Mumsnet exclusive: PM announces Budget funding for domestic violence survivors, and for returnships

[BojanaMumsnet]

Morning all,

Number 10 got in touch yesterday to highlight couple of forthcoming announcements in today’s Budget that they thought would be of particular interest to Mumsnet users - outlined here. In brief, the government has allocated some funding in the Budget for returnships and domestic violence. Do have a look and post any thoughts here.

We’ve asked whether they can put someone up to answer any Budget questions - will let you know if they can.

Thanks
MNHQ

Glad to see this. Often on the threads a woman has contacted WA and has got no answer or call back which is awful. Hopefully this money will help provide more resources.

Oh the irony! I returned to work in the civil service end of last year after a good few years out. I have to say it has been very hard work and very little management support has been given. It has surprised me just how much my confidence has taken a battering!

Still very much on the fence as to whether I will keep it up!

The refuge funding looks good. Is it definitely new money? I'm no fan of this government Brexit is stupid especially the way they are doing it but TM does have a reputation for being good on domestic abuse AFAIK. As did Jacqui Smith when she was Home Secretary. One more reason why it matters that women are in power.

Am I correct in thinking that the tax we pay on tampons now goes towards domestic violence charities?

throw the women a biscuit and hope we'll overlook the lack of help for the health service we all need and the Just About Managing they were supposed to be keen to help.

Recently, there were no refuge places in Sheffield because of the cuts. This is basic stuff. Really, really basic.
You slash benefits to needy women and their children, and crow about this bag of peanuts on IWD. Shame on you TM.

Not sure how i feel about no 10 getting in touch with MN to gather data free of charge . Trying to flatter and bribe us?

@ no 10 intern please view the EU Referendum board for candid views on your bigoted government and PM. You're welcome.

How is No 10 gathering data from Mumsnet? Unless you mean the posts on this thread?

well of course, why do you think they are engaging tres?

I'm just checking that you're talking about posts rather than anything else. Data can mean almost anything but I think most of us think of personal data as being email addresses, date of birth, postal address and so on

However funding has been so awful many women's shelters have already been closed. Plus schools budgets are cut and so the pre education is missing to help both women and men avoid domestic violence situations, maternity services are cut (this is fundamental to prevention as so many women experience their first violence when they're pregnant). The there's a lack of housing for women and children to move to. Overall women are often too poor to leave.

For me these things are fundamental and so some tokenistic funding for victims of domestic violence are simply lip service.

Government: Must try harder.

tres sorry that sounded more snappy than it should have, i see where you're coming from. I meant it in terms of qualitative data gathering.

On the one hand more funding for dva services is fantastic...but it's a bit of a stick in the throat that this announcement comes on the back of the issues in Sunderland, and following Women's Aids (May 2016) report that two thirds of refuge referrals were rejected in 2015. Time will tell.

TM is good at doing her advertising isn't she?
She is cutting benefits, is cutting budgets for the NHS when its already on it knees etc.. but she is taking the time to come and speak to US on MN to say how much she is going to do for women.

Yep Im going to believe that.

20m is nothing. Take the money to celebrate women getting the vote and put it towards DV cases.

I'll believe it when I see it.

The new coercive control DV laws have made fuck all difference in my experience - probably because most judges are men over 50 who haven't got a clue and cannot understand what it is like to be a woman with children under the financial control of a man.

*and emotional control.

They don't recognise the manipulative bollock that's rife in the system because it's so bloody commonplace.

A bit at this window dressing.

Does it compensate for the intrusive rape questions that are going to be asked by the DWP?

Too little, too late after social services and the NHS are being stripped to the bone.

Remind me again how the government are going to support woman fleeing DV with three, four or five children.

So this funding for returnships - how do we actually access it? How do I find out concrete information about it? What does it actually mean for those of us trying to resurrect our torpedoed careers?

YY to rerouting the women's vote PR budget into DV support by the way.

Blah, blah, blah. Maybe she could dedicate some of it to training the family courts on how to deal with DA so that abusers don't get to continue to live in the same home as the person they are abusing, and continue to abuse, while the courts dilly dally through their 'procedures', looking for proof of EA that is hardest to actually prove! Unfortunately, for the very many women in this situation, this feels like lip service. Rant over

I will reserve my comments for when I know exactly how the money will be spent on DV.
What does "strengthening the law" mean? In the name of "full disclosure in the Court arena" my abuser was told of the ways I had tried to protect myself and children.
Divorce laws currently feed out of the hand of someone who uses delay and control as a form of abuse.

Good news on International Womens Day. ☺

It was extremely difficult for me to return to work after being a Full time mother to my children for a few years. My ex husband was a shift worker and it was awkward for me to go out to work at the time. We made a conscious decision between us for me to have a career break whilst the children were young, therefore I gave up paid employment for a few years, during which time i put a little back into the community by working in a volunteer capacity at the pre-school. When the children were older, I eventally went back to work part time, before becoming a full-time worker again. I also took a number of college courses in order to update my qualifications, before I retuned to the work force again.

I am extremely pleased that our Prime Minister, Theresa May has recognised the difficulties many women face when returning back to the work force, after they have cared for their children. It was a very stressful time for me to say the least as I was also going through divorce at the time.

Hooray for 'Returnships' ☺

SmileyRoseFrances