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Domestic Abuse Service

Information for professionals

SignHealth provides advice and support for deaf adults and young people experiencing domestic abuse or sexual violence. We deliver prevention workshops as well as closed groups for deaf survivors.

How to refer

You can refer a deaf person to SignHealth’s Domestic Abuse Service by downloading and completing this form.

Information for deaf survivors

SignHealth has BSL videos related to domestic abuse topics, advice and you can find details for who to contact for support.

Our Domestic Abuse Service is a unique, deaf-led service for deaf people who have or are experiencing domestic abuse. The service is the first and only one of its kind in the UK.

Our team of deaf Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) and Young People’s Violence Advisors (YPVAs) help bring deaf people and their children to safety and empower them to build new lives free of fear.

We currently provide support across England.

How we offer support

From the initial contact, our team creates a support plan and develops coping strategies until the client feels ready to move on with their life independently. Throughout this process, we ensure our clients are able to navigate statutory services such as immigration, the police and courts, housing, and social services.

  • Allocation of qualified deaf IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Advisor)
  • Working with women’s refuges to provide support to deaf women
  • Referral when necessary to SignHealth’s one-to-one psychological therapy in British Sign Language (BSL)
  • Freedom Programme workshops for deaf survivors
  • Working in partnership with key national and local agencies to develop guidelines for best practice
  • Guidance on laws, policy and practice to ensure the needs of deaf people at risk of domestic abuse are recognised and fully met
  • Please note: We are not an interpreting agency. Check if your service has a contract or process for booking BSL interpreters, or use the NRCPD website, or search for BSL interpreting agencies working in your area.

Deaf women are at twice the risk of being abused and getting support is more difficult.

– Marie Vickers, Head of Domestic Abuse Service

Meet the Domestic Abuse Team

Marie tells the story

Raising awareness for the next generation

There is a huge gap in service provision for young deaf people, so we built a programme to provide support and prevention work for young deaf people who are experiencing or witnessing domestic abuse.

What’s happening

  • 2025 Political Party Conferences
    2025 Political Party Conferences

    We’re heading to the political party conferences this autumn.Our team will be at the Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Conservative conferences, making sure that deaf people’s experiences and priorities are included in national conversations.We’ll be meeting … Continued

  • SignHealth’s Domestic Abuse Service – helpline for deaf people in Wales
    SignHealth’s Domestic Abuse Service – helpline for deaf people in Wales

    SignHealth runs a helpline for deaf people who need support or advice about domestic abuse. It is open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:30pm. We have recently received funding from the Home Office to extend our service to deaf people living in Wales. Deaf people in Wales can now contact us for advice or help…

  • Emergency Alert System Test
    Emergency Alert System Test

    Information about the UK Emergency Alert System Test in BSL.

Impact and Recognition

SignHealth has achieved considerable recognition within the domestic abuse sector, winning CAF and Civil Society’s Disability Charity of the Year in 2014. The judges described SignHealth’s Domestic Abuse Service as a “truly inspiring example of excellence and outstanding work”. 

The project was also awarded the Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize in 2012 – an award which marks the outstanding contribution of an organisation whose work has resulted in developments that combat the prevalence of violence against women.

A cost effective service

As well as providing a much better experience for deaf people, SignHealth’s Domestic Abuse Service provides excellent financial value.  Other services would need to provide deaf awareness training to workers and to find, and pay for, interpreters for each meeting with deaf clients. Because we are a team of deaf professionals, these costs are not necessary.

Contact our Domestic Abuse Team

If you are in an abusive relationship or think you might be, please contact us.

Text ONLY 07800 003421 or email da@signhealth.org.uk

Confidentiality is important to us. For more information, please read our privacy statement.

Please note: We are not an interpreting agency. Check if your service has a contract or process for booking BSL interpreters, or use the NRCPD website, or search for BSL interpreting agencies working in your area.

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