The renewal of a scheme which helps survivors of domestic abuse to feel safer and more secure in their homes has been unanimously approved by Cambridgeshire County Council’s Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee.
At its meeting yesterday (Thursday 27 February), the committee gave the go-ahead for the procurement of a new ‘target hardening’ service for Cambridgeshire from 1 January 2026.
Target hardening – sometimes known as a ‘sanctuary scheme’ – enables survivors of domestic abuse to remain in their own homes by providing additional security measures which can delay or prevent a perpetrator from entering a property.
The council currently offers a joint service with Peterborough City Council, but the new three year and three months contract would be for Cambridgeshire only.
Between April 2023 and March 2024, 525 survivors across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough received target hardening measures.
Measures offered depend on the level of risk, and may include window alarms, additional bolts, lock changes, security advice, video doorbells, dummy cameras and response lights. The service is available for all types of housing, whether owned, privately rented or social housing.
The service is key to the delivery of Cambridgeshire’s Safe Accommodation Strategy, and Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy, and is provided in conjunction with working with a domestic abuse specialist. The survivor will be given a bespoke safety and support plan focused on their individual needs.
Councillor Tom Sanderson, chair of the Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “Supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse is a key priority for the council, so I’m pleased to see this vital service being extended.
“With the provider visiting their home to implement extra measures within 48 hours of a referral, this is an immediate, tangible and visible action which reduces risk and helps lessen the survivors’ feelings of fear and anxiety of further contact from their perpetrator.
“Keeping survivors and their children safer in their own homes means that they can remain within their communities and continue to be supported by their existing health and public services. This helps reduce health inequalities, by reducing the risk of harm and the potential mental and physical health effects of moving to temporary accommodation. It also enables opportunities for children and young people to thrive in a safe environment.”
The contract will be funded via a Safe Accommodation grant from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), enabling the Local Authority to execute its statutory duty.
A joint scheme between Cambridgeshire Shared Lives (part of the county council) and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (DASV) Partnership was recently acknowledged for its work by being shortlisted for the Health and Social Care category of the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards.
The submission focused on the Cambridgeshire Shared Lives Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Project, which provides support for survivors of domestic abuse with learning disabilities and/or autism, addressing care and support needs as well as their needs as a survivor. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in June.
You can watch back the committee meeting on our YouTube page.
