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2022-03-31-accounts

Working with others to support our vision

Annual Report 2022

AnnuAl report 2022

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Contents

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Our vision 3
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Our vision 3
Chair’s Report 4
CEO’s Report 6
What is Domestic Abuse? 8
Our work 9
Client story 10
Year at a glance 11
Staf case study 12
In the media 13
VAWG Agenda 14
Funding and fundraising 15
Other ways to help 17
Fundraising stars 18
Why do we do this work? 19
Children and young people 20
Marie’s case study 22
Harmful Cultural Practices
Up2U:MyChoice		 24
26

Cover image: Children’s work adorns the walls of our Refuges

Our mission

Here at Stop Domestic Abuse we seek to help all those affected by domestic abuse by providing innovative and unique services. We protect and work with victims as well as helping perpetrators, the police and many other organisations.

Our values

By committing to these values and to support our vision of “a world without domestic abuse” we will:

Our values are integral to how we work at Stop Domestic Abuse 

  - Provide services by a diverse workforce

By achieving our vision for Stop Domestic Abuse and committing ourselves to the values that underpin our work, we will significantly improve the lives of those to whom we provide services.

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Chair’s Report

Preventing abuse - now and in the future. A thank you to everyone who has played their part.

There is never a dull moment at Stop Domestic Abuse. Each year brings new challenges and opportunities: this year has been no exception.

The pandemic increased pressure on victims of domestic abuse while limiting access to support services. The cost of living crisis adds to these pressures. We’re deeply grateful to our staff who have shown great resilience and commitment by continuing to deliver lifesaving support in these unprecedented times.

Stop Domestic Abuse celebrated its 45[th] anniversary in July. As understanding of the widespread nature of domestic abuse has increased, so too has recognition of the need for services, not only to support those experiencing abuse but also to prevent abuse in the future.

Our journey reflects these changes. We have grown rapidly, expanding our services while ensuring our ethos and values remain central to our strategic direction and service delivery.

Exciting new opportunity

Claire Lambon, CEO, and her team, have won multiple grants and funding to ensure the future of the service. Stop Domestic Abuse now delivers all commissioned domestic abuse services in Hampshire and Portsmouth.

Additionally in July, working

in partnership with domestic and sexual abuse charity Yellow Door, and No Limits, a charity offering free and confidential information, advice, counselling, advocacy and support to children and young people under the age of 26 in Southampton and Hampshire, we were awarded the contract to deliver domestic abuse and sexual violence services in Southampton. This is an exciting new opportunity.

Our refuge appeal has now exceeded its original target. We raised £1.5 million to create a purpose-built refuge for women and children fleeing domestic abuse. However, more is needed to meet the soaring cost of land, materials and labour. A revised target of £1.8 million, and a relaunch of the campaign, is on our agenda for the year ahead.

Life-changing services

To function as an effective and dynamic organisation, strong governance is essential. We want to increase the diversity of the board to ensure it reflects the needs and experiences of our clients. To find out about becoming a trustee, please contact info@stopdomesticabuse.uk for a chat.

We greatly value the partnerships which enable us to provide these innovative, life changing services to those affected by domestic abuse. So, a huge thank you to everyone for the part you play in our fight for a world without domestic abuse.

Gill Butler

Chair

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AnnUAl rEPOrT 2022
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CEO’s Report

Chief Executive Claire Lambon celebrates the commitment shown by everyone at Stop Domestic Abuse as the charity develops new services and embraces strategic partnerships.

number assessed as ‘high risk’ has increased by 26 per cent. Working with Hampshire Police, we have been delivering workshops on healthy relationships in schools across the county and this has led to unprecedented levels of children and young people coming forward for support.

I am proud of how much this amazing organisation has achieved during a year of organisational growth and intensive support for our clients. We respond with care, resilience and professionalism ensuring that all our clients have support to recover and heal.

Our clients have faced significant challenges throughout the pandemic, and these continue due to the cost of living crisis, further limiting a survivor’s access to advice and support. With vital support from funding partners, we have provided welfare support to families facing hardship and upgraded facilities in our refuges.

98 per cent of children and young people told us that they felt safer following support from Stop Domestic Abuse’s specialist Children and Young People’s team.

mental health challenges and requiring specialist one to one support. Nearly 70 per cent of clients describe having higher self-esteem when they move on from our support; and clients report feeling better able to support their mental health.

Our clients face increasingly complex challenges

Demand for services is growing and it is essential that we are able to provide specialist support of the highest quality.

We have worked with Portsmouth City Council and the Hampshire Police Crime Commissioner to deliver the Mentors in Violence Project and plan to extend this into other areas.

Children are coming to us with a range of complex needs, and the

There is a steady increase in the number of clients experiencing

We secured a contract to work with Hampshire Constabulary to support victims of domestic abuse where either the victim is connected to policing, or where the abuse is perpetrated connected to policing.

New Contract in Portsmouth

In July 2021 we began a new service in Portsmouth through which we provide support to victims of domestic abuse who use unhealthy and abusive behaviours and are committed to change. The service was re-commissioned by Portsmouth City Council and the Police Commissioner and is testament to the quality of our service provision.

Community Partnerships

We are helping communities to recognise, discuss and signpost domestic abuse. The project builds awareness of domestic abuse within the beauty industry and Library service and creates a supportive environment for victims to access support from trained staff.

Supporting community policing across Hampshire

In the light of the tragic case of Sarah Everard, we have been working with partner organisations and Commissioners to help Hampshire Police learn from the public response to this tragedy. We also supported a letter from Women’s Aid to the Prime Minister outlining concerns about the Government’s response to male violence.

On White Ribbon Day we launched our night-time economy campaign, distributing beer mats which include our helpline numbers. We also worked with Portsmouth Football Club to encourage men to speak up against male violence against women.

It was a privilege to see Portsmouth’s iconic Spinnaker Tower lit in orange in recognition of our fight against domestic abuse in the city.

Access to support for marginalised groups

Domestic abuse is a ‘gendered crime’

Our name reflects that our services are truly inclusive to all. However, in the majority of cases, domestic abuse is experienced by women and perpetrated by men and is rooted in women’s inequality and characterised by patterns of coercive control.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council have funded a number of specialist posts, strengthening our support for marginalised communities and refuge clients, as well as launch a range of specialist interventions for perpetrators.

We recognise intersectional feminist principles and that women’s particular experiences of violence and discrimination can be the result of multiple oppressions. Looking through the lens of intersectionality helps us understand that some women are affected more due to race,

We responded to the needs of both Afghan and Ukrainian refugees with leaflets translated into their most commonly spoken languages and provided information about women’s rights and domestic abuse.

ethnicity, sexuality, ability, age, education, class, language and culture.

Expansion into Southampton

Our tender to provide domestic abuse and sexual violence services in Southampton was successful. The new service began on 1 July 2022 and includes both refuge and community-based services. We are particularly proud of the wonderful new refuge we opened in Southampton, made possible by the hard work of our colleagues and partners at Sovereign Housing Association. We’re working with our partners Yellow Door and No Limits to deliver this exciting new service.

This has been an extraordinary year of growth and development and as we celebrated the charity’s 45th Anniversary in July 2022 I was able to reflect that this has only been possible due to the hard work and dedication of both colleagues and Trustees at Stop Domestic Abuse.

I would like to thank all my colleagues, Trustees and partners for their commitment to our vision of a world without domestic abuse.

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What is Domestic Abuse?

In 2021, the Domestic Abuse Bill received Royal Assent and gave the UK its first statutory definition of domestic abuse.

Gender and domestic abuse

Domestic abuse is a one-off act or a pattern of acts of

While both men and women may experience incidents of interpersonal violence and abuse, women are considerably more likely to experience repeated and severe forms of abuse, including sexual violence.

The latest figures show that out of an estimated 2 million victims of domestic abuse in the last year, some 1.3 million were women. The majority (70 per cent) of victims of domestic violence deaths are female.

have experienced other forms of oppression and discrimination are faced with further barriers to disclosing the abuse, accessing support and finding help.

We need to challenge cultural stereotypes which still assume that the perpetrators of domestic violence are men and the victims are women. However, at the same time, we must recognise that the majority of perpetrators are men.

On average over 90 per cent of defendants in domestic violence court cases are male and over 80 per cent of victims are female. Every week in the UK, two women are murdered by a partner or expartner.

We still live in a patriarchal society where men have more power, more sense of entitlement, and (on average) more income than women. To ignore the impact of gender on domestic violence does a disservice to people of any gender.

However, anyone can still experience domestic abuse regardless of their gender identity, ethnicity, ability, age, class, race or religion. Some victims who

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Our work
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4 5
7 8
Hart
Basingstoke
Rushmoor
1 2 3
4 5 1 2 3
Key to services Test Valley 4 5 7 8
1 Refuge 1 2 3 East
4 5 6 Hampshire
2 One-to-one Support
1 2 4 3 5
Winchester
3 Group Work 1 2 3 7 8
4 Child Sexual Exploitation 4 5 6
5 Harmful Cultural Practices Eastleigh
6 Health Advocate Southampton 1 2 3
1 2 3 4 5
7 Ask Me 5 8 Fareham
Havant
8 Target Hardening
9 Up2U:My Choice New Forest Gosport
10 Family work 1 2 4 3 5 Portsmouth
1 2 3 4 5
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Community based services

Target Hardening

Up2U

Tailored one-to-one support for adult victims and children affected by domestic abuse across the whole of Hampshire and Portsmouth*.

A behaviour-change programme delivered to people using abusive/ unhealthy behaviours in the intimate relationships.

Target hardening provides practical home security items such as window alarms and locks.

Harmful Cultural Practices

Up2U:MyChoice

Specialist work addresses harmful cultural practices including female genital mutilation, forced marriage and ‘honour’ based violence across the whole of Hampshire.

*All services in Test Valley are delivered by our partner and sub-contractor Finding Freedom From Abuse.

For victims of domestic abuse who have some unhealthy relationship behaviours.

Refuge

Ask Me

We have 18 refuges across Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth and can accommodate 106 women and their children.

Health Advocate

Ask Me Community Ambassadors raise awareness of domestic abuse in the areas we operate. We provide full training so they can create a safe environment where survivors can speak out.

A Domestic Abuse Health Advocate works at Winchester Hospital offering immediate advice and support to staff and patients.

Group work

Delivered to adults, children, and young people.

Family Work

CSE

When safe, a whole family assessment takes place to recognise the dynamics in the relationship to enable the service to respond accordingly.

Specialist support for young people affected by Child Sexual Exploitation.

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Client story

Year at a glance

A joint working case study: Surviving with an ex-partner turned stalker

Jenny* had split up from her partner, but he was stalking her, bombarding her with phone calls, entering the building where she lived and watching her in the underground car park she used.

By the time Jenny was referred to Stop Domestic Abuse, the police had serious concerns about her safety.

Keeping everyone updated is key to multiagency approach

Jenny was concerned her smoke detectors weren’t working so Stop Domestic Abuse arranged for a visit from Hampshire Fire and Rescue under the ‘Safe and Well’ scheme, a free home fire safety visit.

Police had issued five Police Protection Notices (PPNs) which assessed her vulnerability and helped everyone understand the level of risk she faced. Other professionals became involved. These included the family’s social worker, a housing officer and a stalking advocate.

We used our Target Hardening Fund and a ‘ring doorbell’ was fitted. It lets people see who is at their door, whether they are at home or not.

But by the time she was referred to Stop Domestic Abuse, Jenny was at high risk of harm.

Jenny was also supported through the MARAC (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference) process and our support worker was key in obtaining Jenny’s consent, thoughts and feelings, which were shared at these meetings.

When he was released, a court order ensured he was electronically tagged

Our support worker first contacted Jenny in April 2022. Full safety and support plans were cocreated. Stop Domestic Abuse also made contact with the family’s social worker to let her know what we could do to help Jenny.

All the professionals involved with the case were updated with the information needed to keep Jenny and her children as safe as possible until the stalker was apprehended.

Successful outcome and far lower risk

Working with third party organisations and getting Jenny’s consent

Eventually, the ex-partner was arrested and remanded by police. When he was released, a court order ensured he was electronically tagged. Also, both a nonmolestation order and a prohibited steps order were issued by the courts, which further protected the children.

The next task was to support Jenny to not only feel more secure, but also to come up with practical ways of stopping the stalker. This meant talking directly to the housing officer, who secured the flat where Jenny lived.

By working together with other professionals, Stop Domestic Abuse reduced Jenny’s fear of danger from her ex-partner. The latest risk assessment showed Jenny was far safer and everybody involved in Jenny and her children’s well-being saw this as a really successful outcome. For Jenny, it meant being able to sleep more soundly at night, knowing that she and her children were safe from harm.

Stop Domestic Abuse became the main point of contact for Jenny. She found the number of phone calls from organisations trying to help difficult to deal with.

The Stop Domestic Abuse worker asked a stalking advocate from another organisation to liaise with her rather than Jenny. We also worked with them to assist with their stalking risk assessments and agreed safety actions. All this was done with Jenny’s consent.

*Client’s name has been changed for anonymity

We help thousands of people year. every This year at Stop Domestic Abuse has been no different.

Across Hampshire and Portsmouth, demand for our community, refuge and perpetrator services is growing. We supported twice as many people this year as we did during 2020–21 when access to services was affected by pandemic lockdowns.

Referrals and Support

Advice Line

and young people (schools

The number of calls to our advice line varies day to day. On average the team takes between 60 and 70 calls and answers 55 referral emails per day.

were still reluctant to do group activities mixing children from different classes) that attended one of our group programmes

In 2021–22 Stop Domestic Abuse received a total of 9660 referrals and worked with a total of 3744 adults and 1477 children and young people .

This included:

Across the UK 10,809 women and 11,890 children have been supported in refuges.

(Women’s Aid: The Domestic Abuse Report 2022) .

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Staff case study

Name: Imogen Brennan Role: Domestic Abuse Navigator

What is your background?

Previously I was working in administration but I had always wanted to work in this sector and had been looking for a supportive environment to begin in. I was excited to find a frontline support role that gave me the opportunity to start my learning journey and work in an organisation that improves outcomes for victims and survivors of domestic abuse in Portsmouth, a city I’m proud to call home. I was immediately welcomed onto the team and began to love the role right away. The training package was such a helpful starting point and gave me the confidence to ask questions and test my knowledge with the team.

Why did you want to work at Stop Domestic Abuse?

What does a typical day look like for you?

things to move to a healthy and safe place for that client.

I had read a lot about the charity and the unique services we provide to adults and children experiencing domestic abuse across Hampshire. I knew it would be right for me. When I started work at Stop Domestic Abuse I was surprised by all the different services we can offer to survivors to best support them.

I think every day within Stop Domestic Abuse differs. However a typical day for me involves attending support sessions with clients, some face to face and some over the phone, and ensuring actions from our previous sessions have been completed. And finding out what the client needs, ensuring that they feel they’re being supported properly. Making sure we have extensive safety planning around the survivor's situation and tailoring these to each and every client to suit them.

What challenges do you have?

I think challenges differ depending on your current case load and what you need to complete that day. It is important to focus on prioritising and always asking for help if you feel you need it.

Why should people work for Stop Domestic Abuse?

Tell me about your role and any projects that you work on?

If you’re looking for a challenging yet rewarding role, Stop Domestic Abuse is a great place to work. Even the smallest success stories with clients are amazing and the rapport we build within our very supportive teams is brilliant. I have never felt so supported within a job.

I mostly work with survivors of domestic abuse out in the community, however I’ve also begun some work within our refuges. I equally enjoy both, although they are very different roles. My main focus is doing the absolute best for the client and meeting all their needs, ensuring that the client feels that they have a voice and that they are heard and understood.

What is the best thing about your role and what you do?

At the heart of my role is the client. The best thing is empowering our clients while building great relationships and striving to make a difference for them while focusing on getting

In the media

Help us Help us the silence. Help us domestic abuse.

Many victims don’t talk about their experience of domestic abuse. They feel humiliated that it is happening to them and fearful of the repercussions from their abuser if they speak out, leaving them little option but to suffer in silence.

At Stop Domestic Abuse, we appear regularly in the media and work with politicians and other influencers to get people talking about domestic abuse. Through the year we have had a strong presence across television, print and radio.

Winter

Claire Lambon discussed White Ribbon Day and our 16 Days of Action campaign on Express FM, raising awareness of our the issue and challenging taboos.

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation saw Stop Domestic Abuse, as members of the Portsmouth Harmful Practices Group, delivering trainning to professionals in the health, social care, emergency services, housing and voluntary sectors.

Spring

The Portsmouth skyline was lit up in orange as the Spinnaker Tower became a powerful symbol of the city's support for International Women’s Day.

Summer

Southampton’s Lord Mayor formally opened our two new refuges in Southampton as Stop Domestic Abuse became the domestic abuse and sexual violence commissioned service provider in the city.

Founders, Trustees and staff of Stop Domestic Abuse celebrated the charity’s 45th Anniversary.

Autumn

BBC South Today filmed at one of our refuges and ran an insightful news story about domestic violence and our work.

Claire Lambon was interviewed by ITV News Meridian about the impact the cost of living crisis is having on survivors of domestic abuse.

For more news and events follow us on our social media platforms @southerndas or on our website stopdomesticabuse.uk/news.

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VAWG Agenda

Engaging with the Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) Agenda

Our monthly programme of talks for staff has included some fantastic presentations from agencies and experts from the VAWG field. Our guest speakers have covered topics including misogyny, feminist labelling, the Domestic Abuse Act, gender injustice, White Ribbon Day, the Femicide Census, domestic homicide and women with complex disadvantages.

We are very proud of the calibre of our speakers, the diverse conversations they have generated and the time they have dedicated to VAWG Hour.

VAWG Hour was created following consultation around how the ongoing issue of male violence towards women and girls remains at the forefront of our conversations. As an organisation and, as part of further embedding feminist principles into our work, we are looking forward to VAWG Hour continuing to be the important platform it has become.

Some of the speakers we have been delighted to host this year have included:

Professor Tamsin Bradley,

Nicole Jacobs joined us to discuss her role as the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and talked to us about the landscape for domestic abuse victims and survivors across England and Wales focusing on some of the key issues they face. Nicole is committed to championing victims and survivors of all ages, status, and backgrounds. Her goal is to improve the response to tackling domestic abuse by holding agencies to account as well as shining a light on good practice where it is seen across England and Wales.

Karen Ingala Smith, CEO of Nia and Counting Dead Women blog author. Karen was inspired from fact finding for her blog and with other founded The Femicide Census in 2015. The Femicide Census has a range of uses to contribute to improving knowledge, strategy, policy and practice including: raising awareness of men’s fatal violence against women; providing a clearer picture of men’s fatal violence against women in the UK by factors including relationship between perpetrator and victim, age, form of violence selected, location of fatal incident and justice outcome; remembering and raising the status of women killed by men and; reducing men’s violence against women and girls.

Professor in International Development Studies in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Portsmouth, was our inaugural speaker and provided valuable mentorship and guidance to our VAWG Hour project team. Tamsin has worked and partnered with Stop Domestic Abuse since 2013. Initially this was on a Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in Hampshire research and capacity project followed by a Home Office funded Harmful Cultural Practices (HCP) project which culminated in the report “Transforming the Lives of Women and Girls by Ending Harmful Cultural Practices in Hampshire: Awareness, Prevention and Response”.

Funding and fundraising

Your support brings us closer to our vision of a world without domestic abuse

For 45 years we have provided front line services to women, children and men affected by domestic abuse.

With demand for refuge places at an all time high and calls to our helpline and community services increasing, we are doing all we can to continue this vital work.

Fundraising Applications awarded in 2022

Fundraising events and donations – Our supporters

We are so grateful to our funding partners and commissioners for their support and commitment to our programmes for victims, survivors and perpetrators of domestic abuse.

We are also grateful to our local partners who continue to donate and raise funds to support the fight against domestic abuse. There are too many to mention, but we would like to highlight just a few.

The Police and Crime

Commissioner for Hampshire, together with our local authority partners at Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, have enabled us to deliver inclusive, innovative projects to our clients.

Thanks to Hampshire

connect4communities, we provided food and fuel vouchers to clients struggling over the summer holidays. Over the winter, the fund provided warm bedding and laundry equipment for our refuges.

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, BBC Children in Need and Henry Smith Charity, we have continued to deliver life-changing outcomes to adults and children affected by domestic abuse.

Christmas always sees an outpouring of generosity from the community, and we are enormously grateful. Across Hampshire, hundreds of organisations, community groups,

churches and individuals give

generously to ensure that women, children, young people and men using our services receive gifts, food, vouchers and other essential items. In Portsmouth additional support was offered, thanks to Portsmouth Diocese and The News, who provided gift vouchers for our Portsmouth clients to spend at Christmas.

We are grateful to companies and organisations who have provided valuable support to our programmes.

Thanks also to the generous members of our community who have offered donations of clothes, toys, baby equipment, furniture and bedding for our refuges.

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Continued overleaf >

We couldn’t do what we do without the support of our local communities

Every pound donated makes a difference to the lives of domestic abuse victims and survivors. Some of our supporters choose to make regular donations, others make a one-off donation. Some of our supporters make a donation instead of sending Christmas cards. Others organise fundraising events with friends or colleagues, having fun at a coffee morning, or a pub quiz, a raffle or a cake sale!

Support us now

stopdomesticabuse.uk/support-us

Scan here to go straight to our donations page

Other ways to help

Take on a Challenge for Stop Domestic Abuse

Volunteer

Get in touch to find out how you could help us provide practical support to victims of domestic abuse. Contact changemaker@stopdomesticabuse.uk

Fancy taking part in the Great South Run in the autumn, or the ABP Southampton Half Marathon in the Spring? Or joining us for the Santa Run in Southsea in December? You might even dream of doing a sponsored sky dive over Salisbury Plain!

Play your local community lottery

Drop us a line to find out how you can take on a challenge and help us fight domestic abuse. We can help get your fundraising and training off to a great start!

Support our services in your local community and play the lottery at the same time. We’re proud to be one of the charities benefiting from the Fareham, Southampton, Rushmoor and Hart community lotteries. Visit our website to find out how you can get involved.

Find out how our fundraising stars Lisa and Leeanne reached their target on page 18

Fundraise at Home

Sign up to AmazonSmile, select Southern Domestic Abuse service as your charity, and your everyday purchases will help us raise more money to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

Fundraise with Friends

However you choose to fundraise for us, we’ll be there to help you have fun and raise money to help us continue providing life-saving services.

“If it wasn’t for Stop Domestic Abuse I wouldn’t be here today. I felt like my life was ruined but now I have hope for the future…”

Trusts and Foundations

Trusts and foundations make a crucial contribution to the innovative services we offer to survivors of domestic abuse. To speak to our fundraising team, please contact changemaker@stopdomesticabuse.uk

“I feel safe here, there are cameras outside to keep us safe. I like my new school but I miss my friends and my old big house.”

Support our New Refuge Appeal

Refuge support for women and children is at the heart of what we do at Stop Domestic Abuse. We work with local authorities to provide safe, supportive accommodation for families who have made the incredibly hard decision to leave their home to find safety.

where women and children can recover and begin to rebuild their lives. This purpose-built, expertly run refuge will provide a unique, child-centred holistic centre where the physical environment will be as much a part of victims’ recovery as the specialist support we will provide to our clients. We have identified a location with good links to local transport hubs, schools and community services. And thanks to our wonderful supporters, we are well on the way to meeting our fundraising target to start to build the new refuge.

The national network of refuges is under threat. Funding cuts have forced refuges to close. Nationally, two-thirds of victims in need of safe accommodation are being turned away because of a lack of suitable refuge space. The situation has become worse due to increased isolation and financial difficulties during the pandemic placing additional pressures on

personal relationships and local services. We are working with clients, commissioners, partners, housing associations and staff to deliver safe and welcoming accommodation through the network of 18 refuges we run for our local authority partners.

Our vision is to build our own refuge in South East Hampshire,

To find out how you can get involved, as a fundraiser, campaigner or volunteer, get in touch changemaker@stopdomesticabuse.uk

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Fundraising stars

Athletes motivated to help domestic abuse victims and survivors

In the Summer, Leeanne Barber and Lisa Phipps, two fitness instructors from Havant, completed the IRONMAN VitoriaGasteiz challenge and raised over £5,000 for Stop Domestic Abuse.

Three years ago, Leeanne and Lisa decided to take on the ultimate challenge of completing a full IRONMAN, before COVID-19 put paid to their plans. Their intensive training regime and fundraising efforts finally paid off this year. In July they travelled to Spain and completed the challenge in under 12 hours.

refuge providing innovative

The event was a gruelling 2.4 mile open water swim, 112 mile bike ride followed by a Marathon.

support services to women and their children fleeing domestic abuse.

Leeanne said: “This was such a tough challenge both physically and mentally. I’m delighted that we have successfully raised vital funds to help Stop Domestic Abuse build a new local, child-centred, holistic refuge. Knowing we are helping women and children affected by domestic abuse has kept us motivated throughout our journey.”

Mentally and physically tough

Leeanne and Lisa chose to support Stop Domestic Abuse through their epic challenge. Thanks to Leeanne, Lisa and many other generous supporters, we are now one step closer to building a dedicated

Would you like to support us?

We couldn't do what we do without the support of community supporters like Leeanne and Lisa. If you'd like to support us through a fundraising challenge, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch by contacting

changemaker@stopdomesticabuse.uk

Why do we do this work?

We have one clear vision: A world without domestic abuse.

To make that vision a reality we offer many different services and projects, ensuring that domestic abuse is ‘everyone’s business’, that victims are supported to recover and perpetrators are supported to change their behaviour. Every client’s experience and journey is unique and our services reflect that.

We offer one-to-one support focussing on what is important to each client and we provide a wide range of group work programmes and complementary services that they can access.

We have specialist support for people affected by ‘honour’based violence, female genital mutilation, forced marriage and other HARMFUL CULTURAL PRACTICES.

REFUGES provide a safe place to live for women and children when they cannot stay in their own homes. We make each refuge feel like a home and provide both one-to-one support and group activities for women and children.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S

SERVICES offer an opportunity for children to understand what they have experienced and to help them feel safe again. Domestic SPECIALIST PROGRAMMES abuse can have a severe and FOR PEOPLE WHO USE traumatic impact on children and ABUSIVE AND UNHEALTHY young people which can result in BEHAVIOURS developmental delays, unhealthy coping strategies and difficulties in friendships and relationships.

COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES

offer as many victims and survivors as possible the chance to stay in their homes. This may be one-to-one support in person in the home or a place the client feels safe. It could be on the phone, via video calling, email or text. We help improve their safety or address other issues affecting them.

SPECIALIST PROGRAMMES

ABUSIVE AND UNHEALTHY

BEHAVIOURS are key because domestic abuse won’t end unless perpetrators are supported to change. Up2U:Creating Healthy Relationships works with people who admit that they have been abusive or used unhealthy behaviours and are committed to changing.

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

WORKERS offer additional support to clients in refuges and the community to address low-level mental health needs.

We offer TARGET HARDENING . A specialist worker visits homes to give safety advice and issue personal and home safety equipment.

EARLY INTERVENTION AND

PREVENTATIVE WORK includes training professionals from other organisations to recognise domestic abuse and be confident in talking about it.

UP2U:MY CHOICE is a programme for victims who have some unhealthy relationship behaviours, often as a result of the abuse they’ve experienced.

Our GROUP WORK programmes give participants the opportunity to learn about domestic abuse and how it has affected them. They can then recognise any warning signs in future relationships. Our clients tell us that they like meeting others with similar experiences and many friendships are made that continue after the group has finished.

This helps them understand the different types of support available for victims, survivors and perpetrators and the impact domestic abuse can have on their clients.

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Children and young people

Support in many forms

Children are victims of domestic abuse too. Children and young people’s reactions to the trauma of witnessing domestic abuse are just as varied as adult reactions.

This trauma can have physical, social, emotional, and behavioural impacts, often with these impacts overlapping. Physically, they can experience bed-wetting, develop eczema, struggle with sleep.

mental and physical health, friendships and relationships, confidence and self-esteem.

School projects

Throughout the year we have continued to support children and young people both in schools and within the community. Pupils aged eight to eleven are introduced to the concepts of healthy relationships, safe people and ways of managing emotions, through a range of interactive and discussion-led activities.

Socially and emotionally, they can develop entrenched feelings of fear and anxiety, they can develop a sense of responsibility for protecting others, struggle with self-worth and find it difficult to make or keep friends. Behaviourally, they will often either internalise or externalise the feelings that are having. Externalised behaviour can present as aggressive, bursts of anger, internalised feelings can present as being withdrawn or even detached and uninterested.

Our Safe Little Bear groups continue to be in demand in schools across the region, with a group of four to seven year old children introduced to simple concepts of healthy behaviours and safety through five weekly sessions.

Children and young people

experiencing any of these feelings or behaviours need support so they can recover and learn how to cope with their experiences. Support from our service comes in many forms. It could be programmes and groups, school workshops and support interventions, one-to-one sessions from a specialist children and young person (CYP) outreach worker or joining activities with a funded playworker. We support the children to gain improved understanding around safety,

Thousands of teenagers

We have delivered one-toone sessions tailored to meet individual needs and our ongoing support continues to make a marked difference in young people’s lives. Our support sessions have been delivered to young people who have witnessed domestic abuse in their homes and through our APA work (adolescent to parent abuse) we have also been

able to support young people who are displaying abusive behaviours themselves. We continue to receive referrals for support from schools, social workers and many other family services.

In addition to our one-to-one support sessions, we continue to deliver group work helping both to educate and to support young people. A new project we have successfully delivered has focussed on the prevention of inappropriate sexualised behaviour. The workshop has been delivered to thousands of teenagers all over Hampshire and our feedback forms have demonstrated just how much pupils have taken away from the sessions.

Everyday scenario

Our skilled workers have delivered interactive sessions in hundreds of mainstream and specialist schools across the county. The interactive sessions presented pupils with a range of different behaviours and they were encouraged to share their opinions as to which behaviours may be appropriate.

Specialist children and young people's workers were able to create an environment where pupils could challenge each other and have complex discussions about healthy relationship behaviour. Case studies were presented and encouraged pupils to apply the ideas to an everyday scenario.

Refuge

Families come to refuges because they have no other option. It is not safe for them to remain in their homes. As a refuge is only a temporary place to stay, it is crucial that children and young people are supported through this unsettling and potentially upsetting period of their lives, until they can move into a permanent home with their nonabusive parent.

Our Children and Young People refuge workers and play workers welcome women and their children into refuge and provide them with support to meet their needs. Our team works collaboratively to identify the needs of individual children, young people and their mothers so that they manage the impact of trauma and begin the healing process of their domestic abuse experience.

In each refuge we have a dedicated play room or play area which which we fill with toys, play and craft equipment. Throughout their stay in refuge, Stop Domestic Abuse staff organise and supervise children’s activities during the day and after school as needed.

Allow children to be children

A child who has experienced emotional trauma is more likely to adapt unusual communication methods and challenging behaviours. This is also likely to impact on their mental health. Applied intervention (play therapy) can minimise the long-term impact and be implemented as a means of treatment to these behaviours and feelings. Play therapy is a structured, theoretically based approach to therapy that builds on the normal communicative and learning processes of children

A variety of play sessions and activities are delivered through therapeutic play initiatives and are often themed to various events throughout the year and aim to allow children time to be what they are – children.

Rachel Windebank, Operations Director said, “We provide a model for healthy relationships which enables children and young people to identify risks, navigate personal/social challenges, and to stay healthy and safe. The team educates children and young people to recognise signs of abuse, be less likely to engage in offending behaviours, and to equip themselves with the knowledge and tools to seek help and support.”

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Marie’s case study

Adolescent to Parent Abuse Programme

There is no single cause of adolescent to parent violence. Parental domestic abuse, mental health needs, substance abuse, learning difficulties and other behavioural problems present in some, but not all, cases.

There are some situations where there is no explanation for the behaviour and other children in the family are not violent or abusive.

Stop Domestic Abuse’s Adolescent to Parent Abuse (APA) programme delivers one-to-one support to decrease the frequency and intensity of abusive and violent behaviour. It addresses the underlying cause of behaviour in a non-judgemental way. We also carry out preventative work in small groups to understand unhealthy relationship behaviours and attitudes.

They develop empathy, improve immediate child and parent relationships and improve expectations for the child’s future partner relationships.

Our lead worker in the APA programme enables clients to understand and express their emotions healthily and improve their communication with parents and carers.

relationships with parents and other family members.

Our client-centred approach aims to bring about positive changes in relationships for the long term. We aim to reduce children and young people’s violent and abusive behaviours and improve

Therapeutic, educational and creative activities embed progress and deepen reflection.

Marie now has a more positive relationship with her mum and understands how her behaviours were affecting the whole family. She is living with mum and is back of making the right in school working choices by understanding towards her GCSEs and the consequences. is considering sixth form college.

A healthier future for Marie*

Background and reasons for referral to service

A 15-year-old girl was referred because of her unmanageable and abusive behaviour towards her mum and dad, who were separated. Most of the physical and mental abuse was targeted at her mum. Marie was using cannabis and alcohol as coping mechanisms and had depression and anxiety. She had witnessed domestic abuse at home.

Stop Domestic Abuse programme of work

Challenges

She was frequently missing school. She slammed an iron into the wall, grabbed the steering wheel when her mum was driving and poured a bottle of Coke over her mum’s head. She was arrested by police for physical violence and for damage to her mum’s home. The mum was scared of having her at home and Marie went to stay with her grandmother.

Our first sessions focused on Marie understanding family dynamics and her feelings on each family relationship. Sessions included discussions and activities around anger management, triggers, unhealthy coping mechanisms and how this intensifies unhealthy behaviours. It included activities connecting thoughts, feelings and behaviours, demonstrating the power

Progress and outcomes

outcomes Marie’s support worker said: “Marie has definitely Stop Domestic Abuse grown in confidence worked with Marie every when we talk about her week, liaising with her future. The fact that she is social worker to get predicted 7s and 8s for her her back to school. We GCSEs is really positive.” provided help to end cannabis and alcohol This project is made possible use which led her to by funding from Hampshire feel more energetic and County Council and the able to focus on her Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner. school work and family relationships. *Name has been changed for

*Name has been changed for anonymity

Marie now has a more positive relationship with her mum and understands how her behaviours were affecting the whole family. She is living with mum and is back in school working towards her GCSEs.

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Harmful Cultural Practices

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Call time on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and
Harmful Cultural Practices (HCP)
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Stop Domestic Abuse offers specialist support for anyone affected by ‘honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation, forced marriage and other harmful cultural practices.

Nazia Shah works for Stop Domestic Abuse as a Community Development Worker - Harmful Cultural Practices. Read on to hear what she has to say about this vital area of work and the communities she is working with.

relationships and I really wanted to understand, help and support them. The women who used to confide in me also used to tell me how British people would not understand their culture and how they felt they would be judged or not given the support they needed.

Why is this role so important at Stop Domestic Abuse?

Is there a problem reporting domestic abuse in minority communities?

I unfortunately witness abusive and violent behaviour in my local community. Women do not report the abuse or violence they are going through because they feel that if they do, they would be shaming their families or community. Therefore, they would rather

When I was working as a community worker, many women used to come to me and share their experience of domestic abuse. At that time, I couldn’t identify the abusive behaviour they were going through. I just knew that they were not having happy, healthy

stay quiet and suffer in silence. This way of thinking is unfortunately common in many cultures but I knew I could understand their issues and build a good rapport with victims.

How are you empowering women?

I also run a women’s group for ethnic minorities which aims to tackle isolation, combat loneliness and empower these women to lead and connect with others in their community.

There is so much work to be done to encourage the reporting of domestic abuse in the minority ethnic communities. My work is a step towards an open culture in the area of domestic abuse.

We offer wellbeing,

awareness and informative sessions on many topics such as sexual health, parenting, mental health, domestic abuse and FGM. The women really enjoy connecting with each other. At one session, I gave awareness training about honour-based abuse and got great feedback from the attendees.

A member of Nazia Shah’s women’s group, said:

Tell me about your role and any projects that you work on?

My job title includes the words ‘harmful cultural practices’. This means supporting the victims of domestic abuse who are also victims of honour-based abuse, forced marriages or female genital mutilation.

“The talk about about honour-based abuse honour-based abuse and got great feedback from was insightful and the attendees. useful. I know honourbased abuse happens What is the best thing mostly in my country, about your role and but I didn’t know it what you do? happens here too. I The best thing about my job got to know this when is seeing practically how we had the discussion my work has had a positive within the women’s impact on a victim’s life. It group. It’s useful, is not easy though, as the educative and makes victims go through many phases before being able to people more aware. The turn their life around and group is also a great be the actor of their life. But place for me. It really these small phases, these helps me mentally and small changes, mean a lot to means I can educate them and to me too. others on the issues.”

I give one-to-one emotional and practical support to victims and also offer training to professionals and communities about honour-based violence, forced marriages, FGM and other harmful cultural practices.

At the moment, I am trying to engage with women’s groups from minority ethnic communities in Hampshire as I cover the whole of the Stop Domestic Abuse area. It is also about identifying professionals who can benefit from education and training in harmful cultural practices so that they can give a tailored support to the community.

What sort of feedback have you had?

I recently offered training about female genital mutilation to professionals from different backgrounds (nurses, midwives, social workers and others) and got great interest and feedback from them.

“This was an absolutely brilliant course… really informative and so shocking… thank you.” (Caroline, attendee at an FGM training session.)

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Up2U:MyChoice

Learning skills to change

The Stop Domestic Abuse Up2U:MyChoice programme supports those who feel that their previous intimate relationships have impacted upon everyday interactions with their partner, family, friends and professionals.

Even though they are no longer trapped in a harmful relationship, the effects can continue with many victims and survivors finding it difficult to trust

others. They experience feelings of blame, guilt, shame or embarrassment and have difficulty expressing feelings and their needs and wants.

Up2U:MyChoice operates across Portsmouth, Havant, Fareham, Gosport and East Hants. It’s suitable for anyone age 16 and over who feels they want to change behaviours in their relationships and who wants to learn the skills to do this.

One client said: “I had some reservations with Up2U:MyChoice as I had to speak about my life. However things were so bad I knew I had to get help. I didn’t know what to expect when meeting my facilitator and I felt really anxious, too wrapped up in myself. But the first meeting felt warm and welcoming.”

For people who are considering making a referral, I would say “go for it”, even if you feel like you’re completely lost or like you’re walking through treacle. They have your

best interests at heart and they will do everything they can to help you. You will be amazed, it’s like a flower starting to open. Just go with it.”

This project is made possible thanks to funding from Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire County Council.

Petra’s story

It can be a tough decision to come forward and acknowledge that you need support. One of our recent service users had this to say:

“I heard about the My Choice programme through my support worker. At the time, I was in such an emotional fog but I felt happy about the referral as I knew I needed help. My relationship with my son was awful, he was physically destructive in the home, excessively verbally abusive towards me and extremely controlling. He would say things like “I wish you’d die of cancer”. I was very scared of him.

I did have some reservations regarding engaging with Up2U:MyChoice as I did not want to involve anybody from outside of my relationships. I had problems trusting people and I wanted to keep things private. Despite this, I felt as though I was in a dilemma as I was at a point of desperation.

Right amount of input

At first I was quite guarded, for example I did not want to mention the names of people within my life, however gradually I developed more trust as I got to know my facilitator. I was extremely guarded during the assessment process and I found it difficult to let go of any information.

hard for me as I was having to look at things which gave me a lot of anxiety, but as I continued the programme I started to feel more relaxed.

I feel my programme provided me with the right level of support. At the beginning it seemed like a massive road ahead, however now I think it was the right amount of input for me.

Further down the line my trust improved and I felt my facilitator was listening. The assessment process was

Go for it!

I found the sessions helpful, especially when looking at different behaviours and thinking about responses. I also found skills such as relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, distraction and how to manage excessive rumination helpful, especially when it came to managing my anxiety.

By completing the programme via video conferencing I have also improved my computer skills. I am no longer as emotional as I was before and I’m looking after myself a lot better.

I can now recognise bad relationships and I know that I do not want to be in an abusive relationship again. I also have boundaries, I know what to put up with and that I can walk away if I want to. My son is still controlling, however I can now stand up for myself.

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STOP DOMESTIC ABUSE

Advice line: 0330 0533 630 Always dial 999 if you are in immediate danger or in an emergency.

Contact Us

by phone Call us on 023 9200 8329

by email: info@stopdomesticabuse.uk

Stop Domestic Abuse supports and protects victims and survivors of domestic abuse. We provide a range of flexible and accessible services across Hampshire. We help perpetrators, the police and other agencies.

through social media: @southerndas #stopdomesticabuse

Our vision is a world without domestic abuse

Stop Domestic Abuse is the trading name of Southern Domestic Abuse Service Registered Charity Number 1146773.

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Charity registration number 1146773

Company registration number 07975563 (England and Wales)

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees G Butler (Chair)
J Munday
W Osgood (Vice Chair)
M Poil
S Walker
C Godwin
L Watkin (Appointed 11 October 2021)
T Stakes (Appointed 20 July 2022)
Secretary J Munday
Charity number 1146773
Company number 07975563
Principal address PO Box 53
Havant
Hampshire
PO9 1UA
Registered office Piper House
4 Dukes Court
Bognor Road
Chichester
West Sussex
PO19 8FX
Auditor Jones Avens Limited
Piper House
4 Dukes Court
Bognor Road
Chichester
West Sussex
PO19 8FX
Bankers Lloyds TSB
272 London Road
Waterlooville
Hampshire
PO7 7HN

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

CONTENTS

Page
Trustees' report 1 - 5
Statement of trustees' responsibilities 6
Independent auditor's report 7 - 10
Statement of financial activities 11
Balance sheet 12 - 13
Statement of cash flows 14
Notes to the financial statements 15 - 31

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2022.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2019)

Objectives and activities

Southern Domestic Abuse Service trading as Stop Domestic Abuse is a charity providing services to women, children, young people and men affected by domestic abuse in the pan-Hampshire area.

The organisation was originally set up in 1977 as Havant Women’s Aid by a group of local women who realised that local statutory agencies were failing to meet the needs of women and children experiencing domestic abuse. Southern Domestic Abuse Service was established in 2012. In November 2018 we rebranded to Stop Domestic Abuse (trading name of Southern Domestic Abuse Service). Our branding defines the purpose of the organisation. Our message creates a powerful emotional connection between our organisation, those affected by domestic abuse and the wider public. We want to make our purpose clearer and bring domestic abuse out into the open. We want to stop domestic abuse and we aim to do this by campaigning and delivering direct services to those affected by domestic abuse.

Our name reflects that our services are truly inclusive to all. However, we still recognise that many of our service users are disadvantaged due to gender disadvantage - women are more likely than men to experience abuse, among people subject to 4 or more incidents of abuse 89% are women and the majority (73%) of family violence victims are females (WAFE 2012). We are a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. We are a member of the Women’s Aid Federation of England and the organisation is managed by a board of Trustees made up of women that have a wealth of experience and knowledge.

Our vision is a world without domestic abuse.

Services include:

The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

We remain committed to both the continuation of existing services and the development of new services. Stop Domestic Abuse recognises the need to grow, adapt and develop service delivery as a response to the changing needs of those who access the service and to the ever-changing economic climate and funding opportunities. We will continue to focus our limited resources to target women and children. New service development will encompass preventative work with families including work with perpetrators. Organisational growth must strengthen the organisation and benefit the communities we serve in accordance with our core values.

In April 2011 Stop Domestic Abuse started delivering services in East Hampshire District.

In April 2011 Stop Domestic Abuse started delivering community-based services to male victims of domestic abuse.

In April 2015 Stop Domestic Abuse secured the Hampshire County Council Integrated Domestic Abuse Service Hampshire (IDASH) contract to deliver community and accommodation-based services in Fareham, Gosport, Havant and East Hampshire.

In April 2015 Stop Domestic Abuse started a new partnership with Portsmouth City Council to deliver support to the non-abusive partners and the children of perpetrators attending the Up2U service in Fareham, Gosport, Havant and Portsmouth.

In April 2016 Stop Domestic Abuse started working with perpetrators of domestic abuse in Fareham, Gosport, Havant and Portsmouth through our continued partnership with Portsmouth City Council’s Up2U Service.

In May 2017 Stop Domestic Abuse purchased its first property which provides dispersed safe accommodation and also provides the organisation with a capital asset.

In April 2018 Stop Domestic Abuse started delivering the Portsmouth City Council and Office of the Police Crime Commissioner commissioned refuge (3 refuges with a total of 16 family bed -spaces) and medium risk community-based services in Portsmouth.

In April 2019 Stop Domestic Abuse started delivering the Hampshire County Council and Office of the Police Crime Commissioner commissioned Hampshire Domestic Abuse Service victim and advice line contract in all 11 Hampshire districts in partnership with our sub-contractor Andover Crisis Support Centre in The Test Valley. This contract includes 92 family bed-spaces across 13 refuges (one of which is delivered by with our sub- contractor Andover Crisis Support Centre in The Test Valley).

In July 2020 Stop Domestic Abuse opened a 5-bedroom refuge in Portsmouth in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In July 2021 Stop Domestic Abuse began a new commissioned service in Portsmouth to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse, children and young people affected by domestic abuse and people who use unhealthy and abusive behaviours and are committed to change. The service was re-commissioned by Portsmouth City Council and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner and is testament to the quality of our service provision.

In July 2022 Stop Domestic Abuse began a new commissioned service in Southampton to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse and children and young people affected by domestic abuse. The service was commissioned by Southampton City Council and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner. This contract includes 12 family bed-spaces across 2 refuges (one of which we newly opened on 1 July 2022). We work with our partners and sub-contractors Yellow Door and No Limits to deliver this contract to victims and survivors in Southampton.

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Achievements and performance

In 2021/2022 Stop Domestic Abuse worked with a total of 3,744 adults (40% increase compared to last year 2020/2021) and 1,477 children and young people. This included:

Training

We continue to provide training including, Domestic Abuse Awareness, DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking, Harassment and Honour Based Violence) Risk Assessments, Female Genital Mutilation/Harmful Cultural Practices etc. to a number of organisations including HomeStart, Health Professionals, Education, Adult Social Care, Children’s Social Care, Solent Mind, Hampshire Constabulary, Abri Housing etc. We work in partnership with other organisations to commission local domestic abuse training for professionals.

We also provide initial domestic abuse awareness training and, as part of Safe Lives Domestic Abuse Matters Training, we provide intensive domestic abuse training to all serving officers and staff of Hampshire Constabulary. We also deliver Webinars for Recognising Domestic Abuse Affecting Older People, Economic Abuse, Domestic Abuse and Children, Adolescent to Parent Violence, Healthy Homes, Post-Separation Abuse and online workshops for Harmful Cultural practices.

Over the past year we have delivered certified “Safe at Home” domestic abuse training online to individuals working in the health and beauty industry and Hampshire Libraries. We have so far trained over 214 individuals to become certified Safe At Home Domestic Abuse Ambassadors.

COVID-19 Pandemic

The first six months of the year remained affected by the pandemic and Government restrictions. They exacerbated the impact of domestic abuse on our clients and had an impact on the way we delivered our services. Commissioners provided high levels of support and additional funding was made available to tackle emergency staffing issues and invest in resources (IT, PPE).

Stop Domestic Abuse continued to operate all of our services. All referral pathways for our services remained open and included COVID-19 specific assessments.

Stop Domestic Abuse followed Government and Public Health guidelines to keep everyone as safe as possible. A hybrid service delivery model has been successfully implemented across all our services ensuring clients can engage in person and remotely according to their particular needs and preference.

As restrictions eased (children returned to school, clients gradually migrated back to in-person contact with our teams), we saw a 34% increase in adult clients assessed as ‘high risk’. Similarly, during the period, the number of children assessed as at risk of continuing harm by Children’s Social Care has increased by 26%. Our front line teams reported heightened incidents of abuse coupled with increased incidence of unhealthy coping mechanisms adopted by clients.

We sought additional funding to help us respond to the increased need for support. Hampshire County Council (HCC), OPCC and Trusts / Foundations responded with significant levels of funding and partnership support.

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

We saw a surge in demand for our children’s services as schools reopened and children returned to school and community settings. We have been pleased to work in partnership with Hampshire Constabulary to deliver workshops in schools on healthy relationships across Hampshire, Portsmouth and Isle of Wight (working with our partners Wight DASH and Andover Crisis and Support Centre) and with Portsmouth City Council and the Office of the Police Crime Commissioner to deliver the Mentors in Violence Project and look forward to extending the reach of this project to include Fareham, Gosport and Havant over the next eighteen months. The cost of living crisis has presented and will continue to present increased challenges to our clients, we have introduced initiatives to provide them with emergency support.

Research by Women’s Aid shows that the cost of living is adding to the pressures survivors face and is preventing women from fleeing domestic abuse. We are engaging with national and local agencies to raise awareness of the need for an Emergency Domestic Abuse Fund to help survivors of domestic abuse to pay for essential items and energy bills; together with better provision of legal services for survivors who are unable to afford legal representation and advice. We have accessed emergency funding from Hampshire County Council and other funders to help clients with rising fuel and food costs, and we will continue to provide bespoke packages of support to the women and children staying in our refuges, as well as to our clients remaining in their homes through this crisis period .

Funding

Stop Domestic Abuse is funded primarily through Hampshire County Council, Portsmouth City Council, Southampton City Council and The Office of the Police Crime Commissioner commissioning of domestic abuse services, the rent we charge, grants/contracts from such organisations as The National Lottery Community Fund, National Lottery Awards For All, BBC Children In Need, Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, the Home Office, Ministry of Justice and other grant funding.

Prudent financial monitoring, active fundraising and rental income has resulted in a year-end surplus. This surplus will be used to ensure that we have adequate reserves and capital for our future ambitions and to develop innovative new projects and continue providing non-commissioned and under-resourced services such as work with children and young people and migrant women/women with no recourse to public funds.

We also continue to receive support and donations from local individuals, companies, groups and associations. This support is invaluable, and we use the donations to provide the important extras that improve the quality of life for the women, children, young people and men using our services. Our thanks go to those who have supported us through giving time, money or donations and to our partners who ensure that together we can offer the highest quality support to victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

Financial review

The statement of financial activities summarises the charity's financial results for the year, a surplus having been generated as referred to above. We have generated an increased surplus in the year and this surplus will be used to continue to deliver under resourced projects including support services in refuge, work with children, community based support to women and men affected by domestic abuse and to pilot new innovations in domestic abuse services.

The trustees have set a reserves policy which requires:

It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The charity aims to achieve reserves equivalent of a minimum of six months running costs. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.

The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Structure, governance and management

The charity is a company limited by guarantee incorporated under the Companies Act 2006 on 5 March 2012 and is a registered charity (number 1146773), registered on 3 April 2012. It commenced activities on 1 July 2012, taking over the services previously carried out by Havant Womens Aid (charity number 273775).

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

G Butler (Chair) J Munday W Osgood (Vice Chair) S Lee (Resigned 10 November 2021) M Poil D Cullimore (Resigned 14 June 2021) S Walker C Godwin L Watkin (Appointed 11 October 2021) T Stakes (Appointed 20 July 2022)

The skills of Trustees are reviewed to identify any gaps in skills. Stop Domestic Abuse recognises that an effective board of trustees is essential if the charity is to be effective in achieving its objects. The board seeks to be representative of the people with whom the charity works and must have available to it all of the knowledge and skills required to run the charity. Individual trustees must have sufficient knowledge, both of trusteeship in general and of the Charity's activities, to enable them to carry out their role and to represent the Charity at meetings and other events.

When recruiting trustees a skills audit of the board is completed to ensure that there are no skills gaps. Recruitment takes place within the wider community including advertisements and direct approaches to professional bodies and to other voluntary organizations. Stop Domestic Abuse seeks to ensure diversity in its board of trustees as well as in its staff base and consideration will be given to ways in which groups that are under-represented on the board might be reached and encouraged to apply. Applicants who appear suitable are interviewed by two existing trustees and the CEO.

None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company

and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.

The charity is governed by an executive committee who have the power to co-opt additional members. They are unpaid and act as trustees of the charity. The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.

Asset cover for funds

Note 23 sets out an analysis of the assets attributable to the various funds and a description of the trusts. These assets are sufficient to meet the charities obligations on a fund by fund basis.

Auditor

In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that Jones Avens Limited be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.

The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

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.............................. G Butler (Chair) Trustee 14th November 2022 Dated: .........................

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

The trustees, who are also the directors of Southern Domestic Abuse Service for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Southern Domestic Abuse Service (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and the notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion:

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED) TO THE TRUSTEES OF SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the statement of trustees' responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

We have been appointed as auditor under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Identification and assessment of irregularities including fraud

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We designed procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures were capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED) TO THE TRUSTEES OF SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

Audit response to the risk of irregularities including fraud

Based on the results of our risk assessment, our procedures included, but were not limited to:

Conclusions regarding the risks of irregularities including fraud

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

We considered our audit was capable of detecting irregularities due to:

the absence of contradictory evidence.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: http://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with section 391 of the Companies Act 2014. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Claire Norwood BSc FCA ATII (Senior Statutory Auditor) for and on behalf of Jones Avens Limited .........................25/11/2022

Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditor

Piper House 4 Dukes Court Bognor Road Chichester West Sussex PO19 8FX

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT (CONTINUED) TO THE TRUSTEES OF SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

Jones Avens Limited is eligible for appointment as auditor of the charity by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006.

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2022
2022
Notes
£
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies
3
90,250
-
Charitable activities
4
5,406,430
1,075,672
Investments
5
489
-
Total income
5,497,169
1,075,672
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
6
14,540
-
Charitable activities
7
3,617,421
1,037,692
Pension scheme
provision
remeasurements
13
(1,875)
-
Total expenditure
3,630,086
1,037,692
Net gains/(losses) on
investments
12
2,426
-
Net incoming resources
before transfers
1,869,509
37,980
Gross transfers between
funds
14
45,315
(45,315)
Net movement in funds
1,914,824
(7,335)
Fund balances at 1 April 2021
4,076,177
95,705
Fund balances at 31 March
2022
5,991,001
88,370		 Total Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2022
2021
2021
£
£
£
90,250
85,906
-
6,482,102
4,928,249
582,354
489
1,968
-
6,572,841
5,016,123
582,354
14,540
2,914
-
4,655,113
3,447,409
623,075
(1,875)
222
-
4,667,778
3,450,545
623,075
2,426
54,592
-
1,907,489
1,620,170
(40,721)
-
(34,588)
34,588
1,907,489
1,585,582
(6,133)
4,171,882
2,490,595
101,838
6,079,371
4,076,177
95,705		 Total
2021
£
85,906
5,510,603
1,968
5,598,477
2,914
4,070,484
222
4,073,620
54,592
1,579,449
-
1,579,449
2,592,433
4,171,882

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

BALANCE SHEET

AS AT 31 MARCH 2022

Notes
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
15
Investments
16
Current assets
Debtors
18
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due within
one year
19
Net current assets
Total assets less current liabilities
Provisions for liabilities
Net assets
Income funds
Restricted funds
23
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
24
General unrestricted funds		 2022
£
£
213,064
342,705
555,769
720,234
5,214,148
5,934,382
(409,929)
5,524,453
6,080,222
(851)
6,079,371
88,370
5,001,013
989,988
5,991,001
6,079,371		 2021
£
£
164,953
293,914
458,867
112,851
4,034,709
4,147,560
(430,896)
3,716,664
4,175,531
(3,649)
4,171,882
95,705
2,053,953
2,022,224
4,076,177
4,171,882

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

BALANCE SHEET (CONTINUED)

AS AT 31 MARCH 2022

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 March 2022, although an audit has been carried out under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements under the requirements of the Companies Act 2006, for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on .........................14th November 2022

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.............................. G Butler (Chair) Trustee

Company Registration No. 07975563

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Notes
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash generated from operations
29
Investing activities
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Purchase of investments
Proceeds from disposal of investments
Investment income received
Net cash used in investing activities
Net cash used in financing activities
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		 2022
£
£
1,326,349
(101,034)
(319,935)
273,570
489
(146,910)
-
1,179,439
4,034,709
5,214,148		 2021
£
£
1,781,086
(45,557)
-
2,887
1,968
(40,702)
-
1,740,384
2,294,325
4,034,709

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

1 Accounting policies

Charity information

Southern Domestic Abuse Service is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Piper House, 4 Dukes Court, Bognor Road, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8FX.

1.1 Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2019). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

1.2 Going concern

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

1.3 Charitable funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

1.4 Income

Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Legacies are recognised on receipt or otherwise if the charity has been notified of an impending distribution, the amount is known, and receipt is expected. If the amount is not known, the legacy is treated as a contingent asset.

Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable and represents amounts receivable for goods and services provided in the normal course of business, net of discounts, VAT and other sales related taxes.

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

1 Accounting policies

(Continued)

1.5 Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and include attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.

Expenditure is either allocated directly or is apportioned to the individual areas. Funds are transferred from unrestricted funds to fund deficits on restricted areas where no further funding will be forthcoming.

1.6 Tangible fixed assets

Capital items costing more than £1,000 are treated as tangible fixed assets and are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Leasehold property 10% straight line or over the life of the lease Fixtures, fittings & equipment 33 1/3% straight line basis

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.

1.7 Fixed asset investments

Fixed asset investments are initially measured at transaction price excluding transaction costs, and are subsequently measured at fair value at each reporting date. Changes in fair value are recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the year. Transaction costs are expensed as incurred.

1.8 Impairment of fixed assets

At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).

1.9 Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

1 Accounting policies

(Continued)

1.10 Financial instruments

The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Basic financial liabilities

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Derecognition of financial liabilities

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

1.11 Provisions

Provisions are recognised when the charity has a legal or constructive present obligation as a result of a past event, it is probable that the charity will be required to settle that obligation and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation.

The amount recognised as a provision is the best estimate of the consideration required to settle the present obligation at the reporting end date, taking into account the risks and uncertainties surrounding the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the amount expected to be required to settle the obligation is recognised at present value. When a provision is measured at present value, the unwinding of the discount is recognised as a finance cost in net income/(expenditure) in the period in which it arises.

1.12 Employee benefits

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

1 Accounting policies

(Continued)

1.13 Retirement benefits

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

1.14 Taxation

On the basis of the financial statements no provision has been made for Corporation Tax.

2 Critical accounting estimates and judgements

In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

Critical judgements

Pension scheme deficit payments

The association participates in a multi-employer pension scheme which is in deficit. Provision has been made for the deficit contributions payable and the trustee have relied upon the information received from the Pensions Trust.

3 Donations and legacies

Unrestricted Unrestricted
funds funds
2022 2021
£ £
Donations and gifts 90,250 85,906

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

4 Charitable activities

Family and
child projects
2022
£
Charitable rental
income
-
Services provided under
contract
3,605,333
Performance related
grants
1,129,096
Other income
63,010
4,797,439
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
3,721,767
Restricted funds
1,075,672
4,797,439		 Managed
hostel
2022
£
1,452,833
229,110
2,720
-
1,684,663
1,684,663
-
1,684,663		 Total
2022
Family and
child projects
2021
£
£
1,452,833
-
3,834,443
2,021,644
1,131,816
1,804,472
63,010
60,092
6,482,102
3,886,208
5,406,430
3,313,854
1,075,672
572,354
6,482,102
3,886,208		 Managed
hostel
2021
£
1,150,769
452,626
21,000
-
1,624,395
1,614,395
10,000
1,624,395		 Total
2021
£
1,150,769
2,474,270
1,825,472
60,092
5,510,603
4,928,249
582,354
5,510,603

5 Investments

Unrestricted Unrestricted
funds funds
2022 2021
£ £
Interest receivable 489 1,968
Raising funds
Unrestricted Unrestricted
funds funds
2022 2021
£ £
Fundraising and publicity
Fundraising agents 758 -
Advertising 9,810 -
Other fundraising costs 324 -
Fundraising and publicity 10,892 -
Investment management 3,648 2,914

6 Raising funds

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

6 Raising funds

(Continued)
14,540 2,914
7
Charitable activities
Family and
child
projects
2022
£
Staff costs
2,340,900
Depreciation and
impairment
-
Premises expenses
32,988
Travelling & subsistence
38,168
Administration & office
expenses
62,729
Activities & training etc
47,478
Other expenses
38,330
2,560,593
Grant funding of activities
(see note 8)
223,465
Share of support costs (see
note 9)
829,553
Share of governance costs
(see note 9)
46,162
3,659,773
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
2,622,081
Restricted funds
1,037,692
3,659,773		 Managed
hostel
2022
£
145,790
6,424
736,263
1,200
4,600
2,235
2,186
898,698
-
91,595
5,047
995,340
995,340
-
995,340		 Total
2022
Family and
child
projects
2021
£
£
2,486,690
1,881,954
6,424
-
769,251
65,647
39,368
15,527
67,329
7,619
49,713
94,521
40,516
52,977
3,459,291
2,118,245
223,465
191,522
921,148
570,862
51,209
97,156
4,655,113
2,977,785
3,617,421
2,354,710
1,037,692
623,075
4,655,113
2,977,785		 Managed
hostel
2021
£
371,777
3,910
681,950
3,170
8,802
5,018
4,459
1,079,086
-
11,633
1,980
1,092,699
1,092,699
-
1,092,699		 Total
2021
£
2,253,731
3,910
747,597
18,697
16,421
99,539
57,436
3,197,331
191,522
582,495
99,136
4,070,484
3,447,409
623,075
4,070,484

8 Grants payable

Family and
Family and
child
child projects
projects
2022 2021
£ £
223,465 191,522

Grants to institutions: Other

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

9 Support costs

Staff costs
Depreciation
Premises expenses
Travelling & subsistence
Administration & office
expenses
Activities & training etc
Other expenses
Audit fees
Accountancy
Legal and professional
Other governance costs
Analysed between
Charitable activities		 Support
costs
Governance
costs
£
£
532,704
-
46,499
-
47,424
-
1,467
-
209,245
-
60,336
-
23,473
-
-
8,206
-
-
-
41,553
-
1,450
921,148
51,209
921,148
51,209		 2022
£
532,704
46,499
47,424
1,467
209,245
60,336
23,473
8,206
-
41,553
1,450
972,357
972,357		 Support
costs
Governance
costs
£
£
347,001
-
29,915
-
54,358
-
268
-
83,591
-
20,986
-
46,376
-
-
5,735
-
1,560
-
91,643
-
198
582,495
99,136
582,495
99,136		 2021
£
347,001
29,915
54,358
268
83,591
20,986
46,376
5,735
1,560
91,643
198
681,631
681,631

Governance costs includes payments to the auditors of £8,206 for audit fees and £0 for other services.

10 Trustees

None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.

11 Employees

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
Project staff
Management and administration
Total		 2022
Number
109
13
122		 2021
Number
89
18
107

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

11
Employees
Employment costs
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs		 (Continued)
2022
2021
£
£
2,709,350
2,338,209
233,596
194,284
76,448
68,239
3,019,394
2,600,732		 (Continued)
2022
2021
£
£
2,709,350
2,338,209
233,596
194,284
76,448
68,239
3,019,394
2,600,732
2,600,732

The above numbers include job share, part time and sessional staff, the average number of full time equivalent staff was 108 (2021: 93).

The number of employees whose annual remuneration was more than £60,000 is as follows:

2022
2021
Number
Number
£60,000 - £70,000
-
1
£110,000 - £120,000
1
-
12
Net gains/(losses) on investments
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
funds
funds
2022
2021
£
£
Revaluation of investments
2,426
54,592
13
Pension scheme provision remeasurements
2022
2021
£
£
Impact of changes in assumptions
(20)
125
Amendments to contribution shedule
(1,876)
-
Financing costs
21
97
(1,875)
222		 2022
2021
Number
Number
£60,000 - £70,000
-
1
£110,000 - £120,000
1
-
12
Net gains/(losses) on investments
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
funds
funds
2022
2021
£
£
Revaluation of investments
2,426
54,592
13
Pension scheme provision remeasurements
2022
2021
£
£
Impact of changes in assumptions
(20)
125
Amendments to contribution shedule
(1,876)
-
Financing costs
21
97
(1,875)
222		 2022
2021
Number
Number
£60,000 - £70,000
-
1
£110,000 - £120,000
1
-
12
Net gains/(losses) on investments
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
funds
funds
2022
2021
£
£
Revaluation of investments
2,426
54,592
13
Pension scheme provision remeasurements
2022
2021
£
£
Impact of changes in assumptions
(20)
125
Amendments to contribution shedule
(1,876)
-
Financing costs
21
97
(1,875)
222		 2021
Number
1
-
2021
£
125
-
97
2022
£
(20)
(1,876)
21
(1,875)
222

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

14 Transfers

The transfer between restricted and unrestricted funds represents income received in arrears for a project undertaken in the previous financial year. The total amount is not considered material to the financial statements.

15 Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets
Leasehold
property
Fixtures,
fittings &
equipment
£
£
Cost
At 1 April 2021
135,559
188,517
Additions
-
101,034
At 31 March 2022
135,559
289,551
Depreciation and impairment
At 1 April 2021
7,064
152,058
Depreciation charged in the year
880
52,044
At 31 March 2022
7,944
204,102
Carrying amount
At 31 March 2022
127,615
85,449
At 31 March 2021
128,495
36,458		 Total
£
324,076
101,034
425,110
159,122
52,924
212,046
213,064
164,953

16 Fixed asset investments

Listed
investments
£
Cost or valuation
At 1 April 2021 293,914
Additions 319,935
Valuation changes 2,426
Disposals (273,570)
At 31 March 2022 342,705
Carrying amount
At 31 March 2022 342,705
At 31 March 2021 293,914

Fixed asset investments revalued

Listed investments include an investment portfolio managed by Transact and are included on the basis of market value, with an historical cost of £314,366 (2021 - £229,252).

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

17
Financial instruments
Carrying amount of financial assets
Instruments measured at fair value through profit or loss
18
Debtors
Amounts falling due within one year:
Trade debtors
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
19
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Other taxation and social security
Trade creditors
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income		 2022
£
342,705
2022
£
384,133
2,369
333,732
720,234
2022
£
87,724
236,320
25,894
59,991
409,929		 2021
£
293,914
2021
£
38,145
418
74,288
112,851
2021
£
56,635
255,996
17,969
100,296
430,896

20 Auditor's ethical standards

In common with many entities of our size and nature we use our auditors to assist with the preparation of the statutory financial statements.

21 Provisions for liabilities 2022 2021
£ £
Pension scheme deficit contribution provision 851 3,649

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

(Continued)
21 Provisions for liabilities 2022 2021
Movements on provisions:
At 1 April 2021 3,649 4,323
Deficit contribution paid (923) (896)
Unwinding of discount 21 97
Remeasurements - impact of any change in assumptions (20) 125
Remeasurements - amendments to the contribution shedule (1,876) -
At 31 March 2022 851 3,649
Income and expenditure impact
Interest expense (21) (97)
Remeasurements - impact of changes in assumptions 20 (125)
Remeasurements – amendments to the contribution schedules 1,876 -
Costs recognised in income and expenditure account 1,875 (222)
Assumptions 2.35% 0.66%
Rate of discount

The discount rates shown above are the equivalent single discount rates which, when used to discount the future recovery plan contributions due, would give the same results as using a full AA corporate bond yield curve to discount the same recovery plan contributions.

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

22 Retirement benefit schemes

Defined contribution schemes

SCHEME: TPT Retirement Solutions – The Growth Plan

The company participates in the scheme, a multi-employer scheme which provides benefits to some 638 nonassociated participating employers. The scheme is a defined benefit scheme in the UK. It is not possible for the company to obtain sufficient information to enable it to account for the scheme as a defined benefit scheme. Therefore it accounts for the scheme as a defined contribution scheme.

The scheme is subject to the funding legislation outlined in the Pensions Act 2004 which came into force on 30 December 2005. This, together with documents issued by the Pensions Regulator and Technical Actuarial Standards issued by the Financial Reporting Council, set out the framework for funding defined benefit occupational pension schemes in the UK.

The scheme is classified as a 'last-man standing arrangement'. Therefore the company is potentially liable for other participating employers' obligations if those employers are unable to meet their share of the scheme deficit following withdrawal from the scheme. Participating employers are legally required to meet their share of the scheme deficit on an annuity purchase basis on withdrawal from the scheme.

A full actuarial valuation for the scheme was carried out at 30 September 2020. This valuation showed assets of £800.3m, liabilities of £831.9m and a deficit of £31.6m. To eliminate this funding shortfall, the Trustee has asked the participating employers to pay additional contributions to the scheme as follows:

Deficit contributions From 1 April 2022 to 31 January 2025: £3,312,000 per annum (payable monthly)

Unless a concession has been agreed with the Trustee the term to 31 January 2025 applies.

Note that the scheme’s previous valuation was carried out with an effective date of 30 September 2017. This valuation showed assets of £794.9m, liabilities of £926.4m and a deficit of £131.5m. To eliminate this funding shortfall, the Trustee asked the participating employers to pay additional contributions to the scheme as follows:

Deficit contributions

From 1 April 2019 to 30 September 2025: £11,243,000 per annum (payable monthly and increas by 3% each on 1st April)

The recovery plan contributions are allocated to each participating employer in line with their estimated share of the Series 1 and Series 2 scheme liabilities.

Where the scheme is in deficit and where the company has agreed to a deficit funding arrangement the company recognises a liability for this obligation. The amount recognised is the net present value of the deficit reduction contributions payable under the agreement that relates to the deficit. The present value is calculated using the discount rate detailed in these disclosures. The unwinding of the discount rate is recognised as a finance cost.

Present value of provision £851 (2021 £3,649) see note 21

Restricted funds The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust for specific purposes: Movement in funds
Movement in funds		 Balance at
Incoming
Resources
Transfers
Balance at
Incoming
Resources
Transfers
Balance at		 1 April 2020
resources
expended
1 April 2021
resources
expended
31 March 2022		 £
£
£
£
£
£
£
£
£		 Cllr Dolan - E Hants
604
1,000
(1,000)
-
604
-
(604)
-
-		 Reaching Communities Up2U
2,380
42,010
(44,390)
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Children in Need
-
22,594
(16,476)
-
6,118
39,325
(44,295)
-
1,148		 HCC East - MOJ IDVA
-
-
-
-
-
87,446
(87,446)
-
-		 HCC West - MOJ IDVA
-
-
-
-
-
163,131
(163,131)
-
-		 Hive
2,000
-
(1,159)
-
841
-
(508)
-
333		 Rural Communities
-
9,000
(9,000)
-
-
25,200
(25,200)
-
-		 Big Lottery Up2U
-
100,000
(100,000)
-
-
138,422
(138,422)
-
-		 HCC East Safe Communities
-
-
-
-
-
25,725
(25,725)
-
-		 PCC Safer Communities
-
1,000
(1,000)
-
-
1,257
(1,257)
-
-		 Reaching Communities IDVA
33,477
149,956
(147,003)
-
36,430
151,780
(143,373)
-
44,837		 OPCC
14,054
55,142
(47,175)
-
22,021
170,033
(192,054)
-
-		 MOJ
-
25,870
(25,870)
-
-
71,465
(71,465)
-
-		 VAWG HCP
-
30,000
(27,732)
-
2,268
40,783
(40,783)
(2,268)
-		 Henry Smith
-
60,000
(60,000)
-
-
60,000
(60,000)
-
-		 Labrynth Project
-
34,588
-
(34,588)
-
56,250
(41,621)
-
14,629		 Armed Forces Covenant
23,122
49,972
(73,094)
-
-
44,855
(1,808)
(43,047)
-		 Landlord Incentive Scheme
26,201
1,222
-
-
27,423
-
-
-
27,423		 101,838
582,354
(553,899)
(34,588)
95,705
1,075,672
(1,037,692)
(45,315)
88,370
23

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

24 Designated funds

The income funds of the charity include the following designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes:

Balance at
1 April 2020
£
Hostel Operating costs
277,048
Portsmouth Repairs and Renewals
12,032
Furniture Replacement Fund
23,060
Dispersed Accomodation Renewals/
Repairs Reserve
11,982
New Refuge Fundraising
508,619
Dispersed Accomodation
131,595
Refuge Provision Reserve
-
Staff Pension Reserve
17,608
Redundancy Reserve
96,496
FGM/HCP Reserve
20,000
Digital IT fund
WISH
New office fund
Designated project fund
Designated play equipment fund
Dispersed properties
1,098,440		 Transfers
Balance at
1 April 2021
£
£
36,445
313,493
(6,016)
6,016
5,632
28,692
2,422
14,404
691,381
1,200,000
-
131,595
204,975
204,975
674
18,282
-
96,496
20,000
40,000
955,513
2,053,953		 Transfers
31
£
49,906
1,504
(2,100)
6,324
300,000
(3,980)
-
(1,907)
-
(20,000)
29,127
117,082
300,000
1,399,667
181,223
590,214
2,947,060		 Balance at
March 2022
£
363,399
7,520
26,592
20,728
1,500,000
127,615
204,975
16,375
96,496
20,000
29,127
117,082
300,000
1,399,667
181,223
590,214
5,001,013

The above reserves were designated by the committee to provide for a minimum of three months operating costs. Reserves include operating costs for general and designated projects, furniture replacement funds, new refuge fund, redundancy reserve and staff pension reserve.

25 Analysis of net assets between funds

Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
2022
2022
£
£
Fund balances at 31
March 2022 are
represented by:
Tangible assets
213,064
-
Investments
342,705
-
Current assets/(liabilities)
5,436,083
88,370
Provisions
(851)
-
5,991,001
88,370		 Total
Unrestricted
funds
2022
2021
£
£
213,064
164,953
342,705
293,914
5,524,453
3,549,707
(851)
(3,649)
6,079,371
4,004,925		 Restricted
funds
2021
£
-
-
166,957
-
166,957		 Total
2021
£
164,953
293,914
3,716,664
(3,649)
4,171,882

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

26 Financial commitments, guarantees and contingent liabilities

Southern Domestic Abuse Service has been notified by The Pensions Trust of the estimated employer debt on withdrawal from the Plan based on the financial position of the Plan as at 30 September 2017. As of this date the estimated employer debt for Southern Domestic Abuse Service was £16,375.

27 Operating lease commitments

At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

Within one year
Between two and five years
In over five years		 2022
£
475,782
548,182
-
1,023,964		 2021
£
293,293
589,476
126,723
1,009,492

28 Related party transactions

There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2021 - none).

Remuneration of key management personnel

The remuneration of key management personnel is as follows.

2022 2021
£ £
Aggregate compensation 242,338 372,833

SOUTHERN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

29
Cash generated from operations
Surplus for the year
Adjustments for:
Investment income recognised in statement of financial activities
Fair value gains and losses on investments
Depreciation and impairment of tangible fixed assets
Movements in working capital:
(Increase)/decrease in debtors
(Decrease)/increase in creditors
(Decrease) in provisions
(Decrease) in deferred income
Cash generated from operations
30
Analysis of changes in net funds
The charity had no debt during the year.		 2022
£
1,907,489
(489)
(2,426)
52,923
(607,383)
(20,967)
(2,798)
-
1,326,349		 2021
£
1,579,449
(1,968)
(54,592)
33,825
132,113
213,628
(674)
(120,695)
1,781,086

Chartered Accountants

mail@jonesavens.co.uk www.jonesavens.co.uk

Southern Domestic Abuse Service PO Box 53 Havant Hampshire PO9 1UA

17 November 2022

Piper House, 4 Dukes Court Bognor Road, Chichester West Sussex, PO19 8FX

Telephone: 01243 789031

53 Kent Road Southsea, Portsmouth Hampshire, PO5 3HU

Telephone: 02392 820726

Our Ref: SDAS50/792315

Dear Sirs

REPORT TO MANAGEMENT

In accordance with our normal practice we are writing to draw your attention to various matters which arose during the course of our audit of the financial statements of Southern Domestic Abuse Service Limited T/A Stop Domestic Abuse (SDA) for the year ended 31 March 2022.

  1. An appendix attached contains any comments or observations we have concerning the qualitative aspects of the entity's accounting practices and financial reporting.

  2. We did not encounter any significant difficulties during the audit and there are no significant findings from the audit to draw to your attention. The comments in the attached appendix have not given us cause to alter the outcome of our audit report.

  3. We have complied with the Ethical Standard for Auditors and all threats to our independence, as identified to you in our planning letter dated 23 March 2022, have been properly addressed through appropriate safeguards. No additional facts or matters have arisen during the course of the audit that we wish to draw to your attention and we confirm that we are independent and able to express an objective opinion on the financial statements.

  4. Our proposed letter of representation is attached. We draw your attention to the paragraphs concerning Ethical standards, in other respects the letter is routine. We have uploaded a copy to our Portal; this should be printed on your headed paper, signed and dated and returned to us with the signed accounts.

  5. A schedule is attached of all unadjusted misstatements determined during the course of our audit, except for those considered to be clearly trivial.

  6. We have no comments or observations concerning the selection and application of accounting policies.

  7. As you are aware from our letter of engagement, our audit procedures were directed towards testing the accounting systems in operation upon which we have based our assessment of the financial statements. Any recommendations provided as a result are not meant to be a full and accurate reflection of all weaknesses that may be present in your system.

Jones Avens is the trading name of Jones Avens limited. Registered Office: 4 Dukes Court, Bognor Road, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8FX. Registered in England Company Number: 6006056 Registered to carry on audit work in the UK; regulated for a range of investment business activities; and licensed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to carry out the reserved legal activity of non-contentious probate in England and Wales.

  1. Any matter which might come to light would do so during the course of our normal audit tests which are designed to assist us in forming our opinion on the financial statements. Our tests may not necessarily disclose all errors or irregularities and should not be relied upon to do so. However, if any irregularity did come to our attention during our audit tests, we would, of course, inform you immediately.

  2. We do not propose any modifications to our audit opinion and hence will be issuing a clean audit report.

This report has been prepared for the sole use of the Board of SDA and must not be shown to third parties without our prior consent. No responsibilities are accepted by Jones Avens Limited towards any party acting or refraining from action as a result of this report.

Finally, we would like to express our thanks to all members of SDA's staff who assisted us in carrying out our work.

Yours faithfully

Jones Avens Enc

Southern Domestic Abuse Service

Points noted during the course of our audit for the year ended 31 March 2022:

Reconciliation of restricted fund income and expenditure

Observation

We noted on our management letter for the year ended 31/03/21 that we were not provided a reconciliation for restricted fund movements for the year. A reconciliation was also not provided for the year ended 31/03/22.

Implication

Compiling a reconciliation of restricted funds combining the Sage records and management accounts, alongside discussion with SDA staff was possible however this is very time consuming. Not having a reconciliation available at planning increases the risk of a misstatement in this area and additionally potentially increases the audit work required. While we are more than happy to provide advice, the audit must not be relied upon to ensure the correct allocation between restricted and unrestricted funds.

Recommendation

It would be beneficial going forward if we can receive a detailed reconciliation of restricted funds that replicates the disclosure required in the accounts. We can then perform our audit testing based on this schedule.

SDAS comment

Regular Balance Sheet reconciliations will be implemented, with a fully reconciled balance sheet at the year end. A reconciliation of restricted funds will be available to auditors in future as part of this process.

Reconciliation of contract income with the accounts

Observation

We had some difficulty reconciling the ongoing contract income with the figures in Sage and the financial statements, especially in cases where ongoing contracts have seen additional or related funding.

Implication

As part of our audit testing, we need to be able to agree the values in the financial statements to third party contracts and/or other documentation to ensure that it is not only correctly recorded as income but that the values in the accounts are complete as at the year end and that accruals or deferred income are not missed.

Recommendation

We would recommend that the departments or nominal codes within Sage could be utilised and that any other form of reconciliation ties into agreements directly to make it easier to agree the accounts with related records.

SDAS comment

New processes are being developed to ensure contract income is reconciled to the budget. Actual income will then be reviewed against budget as part of the management accounts review.

Aged Debtors balances within Sage

Observation

We noted when testing the aged debtors’ balances within Sage that there are many older balances which have not been matched off in Sage against later related transactions. In some cases this relates to transactions that have been put through to allocate funds to correct departments but which have not been matched off against related contracts.

Implication

While the transactions have been posted up to date to ensure that the yearend balance is correct not ensuring that transactions are allocated against the correct invoices could lead to balances being incorrectly classified in the accounts or balances being missed when monitoring receipts internally.

Recommendation

We would recommend that the ledgers are tidied up within Sage.

SDAS comment

Work is underway to tidy up the ledgers during the current financial year 2022/23.

Availability of invoices and other documentation

Observation

We noted over the course of the audit that there was some difficultly in locating certain expenditure invoices, and to some degree grant contracts/agreements. We understand from discussions with SDA staff that this followed from the financial recruitment difficulties over the course of the financial year being audited leading to some invoices not being filed or collated as expected.

Implication

We appreciate SDA staff worked hard to find invoices and related documents or obtain copies where these were not immediately available in order to respond to our audit queries, and we were therefore able to complete our testing for audit purposes. There is a risk however that further gaps in the availability of invoices or other documentation may exist within SDA’s records which could have potential implications outside of the audit. This could cause issues with HMRC or grant funders for example.

Recommendation

We would recommend that a system is implemented to ensure documentation to back up the charities income and expenditure is kept together and can be easily located when required.

SDAS comment

Electronic copies of invoices are now attached to the ledger posting on Sage. Details of grant contracts and agreements are now documented on one spreadsheet which includes links to the location of relevant documentation.

Our comments above are based on our findings from our audit for the year ended 31/03/22. We understand that there were difficulties recruiting appropriate finance staff during the financial year audited and that recruitments have been made following the year end. We also understand that these difficulties likely contributed to our findings above and that efforts are underway to address these issues.

Southern Domestic Abuse Service

Unadjusted misstatements in respect of the year ended 31 March 2022

----- Start of picture text -----
Effect
of potential
correction
Value on surplus
£ £
1 Grant income not accrued for in the 2020/21 financial 44,855 (44,855)
statements
Computer equipment over the £1,000 threshold not capitalised 5,214 (5,214)
2 (net effect after depreciation)
----- End of picture text -----

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