In light of the developing situation with Coronavirus / Covid-19, we’re working hard to ensure that our essential services are able to provide support to some of the most vulnerable people in Wales throughout.

We not only have a duty to ensure that those people we are already supporting continue to be supported, but we must also make sure that young people and women who are at an increased risk of becoming homeless as a result of COVID-19 are able to get the support they need as soon as they need it.

Family relationship breakdown is one of the biggest causes of youth homelessness and self-isolation and social distancing measures could increase tensions for young people whose relationships at home are already strained. This could put even more young people at risk of becoming homeless, and we are determined to make sure that every young person who needs support receives support as soon as they need it. We’ll be ensuring that our Family Mediation services, Youth Homeless Helpline and other advice services continue to support young people, supporting them to stay at home wherever it’s safe for them to do so, or supporting them to find safe accommodation where they can’t.

Self isolation and social distancing are also likely to lead to an increase in the numbers of people affected by domestic abuse and needing domestic abuse services, and we will ensure that our drop-in services and domestic abuse refuges are able to support people who need our support whenever they need it.

We are working hard to ensure that as many of our colleagues as possible are able to contribute to the running of our most essential services, while also using technology to stay in touch with and ensure the safety of people we support who are living in their own flats. Many of the people we support simply won’t have the support of friends and family that many of us have, and so it is vitally important that throughout this period we support people to look after both their physical and mental health.

Not only is this a significant logistical challenge for us, but one which will inevitably also come at an additional cost.

We rely increasingly on public support to be able to provide the highest quality services to some of the most vulnerable people in Wales.

We understand that this is an uncertain and worrying time for many of us, and that some of you will be worried about your own finances. However, if you are able to donate, anything you can spare, would really help to ensure that everyone who needs our support is still able to receive it in spite of corona virus.

We are determined to put the people we support first and protect them, and we would be grateful for any support you can give which would help us to do this.