A new scheme that works with perpetrators of domestic abuse to change their behaviour and protect families will be developed in Cheshire.

Police and crime commissioner David Keane made a successful bid to the Home Office for £233,000 in funding from their perpetrator programme fund.

He will also provide an additional £100,000 of funding to support the project which will be delivered in Cheshire East as well as the county's other council areas.

The programme will work to affect the behaviour change of perpetrators of domestic abuse by working with the whole family to understand and address their needs to tackle underlying issues and reduce further incidents.

Alongside this, there will also be specialist support for victims and children to increase their safety and resilience.

This initiative will see perpetrator support offered across all areas of Cheshire; something that is not currently available. Its implementation follows a recent survey where 89 per cent of service providers stated they felt they should be working more with perpetrators of domestic abuse.

David Keane, police and crime commissioner for Cheshire, said: "Domestic abuse not only affects the victim, it can have a severe impact on the whole family, including children, and it often creates lasting harm.

"As we've been spending more time at home to reduce the spread of Covid-19, we have seen an increase in the number of domestic abuse incidents reported in Cheshire.

"We need to do more to support families through these challenging times and we have to work with the perpetrator of the crime in order for them to understand the physical and emotional impact their behaviour is having on their partners and the entire family.

"This project will prioritise approaches which offer support for vulnerable victims and children alongside interventions for perpetrators to ensure that positive outcomes are achieved for the whole family.

"Reduced incidents and improved behaviours within the family, whether they remain together or co-parent, lead to improved outcomes for victims and children and aim to stop the perpetrator reoffending with a different family."

You can contact the Cheshire East Domestic Abuse Hub by calling 0300 123 5101.

If you need support and advice, you can also call Cheshire Police on 101 or the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. In an emergency, where there is a threat to life or a crime is taking place, please call 999.