Victim Care and Advice Service

The service is managed on behalf of the respective Police and Crime Commissioners by Safe in Tees Valley, a local registered charity with 20 years' experience working in partnership to address crime and promoting community safety.

Victim Care and Advice

If you have been a victim of crime, the Victim Care and Advice Service is available to you if you feel that you would benefit from some additional support at a difficult time. Our staff provide a free, independent and confidential service that will respond to your personal circumstances helping you to cope with the initial impact and make a full recovery.
The service responds to individual needs at any point in the journey to recovery and is available when the time is right. For most people this will be in the immediate aftermath of the crime being committed but for some the full impact may not be evident until later.

Equally, family and friends play a vital role in addressing the emotional and practical impact of the crime and they too are welcome to contact the Victim Care and Advice Service if they need advice or additional assistance.

In some circumstances, victims prefer not to report a crime to the Police. This is a personal decision but it does not exclude you from accessing the support of the Victim Care and Advice Service.

Victim Care and Advice Service staff are trained to provide:

• Regular support and contact via telephone, text or email.
• Face to face meetings or home visits.
• One to one care for repeat and vulnerable victims.
• Practical assistance and emotional support.
• Advocacy - guidance and support to assist a victim's recovery and ensuring that entitlements are received.

The service will provide:

• A single point of contact throughout the whole victim journey from first reporting the incident to the police, throughout the investigation and criminal justice process and beyond.
• Support for all victims of crime who request help whether the incident has been reported to the police or not.
• A focus on those who have suffered the greatest impact from crime irrespective of the crime type, namely; victims of serious crime, the most persistently targeted and the most vulnerable and intimidated.
• ​Services tailored to individual needs to help the victim to cope with the immediate impact of the crime and to help them to recover from the harm caused by:
  • Addressing concerns identified by the victim;
  • Responding to immediate safety concerns / risks;
  • Providing immediate emotional support and practical help;
  • Offering advice, support and encouragement;
  • Promoting empowerment and not dependency;
  • Considering the benefits of participation in restorative justice; and
  • Assisting with criminal injuries compensation claims.
• Access to the best and most relevant support services and charities available locally.
• Support for young victims of crime.

See the Victim Care and Advice Service website for contact details.