By recognising her strong motivation to improve her life for her daughter as a key protective factor, I was able to work alongside Sara to co-develop a trauma-informed, individualised support plan.
When Sara first came to the Women’s Centre, she was experiencing significant instability, including unsafe housing, the impact of a controlling and abusive relationship, unresolved trauma, and very low confidence in her ability to manage daily life.
The Women’s Risk and Needs Assessment (WRNA) was pivotal in identifying the gender-specific drivers of her involvement in the criminal justice system—particularly the impact of coercive control, abuse, and trauma—that had been overlooked by previous generic assessments.
The WRNA process also enabled the development of a trusted, therapeutic relationship, allowing Sara to feel safe, heard, and understood, which was essential to her engagement.
By recognising her strong motivation to improve her life for her daughter as a key protective factor, I was able to work alongside Sara to co-develop a trauma-informed, individualised support plan. This included targeted interventions focused on safety planning, healing, and recovery from abuse, access to counselling, wellbeing groups, housing, and parenting support.
As a result, Sara experienced increased emotional stability, significantly improved self-efficacy, enhanced safety and independence, and the risk of further criminal justice involvement was reduced.
Find out more about the Women’s Risk and Needs Assessment (WRNA) via The Jabbs Foundation.
