A programme to help perpetrators of domestic abuse tackle their abusive behaviours is the first of its kind to achieve accreditation in London.

Redbridge Council's Spotlight Programme received top marks from Respect, the national association for domestic abuse perpetrator programmes.

Although the programme is perpetrator-focused, the primary aim of the work is to increase the safety and wellbeing of survivors and their children.

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The programme has already received over 530 referrals since it began during the pandemic, a person who completed the Spotlight Programme said: "We can share ideas between ourselves and nobody's judging us.

“It was nice to share your feelings with the group.

“You meet many people with the same type of problems; you're not alone.

"In the end, I looked forward to every group, and I really enjoyed it"

The service prides itself on being welcoming, supportive, committed, non-judgemental, inclusive, and diverse and uses a range of resources and tools to support individuals, including virtual reality headsets.