Cash to help abuse victims

ALMOST £250,000 in Scottish Government cash will be spent in West Lothian to support a redesign of services for women and children who are victims of violence and abuse.

West Lothian Council successfully applied for the cash from the government’s violence against women fund, and the authority has pledged to embark on an “innovative system redesign”.

The new model will focus on early intervention rather than reacting when women and children are already in crisis.

The cash will be paid to the council over the next three years. Jennifer Scott, the council’s head of social policy, said in a report: “The new system offers a more sustainable, holistic approach that will foster early intervention and early identification of survivors’ wider and long-term needs.

“The project’s overarching priority will be to reduce re-victimisation, re-offending and trauma and to improve long-term safety and wellbeing of families. A number of initiatives will be funded and developed.”