Our Services

We provide a range of community-based support and advocacy services to individuals subjected to domestic abuse, stalking and other forms of abuse including so-called honour based abuse and forced marriage.

You do not have to face your situation on your own. Changing Pathways will support you through your decision to reclaim your right to a safe, happy and abuse free life. You will not be judged in any way and we will ensure that we only ever move at the pace you want to go. Please get in touch if you think we can help you.

Honour Based Abuse.

Specialist BAMER (Black, Asian Minority Ethnic and Refugee) advocacy and support for victims subjected to ‘honour-based’ abuse, forced marriage, female genital mutilation and other harmful practices. The service also supports victims of Domestic Abuse who may have insecure or no immigration status and no recourse to public funds (NRPF). The service is delivered by experienced BAMER Specialist practitioners who are culturally aware and informed, breaking down marginalisation and isolation of racialised communities.

Honour based abuse is a crime or incident committed to protect or defend the so called “Izzat’ meaning “honour” of a family or community. So called “Honour” based abuse is usually perpetrated by family members, including extended family or community members and can involve multiple perpetrators increasing the risk to the victim. Those at risk of ‘honour’ based abuse are often told that they have brought “shame” on their family or community and so they must be punished, with the ultimate punishment being death, or so-called ‘honour’ killings.

We carry out Honour Based Abuse risk assessments for both adults and children to ensure enhanced safety measures are in place. Our services include:

Support with safety planning and protection such as Force Marriage Protection Orders, and other civil orders
Support of migrant women with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) to access legal immigration advice
Advocate on their behalf to statutory agencies such as Housing, Social Care and the Police.
Access to safety and culturally specific refuge accommodation
Emotional and practical support
Challenge Racism and barriers to accessing support services
Telephone and face to face support

Community Domestic Abuse Practitioners

Our highly trained community-based team can provide practical support and advocacy to help you meet your immediate risk and safety needs and set you on a pathway to living a life without fear and abuse.

You will be able to speak to someone without judgement and explore your options in a confidential and supportive setting.

You can be referred via Compass, the Essex Domestic Abuse Helpline 0330 333 7 444 or by downloading our referral form here.

Compass, Essex Domestic Abuse Helpline is available from 8am to 5pm (Monday to Friday).

Independent Domestic Violence Advisors

The main purpose of the (IDVA) is to address the safety of victims at high risk of harm from intimate partners, ex-partners or family members to secure their safety and the safety of their children. Serving as a victim’s primary point of contact, IDVAs normally work with their clients from the point of crisis to assess the level of risk, discuss the range of suitable options and develop safety plans. At Changing Pathways our IDVA service can support you to work with Police, Housing, Peabody, Children’s Social Care, the courts and any other agencies that you support you.

Health Independent DV Advisors

Changing Pathways has a Health Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (HIDVA) service in Basildon Hospital. Essex Domestic Abuse Partnership Project (EDAPP) emerged following an increase for support for domestic abuse, combined with new research and NICE guidance on how effectively addresses the needs of domestic abuse victims. The NICE guidelines for domestic abuse state the provision that should be made by Hospital Trusts (NICE, 2016 – QS116).

There are currently two qualified HIDVA’s based within the Safeguarding Corporate Team. The service is a training and referral model in which clinical and non-clinical staff members are trained on domestic abuse awareness and how to support safe disclosures of domestic abuse and supported by a direct referral route for specialist support from a HIVDA for victims of domestic abuse within the hospital setting.

When a referral is received the HIDVA undertakes specialist work to safeguard the victim which includes risk assessment, safety planning, referral to Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC), obtaining legal and civil orders and referring onto other specialist domestic abuse services including refuge and stalking support. The HIDVA works closely with staff members across the hospital setting and the service has key relationships within the setting with the Directors of Nursing, the Safeguarding Corporate Team and the Information Governance Team.

Independent Stalking Advocate Caseworker

The Independent Stalking Advocacy team supports service users who are experiencing stalking and who live in the Basildon, Brentwood, Castle point, Rochford and Thurrock areas. As part of Changing Pathways our service can also support victims who do not have a direct link to the person who is stalking them, such as an acquaintance.

We are able to meet with you at a range of community sites or at our main outreach centre in Basildon. In addition to meeting in person, we offer a telephone and email support service.

The aim of our service is to provide emotional support and practical assistance, including help to access legal advice, assistance with safety planning, risk assessment, signposting/connection with other agencies, information on rights, legislation and entitlements. Our Caseworkers can support you in documenting your experiences and in reporting to the Police if necessary.

Our Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworkers can make internal referrals to other teams within our organisation where appropriate, and we can introduce you to partner agencies who may also support an element of your pathway to a new future.

As a specialist Independent Stalking Advocacy service we are able to offer advice and support to other professionals and organisations who are supporting clients experiencing stalking via our telephone and email support service.

Adult Counselling

The counsellors at Changing Pathways are trained to listen with empathy (by putting themselves in your shoes), whilst allowing you the space to reflect and explore your thoughts and feelings.

A counsellor helps you gain perspective about the issue(s) troubling you. Together you explore these issues and consider what might be stopping you from reaching your full potential. The aim of the counselling process is to enable you to understand and accept yourself, to change your behaviour to that which is more productive and rewarding for you, and to help you move towards becoming the kind of person you want to be.

We offer all prospective clients a short assessment interview. This provides you with an opportunity to decide whether you wish to go ahead with the counselling. As regular attendance is a crucial part of the counselling process, normally clients should be prepared to commit to a minimum of 6 sessions and a maximum of 20 sessions. Each session lasts for 50 minutes, usually on the same day and time each week. if you are late arriving, due to time constraints the sessions would normally finish at the usual time.

All counsellors adhere to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s Code of Ethics and practice for counsellors and treat any information disclosed to them as confidential.

Our counselling service is not a standalone service that can be referred into by outside organisations. A referral can only be made by our support practitioners for clients that are receiving refuge or outreach services.

Children’s counselling

Our children and young people’s counselling service is offered to people aged 5 – 25 years. It is a free and confidential service. Children and young people are able to speak with one of our counsellors who are trained or in training and who are able to offer talking therapy and play therapy whilst enabling the child/young person to feel heard and trust the process.

We offer all prospective clients a short assessment interview. This involves both parent/carer and child talking with the counsellor whilst providing the child/young person with an opportunity to decide whether she/he wishes to go ahead with the counselling. As regular attendance is a crucial part of the counselling process, counselling continues throughout the school holidays. Clients should be prepared to commit to a minimum of six sessions, and a maximum of twenty sessions, which will be reviewed regularly to ensure we are meeting the needs of the child. The counselling will usually take place in our children and young people’s room. During the counselling session your child will have the opportunity to use creative materials, puppets, a sand tray and toys to express their thoughts and feelings through whichever way they feel comfortable with.

All counsellors adhere to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy’s Code of Ethics and practice for counsellors and treat any information disclosed to them as confidential. Please note that under the Children’s Act, 1989 counsellors are required to report any child protection concerns to social services.

Civil Justice Advocate

The Civil Justice Advocacy team support service users who are not entitled to legal aid or who do not have the financial means to instruct a solicitor. The service covers 3 domestic abuse services, Changing Pathways, The next chapter and Safe steps.

The civil justice team can support service users to:

Draft court applications
Support through the court process
Offer guidance around what to expect including
Applications for Non-molestation orders
Occupation orders
Child arrangement orders
Specific issue orders
Prohibited steps orders
Transfer of tenancy
Home rights including tenancy rights.
Benefits advise including your right to am mandatory reconsideration and appeals.

The civil justice team are not solicitors meaning you will be representing yourself in court as a litigant in person, however we will offer you expert advise and step by step guidance around your case.

Group Work

Changing Pathways Domestic Abuse Service are running ‘THRIVE’ survivors group, in collaboration with Epping Team Ministry.
Thrive group is facilitated by experienced domestic abuse and trauma-informed facilitators. The group offers a safe inclusive space for women survivors on their journey to recovery. It includes mindfulness and breath work, guest speakers from the police, housing, legal and much more. The group provides a safe space to share experiences and build resilience, confidence and friendships. Thrive Harlow will be launching June 5th.

We also run our ‘Prevention Recovery Programme’ on Zoom. It’s a 6-week program where you will learn about domestic abuse, perpetrator behaviours and the effects of domestic abuse on children and self esteem boosting. This could be the first step towards a whole new way of managing anxiety and trauma as well as learning more about domestic abuse.

For all Group work please contact your support worker.