Steps to Safety (S2S) is a new programme, designed by the NSPCC to provide an evidence informed intervention to families living with domestic abuse. Steps to Safety helps parents living with domestic abuse create a safer and more stable future for themselves and their children.
Unlike many existing services, Steps to Safety works with the whole family and focuses upon the ‘prevention’ of further incidents of domestic abuse, whilst the family remain living together. Although the programme works with both parents, it is not designed to support families to remain living together where it is unsafe for them or their children for them to do so.
Steps to Safety is grounded in an attachment and trauma-based perspective and is built upon the development of affect regulation (mood management). Mindfulness also forms a core component of the programme as there is evidence that this can help regulate anxiety, stress and aggression.
The programme aims to develop greater attunement and reflective capacity in parents, improving their relationship with each other and their children.
Who is eligible for the service?
The service is not suitable for all families and a detailed assessment will be completed following referral. It is not designed to work with families where there is extreme violence or systematic coercively controlling behaviour by one person over their partner.
The service is designed to work with families where one or both parents are known to be committing domestic abuse which is thought to be a pattern that has developed as a result of inappropriate methods for dealing with stress, and an inability to respond calmly or difficulty managing emotions.
We will be accepting referrals were parents/couples are co-parenting, in a relationship and do not have to be living together.