Thames Valley Community Response

Thames Valley Community Response and Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) Service

What’s new?

Hourglass is extending its Community Response hub across the Thames Valley region with a dedicated IDVA team who will be assisting with case work and support for domestic abuse victim-survivors across Bracknell, Wokingham, Reading and West Berkshire; Oxfordshire; Aylesbury Vale, High Wycombe and the surrounding areas.

Our IDVA team are trained in providing specialist support to victim-survivors aged 60 and over. They have knowledge and expertise in providing emotional and practical advice, plus guidance and support to help an individual to become and remain safe in their home and community.

The services we provide

In addition to the Hourglass 24/7 helpline, the Community Response Hub offers specialist advice and support for older people who have experienced or are at risk of harm, abuse, neglect or exploitation. Our team can provide support in a range of areas, from prevention and early intervention, right through to direct support and recovery from abuse including:

• Casework to help you make informed choices, access support or challenge a decision
• Tailored one-to-one support adopting a person-centred approach, where we focus on you and your specific needs
• Advocating on your behalf
• Follow-up calls to provide ongoing support and check-ins
• A range of resources for advice and information, including our online Knowledge Bank.

Rebecca Ewing, our Community Response Officer and Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) said:

As an IDVA I am trained to provide specialist support to victim-survivors of domestic abuse aged 60 and over. We see a lot of incidents of financial abuse with our clients, and the abuse is often perpetrated by adult children or grandchildren, so there are a lot of nuances to abuse of older people that we need to consider and provide support for.

Within our Community Response hub in the Thames Valley we also campaign, raise awareness and offer advice to citizens on safer ageing. Our services range from prevention and early intervention through to direct support and recovery from abuse.

Across the Thames Valley, our 65+ population is growing at a faster rate than across England overall,  and when you consider that 1 in 6 older people are victims of abuse, we are delivering a vital service for a very important section of society.

How to contact us

Most services are provided remotely over the phone or online. If you are looking for support yourself, or have a friend or relative you are concerned about, you can call our Helpline team who will offer you advice and if appropriate make a referral to our Community Response team. If you are looking to make a professional referral, please call our helpline who can put you in touch with the Community Response team in your region.

Our 24/7 Helpline telephone service is free and confidential, and there are also options for SMS text, email and instant messaging.

Phone: 0808 808 8141

Text: 07860 052906

Email: helpline@wearehourglass.org