approach to our work – we cannot do this alone.
“Being recommissioned by the City of Wolverhampton Council to provide our existing safe accommodation and community service provisions is something special, but to also be a part of their new commission of the Sanctuary Scheme, complex needs services, and outreach services for children in our communities, is a true privilege. What a moment for our city, and for the women and children who so desperately need our support.
“We are so looking forward to the future, standing firm with our community and proud of our continued legacy of being Wolverhampton’s lead domestic abuse services provider of more than 50 years. This milestone means we can continue our commitment of supporting victims and survivors to be seen, heard, and safe – and for that, we are honoured.”
The Haven’s contract with the City of Wolverhampton Council will commence in July 2026, with a potential for extension of up to seven years and a total award of almost £6m.
The new service will also offer a specialist safe accommodation provision which allows victims to keep their pets with them, and protect the whole family, furry or otherwise, from the devastating impact of abuse.
Between 2024-25, 1,800 women and children were referred to The Haven Wolverhampton, and on average 2,659 helpline calls were answered by the charity’s advice team each month.
If you or someone you know is being subjected to domestic abuse, please call our free helpline on 08000 194 400 or visit www.havenrefuge.org.uk