Burnley company first in North West to receive award for its commitment to tackling domestic abuse

The Calico Group is the first housing association in the North West to be given accreditation by the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA).

The accreditation is the UK benchmark for how housing providers and landlords should respond to domestic abuse in their neighbourhoods and communities.

The Group has always actively championed initiatives to challenge domestic abuse through their partnership working with SafeNet Domestic Abuse and Support Services, participating in White Ribbon events, signing

the Make a Stand pledge and offering all employees up to 10 days paid leave in situations involving domestic abuse.

The Group also offers practical support and housing advice, rehoming victims, helping victims access refuge provisions and working closely with other local authorities, the police and agencies.

In order to meet the DAHA accreditation standards, the the Calico Group, which is made up of several innovative charities and businesses working together to make social profit, was assessed against eight key standards.

These included policies and procedures, case management, risk management, equality and diversity, perpetrator

management, partnership working, staff training and publicity and awareness.

For the past 12 months, a steering group of colleagues from across the group have been working towards gaining the accreditation and showcasing how the organisation support both tenants and employees who are

experiencing domestic abuse, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability or financial status.

The DAHA assessor said: “It is clear that The Calico Group is using their role as a leading employer in the area to raise awareness of domestic abuse, challenging misconceptions and influencing others to follow their lead in providing a compassionate and non-judgemental response that will encourage further disclosure.

“The Calico Group is fully compliant with the DAHA accreditation standards and should be commended for the efforts of all members of staff and for its outstanding practice in responding to domestic abuse.

“All staff interviewed understood the dynamics of domestic abuse and were trained to spot the early signs, and key risk factors and were able to support and refer on.

"The work was underpinned by the commitment given by senior management to this work.”