Restart

Restart is an innovative pilot project providing earlier intervention for families at risk of, or experiencing, domestic abuse. It brings together children’s social care, housing and domestic abuse services to identify and respond to patterns of harmful behaviour at an earlier stage. Restart is a collaboration between The Drive Partnership, the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, Respect, and Cranstoun, and has been delivered across six London Boroughs.

Restart aims to increase safety for families by providing short-term, one-to-one interventions with the person causing harm, and parallel, separate support for the non-abusive parent. It is designed to intervene earlier and works to address denial, minimisation, and partner blame to better prepare people for longer-term work. Temporary, alternative accommodation can also be offered to the person causing harm during the intervention, creating a breathing space for both parties to engage with the program. Restart works with the Local Authorities to develop and improve housing pathways for those causing harm and drive systemic change.

Restart builds on the vital foundation of providing Safe & Together model implementation, including training, as well as ongoing support for children’s social care and housing professionals to improve their ability and confidence to identify and respond more effectively to parents causing harm.