Elmore publishes review of 2020-21, the first year of the pandemic
Oxfordshire mental health, complex needs, and domestic abuse service provider Elmore Community Services has today published its review of 2020-21. The review covers the financial year 2020-21 and begins when the world began changing in unprecedented ways because of the pandemic.
In 2020-21, Elmore:
Responded to the unique need created by the pandemic. The virus created risks to the health and wellbeing of clients and caseworkers and presented unprecedented difficulties for everyone. Elmore responded by delivering food parcels to roughly 30% of clients, people at risk of going hungry, and supported people and families to stay at home in line with Government guidance by providing jigsaws, books, and other entertainment.
Supported 146 people with complex needs and 95 people with mental ill health as part of the Oxfordshire Mental Health Partnership, 22 residents to maintain their tenancies, 39 adult survivors of child sexual exploitation, and 21 people through the Primary Care Project.
Started three services: a High Intensity User project as an alternative to A&E for frequent attenders which has supported 11 people in this year, and a new mental health service and a new domestic abuse service as part of a new Family Solutions Plus model, working with victims and perpetrators, to support families to address the problems that affect their ability to look after their children.
Secured funding to start five new services in 2021-22:
A hospital navigation project for high-risk offenders, working with an Emergency Department alongside the Thames Valley Violence Reduction Unit and Connection Support.
Supporting the extension of Oxford Safe Haven by linking people to community-based support alongside Oxfordshire Mind.
Embedding multiple needs caseworkers in an Oxford-based homelessness hostel to provide intense complex needs support alongside Homeless Oxfordshire.
Embedding a multiple needs caseworker with the Temporary Accommodation and Anti-Social Behaviour Investigation Teams at Oxford City Council to ensure tenancy security and support the avoidance of homelessness.
Working with people with common mental health problems to access community-based support alongside Connection Support as part of Rise & Shine.
Tom Hayes, Chief Executive of Elmore Community Services, said: “This annual report begins when the world began changing in ways we could scarcely have imagined. Streets emptied, people stayed at home, and the pandemic reshaped our lives. The Elmore team has been exceptional. This review of the pandemic year is a moment to acknowledge how in adversity we saw Elmore’s dedicated workers come together to help each other, our colleagues, and most of all, our clients through the country’s worst year since the Second World War.”
Aziz Halime, Chair of the Board of Trustees, said: “This pandemic year has been like no other. Our team rises to challenges and delivers services that change people’s lives, and they have made Elmore proud, working creatively and persistently, in the year of Coronavirus. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to say how very proud I am of everyone at Elmore for continuing to deliver life-changing services in the face of a very difficult time in everybody’s lives.”
Read Elmore’s 2020-21 Annual Review here.