TWO lifeline service providers for domestic abuse victims are to be offered extended contracts to continue supporting women and children in Dumfries and Galloway.
Dumfries and Stewartry Women’s Aid and Wigtownshire Women’s Aid both successfully operate accommodation with housing support, aiding domestic abuse victims as they flee violence.
Dumfries and Galloway Council’s social work chiefs are now preparing to extend this partnership working by offering the organisations new deals.
A report, due to be tabled at the council’s social work committee next week, states: “Following informal discussions with the prospective parties it was clear that incumbent suppliers, Dumfries and Stewartry Women’s Aid and Wigtownshire Women’s Aid, were the only services with the capacity and experience to provide lots one and two in relation to accommodation with housing support services.
“Under the provisions of the procurement guidelines, these contracts will now be directly awarded via a voluntary ex-ante transparency notice on Public Contracts Scotland, with a contract commencement date of April 1, 2025 to ensure there is no break in service.
“The new contracts will be for a period of three years with an option to extend for a further two years on a year-on-year basis.”
Police are responding to an average of five domestic abuse incidents in Dumfries and Galloway homes per day, the latest figures show.
Police Scotland stats revealed that, between April 1 and September 30 last year, there were 867 domestic abuse incidents recorded in Dumfries and Galloway.
While the number of domestic abuse attacks have been sadly climbing in Dumfries and Galloway in recent years, the region’s police commander, Chief Superintendent Steven Meikle, confirmed that more neighbours, friends, and relatives of domestic abuse victims are bravely reporting incidents to police.
At next week’s social work committee, councillors will also consider the tendering process and timescale for the commissioning of outreach support services for victims of domestic abuse/coercive control.
Providers will be invited to bid to win the contract for this invaluable service.
Council papers state: “The new commission will be for housing support outreach services for anyone who is subject to domestic abuse and/or coercive control.
“The tender will be split into four lots covering each of the main geographical areas (Nithsdale, Annandale and Eskdale, Stewartry, Wigtownshire). “Funding for each area will be proportioned by percentage of head of population. Interested parties will be able to tender for one or more lots.
“The current suppliers have been kept fully informed of the ongoing process and have agreed to an extension of their current outreach contracts until June 30, 2025 to allow the open tender procedure to be completed and ensure there is no break in service for this most vulnerable client group.”
