Simpson Millar Proud to Join Forces with Behind Closed Doors

We’re proud to announce that we will be working with domestic abuse charity, Behind Closed Doors.

CEO of the charity, Ruth Davany says, “Behind Closed Doors works with anyone who has been affected by domestic abuse. Based in Leeds, we provide practical and emotional support and are there at the time of crisis to meet immediate needs such as housing, welfare and health, and go on to provide support through stressful family court proceedings, working closely with legal teams.

“We stay with our service-users through to recovery by delivering a combination of 1:1 and group work sessions to make sense of the domestic abuse that has happened, understand the impact on them and their family and be better prepared to identify the signs of unhealthy and potentially abusive new relationships.  We also deliver bespoke training packages to a range of employers, support organisations and education providers.”

Training helps professionals understand how to talk to the victims of domestic abuse that they are working with and covers topics including:

• What domestic abuse is
• The Domestic Abuse Act
• Support structures
• Spotting and exploring indicators of domestic abuse
• Trauma-informed interviews

Both our Family Law and Care Proceedings teams are taking part in training from 25^th November, which is during the 16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence campaign. The campaign encourages businesses to take action against domestic abuse and we’re excited to educate ourselves even more on domestic abuse with the help and support of Behind Closed Doors.

Ruth goes on to say, “We hope our relationship with Simpson Miller will be mutually beneficial – drawing on each other’s expertise and ultimately providing a stronger service for people who have experienced domestic abuse.”

Our Care Proceedings team often work with families affected by domestic abuse. Whether you have been invited to a Pre-Proceedings meeting or Social Services are going to Court about your child, we can help.

If you’re a parent, grandparent or carer, we can give you expert legal advice based on your situation. We know how difficult it can be if there’s a child involved in domestic abuse and we will always offer sensitive advice tailored to your situation.

If you’ve been affected by domestic abuse, you can read more about how Behind Closed Doors can help you.