London charity Hestia (who run an Age Activity Centre in Tooting), one of the largest providers of domestic abuse refuges in the capital, has been awarded £10,000 in National Lottery funding to support children in Wandsworth who have been affected by domestic abuse.

Hestia, which provides refuge accommodation and community support to people who have experienced abuse, has provided the service in the borough of Wandsworth since 2011.

The funding will be used to ensure children living in the refuges are able to access appropriate and effective support through a Children and Family Worker.

The worker will be responsible for ensuring that children living in refuges are settled into their new environment and are able to access crucial services in the borough. This includes registering children with a GP, ensuring they have access to a school place and enabling them to access therapeutic and counselling support.

Amal Laamairi, Project Manager at Hestia’s Wandsworth Domestic Abuse Service, said, “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised the importance of our service and the role of a Children and Family Worker. The role is vital in both supporting and safeguarding children who have endured considerable trauma. Without this role and this funding, we would not be able to support mothers and children to recover together, and our service would not be the same.”

Last year, Hestia supported 10,000 men, women and children in times of crisis across London and the South East, including over 1,900 victims of domestic abuse. In Wandsworth, the charity also provides support for individuals with mental health and complex needs, victims of modern slavery and older people, as well as offender rehabilitation.
 

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