Stockport Women's Centre Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2024 Charity Registration No. 1119969 Company Registration No. 06255693 (England and Wales) THE WOMEN S CENTRE STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE INDEX PAGE NUMBER CONTENTS LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION 2-24 TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT 25 INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT 26 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES 27 BALANCE SHEET 28 STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS 29-38 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE Legal and Administrative Information Trustees: J Hancock (Chair) Hmscott C Milner HHOY L Dolling S Harrison M Repanos (appointed May 2023) L Taylor (resigned January 2024) K Day (resigned June 2024) Charity number 1119969 Company number 06255693 Principal address and registered office 39 Greek Street Stockport Cheshire SK3 8AX Senior Manager Nicole Guy Independent Examiner Community Accountancy Service Limited The Grange Pilgrim drive Beswick Manchetser M313TQ Bankers Co-operative Bank 1 St Peters Square Stockport SK1 1NX STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE The trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note to the financial statements and comply with the charity's Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities". Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordan￿ with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) Objectives and activities The Charity's objects { the objects") are to advance education and relieve poverty and ill health for women and their families within the Stockport area by providing a centre whereby they can access advice, training and support as well as providing an outreach training and support service in the surrounding areas of Stockport Public Benefit The trustees confirm, in the light of the guidance contained in the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit, that these aims fully meet the public benefit test and that all the activities of the charity, described in the report of the Trustees, are undertaken in pursuit of these aims. Stockport Women's Centre relies on contracts, grants, donations and fundraising to cover its operating costs. Charitable Activities Stockport Women's Centre is a specialist community support services for women facing multiple unmet needs. We deliver services to women only, in recognition of the well-evidenced need for gender-specific interventions. We provide holistic, woman-centred, trauma-informed services in a safe space. We are an effective 'one stop, shop in Stockport for women, delivering front line services to meet the needs of women with multiple unmet needs. The needs have impacted upon their lives and immediate family members. Issues include living with.. Women's mental health Women who are victims of abuse Women in contact with the Criminal Justice System Socio economic factors such as poverty. social isolation and unemployment Vision Women in Stockport are strong and confident Mission Stockport Women's Centre provides support to improve the wellbeing, physical and mental health of women, enabling them to improve the life chances for themselves and their families. Social objectives Improve wellbeing, physical and mental health of women Build resilience in women STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE Increase opportunities for social mobility Supporting women to be independent and strong Delivery objectives Provide a safe, confidential, welcoming and nurturing environment for women Provide woman-centred services to women with multiple and complex needs Deliver a Trauma Informed service Aims To improve the mental health and wellbeing of women, improving their ability to provide a better environment in which they and their families can flourish. To specifically target Stockport priority areas addressing inequalities that exist and improve access to therapeutic services for women. To build relationships with our service users and each other based on trust and respect. To provide a safe, confidential, welcoming and nurturing environment for women. To promote well-being, confidence and self-esteem amongst staff, volunteers and service users. To offer a range of high quality, holistic, personalised services to support women. To provide an accessible, non-judgemental and confidential service for Stockport women. To encourage, empower and support women to make informed choices to improve their quality of life. To maximise opportunities for women in Stockport working in partnership with other organisations who are concerned with the health and support of women. To consult with our stakeholders to ensure continual improvement of our services. To continually monitor and evaluate our ServI￿S to ensure that they meet the needs of women. To provide opportunities for women to help other women through volunteering, enabling them to learn and develop, and to give something back to the wider community. To be an innovative and financially sustainable service to continue to meet all of our aims We have maintained our crucial role in the community by offering a safe and supportive environment for women of all backgrounds, providing a wide range of resources, services. and programs to address their unique needs and challenges. Our service delivery continues to recognize the well-documented need for gender- specific interventions, offering a holistic, woman-centred, and trauma-informed approach. We are privileged and honoured to have supported over 1524 women during the period. Statistical highlights for 23124 STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE 1524 women have accessed the service,. this has included 613 new women registering with the service and 157 that have re-accessed the service after an absence of 12 months. 583 women have received a full need assessment. We have received 12569 recorded contacts, on average over 1 ,040 contacts a month, 68 % from the women we support. 20121 1136 302 21122 1082 388 22123 1279 477 23124 1524 613 % increase 20121 vs 23124 340/0 99.66 % Members New Members Re-activated Needs Assessment Contacts Visitors 35 300 184 388 202 506 157 583 894 /0 94.33% 10557 262 10761 1436 12712 5096 12569 6094 19.06% 2225.95 % Since the 20121 there has been a significant increase in the number of women requiring support, particularly in those accessing or contacting the service. The statistics illustrate how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the number of women attending the seniice and how delivery shifted from 100 % face-to-face to a blended approach. We have continued to offer a blended service, providing support via telephone, online, and face-to-face. However, we have observed a notable rise in the demand for face-to-face services. This is likely because many local services remain remotelonline, making us one of the few offering in-person support and daily drop- ins. As summarised in previous years reports, 2020-21 was a year where the COVID-19 pandemic led to reduced face-to-face interactions as we transitioned to remote/online formats, although we remained open as a safe space and were used by statutory and crisis services to meet with victims of domestic abuse. The year 2021-22 continued to be challenging due to the pandemic, with ongoing restrictions still limiting face-to-face interactions, despite our efforts to provide a safe space for women. In 2022-23, whilst we continued to offer a blended service, face-to-fa interactions regained their importance to the women requesting our services, offering unique benefits in terms of personal connection, trust-building, and tailored support. We returned to pre-pandemic levels for face-to-face interactions, although the overall demand for our services significantly increased, along with the complexity of the cases we handle. 2023134 The service this year has again seen a significant increase in number of new women requesting support, again this increase has corresponded with an increase in complexity. Referrals were up by 30 % on the previous year, with the Centre recording record numbers of women attending the service. STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE Referrals We are seeing a significant increase in women who self-refer 273 % increase. We have one project where we re￿1ve a referral direct from the practitioner othe￿iSe, we ask women on registration who signposted/referred them and whilst self-referral continues to be the projects largest referral route, as reported previously many women do not tell us on registration. Women also continue to be signposted to the Centre through a variety of pathways including Secondary Mental Health serVi￿S, GP, Health Visitors, Alcohol and Substance Misuse services, HMP Styal, Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Probations Service, and many others. Breakdown of referrals for 23124 44.54 % Self-Referral 31.97 % Health Agencies 23.49 % of women engaging are referred via other agencies including domestic abuse agencies Identified Needs 583 women attended a full needs assessment. 920/0 identified as having a mental health need. 71 % identifies as having a well-being issue. 69 % identified as having an issue with domestic abuse. 27 % identified as having issues with children/families and 33 % identified as having an issue with financeldebt. Identified Need at Assessment AttItudes￿hlnkinglBehaVIourS Mental Healthlwellbeing Mental Health Wellbeing Domestic/Sexual Abuse Children and Families Fina ncelBenefits/Debt Accommodation EducatiOn￿raInIng1vorUnteerlnglErnp1OYrnent Physical Health Drugs Alcohol Sex Work 23124 79.25 91.60 88.34 71.36 68.61 27.27 32.93 28.99 15.27 40.82 6.17 12.69 0.86 Nos of needs re orted at assessment 3 or more needs re orted at assessment 23124 87.990/0 STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE 4 or more needs re 5 or more needs re orted at assessment orted at assessment 75.120/0 55.060/0 We have seen significant increases in needs reported at assessment. and we know these are unreported as some women do not disclose at assessment but disclose once a relationship of trust has been built. In 2012141.9 % (125) of women reported requiring support with 4 or more needs, by 23124 this has increased to 75.12 %. {416) of women had 4 or more needs. This highlights another challenge for the Centre, the increase in complexity of women attending the Centre. Equality Monitoring During the year, 738 women were included in the equality data collection We collect equality monitoring data on registration and at assessment if not collected at registration. We collect this data for us to better understand who accesses services and what needs to be considered in the future to make sure our services are provided fairly and easily accessible. In summary: 46.880/0 of women who access the seniice are in the 30-44 age bracket, 19.38 % of women are 18-29 and 23.17 % 45-59 Whilst 31.98 % of women have presented as unemployed, 49.86 % are on benefits Whilst 34.15 % identified as having a long-term physicallmental healthlhealth conditionldisability only 53.17 % of the women said they had a mental health condition. This is contra to the number of women that identified as having a mental health need at assessment. Interestingly, women did not identify as having a mental health need until assessment. We believe this is because there is still a significant stigma surrounding mental health issues, and women might fear judgment, discrimination, or social exclusion if they disclose their mental health needs. Other reasons are a fear of having children removed due to myths surrounding diagnosis and ability to parent and we are aware that in some cultures discussing mental health is taboo, and women may be discouraged from acknowledging or seeking help for mental health problems. Ethnic minority groups represent 15.72 % of the women who access service. Both the needs assessment and the equality monitoring continue to eviden￿ that we support and engage with some of the most vulnerable and marginalised women in the Stockport community. STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE The main activities we have delivered.. One to one work with women who have needed extra support has included. 583 women received a full needs assessment of which 71.45 % women had 4 or more needs. Provided counselling andlor psychotherapy to 260 women with 69 accessing at the end of the year. 592 women have accessed 1..1 casework support with 174 accessing at the end of the year 238 women have received support from a health worker with 26 accessing support at the end of the year Safeguarding support for children and families, risk is identified and managed by the Centre adhering to Stockport Council's Safeguarding Policy, ensuring a multi-agency approach if appropriate. Delivered a wide range of courses which are designed to increase skills to improve education opportunities, employability, social mobility, and self- confidence. 270 women have attended one or more groups including. 74 women attending psycho-educational groups.. Mindfulness Managing Strong Emotions Managing Anxiety Managing Low Mood Knowing Me Art Therapy 111 women were offered and accepted a place on a domestic abuse awareness group, 55 women attended with 26 women graduating. 56 women attended workshops on: Grounding and Relaxation What holds you back? Healthy Life Life Skills 85 regularly attend activities and these include Walking group Art and craft Scrap booking Creative writing STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE 85 women regularly attend groups such as a walking group, art and craft, scrap- booking. All the above groups are offered fa￿-tO-faCe and remote. The provision of advice and support which includes peer support 1552 visits to the drop-ins were recorded during the period a 114 % increase on the previous year. Access to information and sign-posting for many local women the Centre provides a trusted source of information including support: Apart from the drop-ins, we operate a front of house service 9-5 o'clock. We have received 12,569 recorded contacts. support, signposting. Over 68 % are from individuals requesting We have continued to offer women a comprehensive holistic service which encompasses a personalised approach. The women we work with can access one or more of the activitieslsenjices at any one time or over a period and this ensures that we can respond not only to the women in high levels of need but also to those who require information or advice and social activities. Highlights over the past year Every woman registering with the Centre has received a welcome pack. As well as issuing foodbank vouchers, we provide immediate access to food, toiletries and emergency supplies. We have a clothing bank. We have registered as a food organisation and received a 5 star rating to enable us to continue to supply food to women. Due to the cost-of-living crisis the quantities of food we have been supplying has significantly increased. Kindly donated by our supporters, we supported 40 women and 73 children with food vouchers for families, toys for children and a gift for Mum for 40 women and 79 children. We have been nominated for the Kings Award for Voluntary Service STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE Maintained our Servi￿ BACP accreditation As well as hosting research partners including Dame Vera Baird on her inquiry into experiences of abuse and violence of women in custody at the hands of police. HMMPS women's thematic inspectorate Revolving Doors United Nations We have also hosted round tables with Damian Herd Minster of Justice Kate Green Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Combined Authority The Centre has been acknowledged in the recently national published Effective Practice Guide working with women following a HMPPS thematic inspection on women seniices. We attended a House of Lords event in September, to launch the Women's Risk Needs Assessment tool for women in contact with the criminal justice. The WRNA is embedded as the assessment tool for women in contact with the criminal justice system We have been accepted as one of two research sites for the Gendered Well Being Assessment (GWA) which has been developed by the University of Birmingham. Once validated this will be the only tool that is trauma informed 'Quality of Life Assessment, suitable for women with multiple and complex needs who have no prior contact with the criminal justice system. Developed corporate partnerships with local businesses that have refurbished 3 of our counselling rooms. The corporates have also supported us by providing food and clothing for women and their families. Awarded 2-year funding from Charles Hayward Foundation as a contribution to the salary of the Senior Women's Case worker. Volunteering The services are supported by our committed volunteers, 97 volunteers have supported the project over the past year, including 10 corporate volunteers from local organisations. Volunteers make a huge contribution to the charity, they provide essential support, expand our charities capabilities with their diverse skills set as well as help build a stronger, more engaged community. The volunteers have many roles in the centre ranging from counsellors, psychotherapists, drop-in workers, art and group facilitators, assessors, and administrators. Many of our volunteers have lived experience We currently have 73 volunteers supporting the project. Staff and Volunteer welfare A crucial part of the service is the staff and volunteer team which includes supporting staff and volunteer welfare during what has been a challenging time for the charity with significant increases in referrals and resour￿ limitations. 10 STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE The service is supported by our dedicated workforce. We employed during the year 19 members of staff. 17 FTE. Each role within the organisation is vital, without the commitment of staff and volunteers we would not be able to deliver the support services. Outcomes All activities and services provided to the women are built upon through an assessment of need. The assessment is important for the service as it helps identify needs. tailor the service, guide evidence-based decision making. address gaps, support advocacy efforts. Assessments provide a foundation for effective and targeted intenientions, leading to improved outcomes for women accessing the seniice. We continued to involve the people in our community and using existing measures: Feedback from the peer groups that continue to meet 1.1 interview Anonymous service user evaluation at end of activities Anonymous equality and diversity forms - See Appendix 'A' Feedback from partners when women are not engaging. Case Studies See below and 'Appendix 'D' and Appendix 'E' As well as the evidenced based Outcomes Star - distance travelled for women accessing support - this is an evIden￿d based tool - Appendix 'C' WEMWEBS- we use WEMWEBS to evidence the impact of group work IAPT Scoring Framework specifically Anxiety and Depression We have recently embedded into our service the Women's Risk Needs Assessment (WRNA) for women in contact with the criminal justice system. The WRNA is the only validated, peer-reviewed risklneeds assessment instrument specifically designed from the ground up, by and for justice-involved women. One to one Casework provides support, after assessment and triage, the support offers goal orientated approaches. advocacy and access to resources, emotional support and informal counselling. Skills development and empowerment. There is the option of long-term support and continuity and confidentiality and trust. This individualised support can help women: address challenges achieve their goals, navigate complex systems and improve overall well-being and quality of life. Identify and manage risk 11 STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE 294 women that accessed the casework support completed an outcome star. the evaluation report asks are women making progress. The results of the evaluation are In 1 + outcome areas 840/0 are making progress In 2+ outcome areas 74 % are making progress In 3+ outcome areas 68 % are making progress Outcome areas in which someone is making progress is 3.6 Please see attached document Appendix 'C' SWC Outcome Star Counselling has the potential to bring about significant positive changes, supporting individuals in their journey towards emotional healing, personal growth, and improved well-being. We use the IAPT Scoring Framework specifically Anxiety and Depression to measure the improvements in mental health, looking at statistically reliable improvement. 174 women completed therapy, the recovery rate is 62.6 % women, this is higher than the recovery rate anticipated by NHS England. Safeguarding Ensuring women are safe is a priority for the service. Safeguarding offers several benefits including prevention of abuse and neglect, promotion of well-being and mental health, building trust and confidence, empowering individuals, strengthening accountability, and creating safer environments. The service reported 178 safeguarding concerns and incidents 23124. This is again significantly higher than the previous year 106 % increase again evidencing the increase in complexity of women attending the Centre for support. This year has seen an increase in mental health incidents particularly regarding suicidal ideation. The Head of Services has met with the counselling and psychotherapy manager and training has been booked in to deliver suicide awareness and resilience training to assessorslcaseworkers. The aim of the training is to provide support for the team in their roles, and reduce burnout. Due to the growing demand on the service and the level of complex needs and presenting risk, the Head of Services and senior caseworker meet at the end of each day to review safeguarding issues from that day. This protected time gives them space to reflect and discuss Gases, making sure the service operates safely and efficiently. Staff continue to adhere well to safeguarding policies and procedures. The data shows that the team are skilled at identifying and managing significant risk. The emotional stress of dealing with such challenging situations should not be under- estimated, and the planned training will be a useful support for the team. 12 STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE Safeguarding plays a crucial role in ensuring the woman's rights, dignity and overall well-being are respected and protected as well as creating a safer environment for the individual and a safer community. Group work Psycho-educational Groups We deliver a range of psycho-educational groups which offer numerous benefits to women by combining psychotherapy and educational elements in a group setting. The groups are closed and delivered in a structured environment. They provide information, skills, support, and social connection for women facing similar challenges. The group is led by trained facilitators covering a range of topics such as stress management, communication skills, coping strategies. We provide a range of other groups that are not psycho-educational but are focussed on a topic such as Domestic Abuse or we have received feedback that there are topics that the women would like to know more about. The Freedom Programme is an awareness raising support group designed for women who are or have been experiencing domestic abuse. It is a programme designed as an intervention to empower women to make positive choices about their lives by providing information and support within a group setting. 100 % of the women that graduated from the programme reported that they had reported a positive change in their lives. In response to women's feedback, this year we have also offered a further programme that follows on from the Freedom Programme called the VOICE which Stands for Victims Of Intimate Coercive Experience. We facilitate a range of other groups such as Art and Craft Creative Writing Scrap Book Walking Menopause Garden Therapy Mindfulness and Relaxation We facilitated an Open Day at the Centre showcasing the work that the women had created. The event was attended by 60 plus women. 13 STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE swc AR T E XH,I B I T S These groups provide numerous benefits. including creative expression. stress relief, social connection, self-exploration, skill development, therapeutic benefits, cognitive stimulation, and a sense of accomplishment. Participating in these activities enhances overall well-being, fosters growth, and contributes to fulfillment and happiness. Group support offers shared understanding, emotional support, empowerment, and a sense of belonging. It broadens perspectives, promotes personal growth, and enhances resilience. By creating a space for solace, peer learning, and shared experiences, group support helps individuals grow together on their journeys toward healing and self-improvement. Peer learning and feedback are benefits of all the groups. The groups allow women to learn from each other by sharing experiences, insights, successes, and challenges. Individuals gain valuable perspectives and alternative viewpoints. The collective wisdom and shared experiences of group members can be a powerful catalyst for personal transformation. By improving the wellbeing, physical and mental health of women, women have increased self-confidence and self-esteem and whilst the following quantitative data are not performance indicators it is encouraging to see significant increases year on year of women returning to employment, volunteering and education improving life chances for themselves and their families and contributing to the social and economic development of their communities. On exit Found or returned to em ment Returned to or started education Returned to or started volunteerin 20121 36 21122 26 11 22123 71 19 23124 83 25 14 STOCKPORT WOMEN'S CENTRE Attended relevant education or training courses includes (Psycho-educational courses run at the Centre) 89 106 (50) 158 (56) 195 (74) Service Users Evaluation 138 women have completed an anonymous service user evaluation using SMART SURVEY 96 % of women completing the survey were satisfied with the Servi￿ they received. 860/0 of the women completing the service user evaluation, were very satisfied with the service they had received. 100/0 were satisfied. 85 % said they had experienced positive change in their lives. This is a word cloud of reoccurring words from the online SMART SURVEY asking What is good about this service? 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