Trafford Domestic Abuse Service
We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.
The Armed Forces Covenant
An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families
The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.
Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.
This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.
Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant
1.1 We Trafford Domestic Abuse Service will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment
2.1 Trafford Domestic Abuse Service recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- UK Reservists
- UK Cadets
We also pledge the following:
- Ensure the needs of veterans and reservists are considered in the design and delivery of our domestic abuse support services.
- Provide signposting to veteran-specific mental health and support services
- Build relationships with local Armed Forces units and veteran support groups
- Ensure our services are open and accessible to all veterans, reservists, and their families. We recognise the value that serving personnel, reservists, veterans, Cadet Leaders,
- Consider the unique needs of Armed Forces families, spouses, and partners, especially those who may be affected by domestic abuse or coercive control.
- Include the voices and lived experiences of military families in service feedback and development where possible.
- Engage with Armed Forces charities and statutory services to strengthen pathways between our support services and theirs.
- Work collaboratively with organisations across Greater Manchester and the Northwest supporting Armed Forces communities.
- Promote Armed Forces community awareness training (including e-learning) for our staff and volunteers.
- Raise awareness internally of how Armed Forces experiences may intersect with domestic abuse and trauma.
- Where relevant, consider reduced training rates for Armed Forces organisations or veterans’ groups seeking DA/VAWG awareness or safeguarding training.
- Include veteran tick-boxes on intake and referral forms to better understand need and monitor accessibility.
2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.