Mansfield District Council has been awarded a gold accreditation from the UK’s leading domestic abuse organisation for its commitment to supporting survivors and embedding best practices.
The council was awarded the standard by the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA), a network of more than 150 registered social landlords and local authorities, after submitting more than 400 pieces of evidence over a three-year period to demonstrate how it supports people experiencing domestic abuse.
The recently redesigned accreditation, made more rigorous to reflect a new gold, silver and bronze structure, also required the Mansfield District Council housing team to undergo a live audit, submit multiple case reviews and be interviewed by DAHA. Interviews were also conducted with staff from other teams and external partners to review the organisation’s approach across all services.
Executive Mayor of Mansfield, Andy Abrahams, said: “Congratulations to the team for achieving the DAHA gold accreditation, they have worked incredibly hard to reach the highest possible standard for supporting survivors of domestic abuse and embedding best practices across multiple services.
“Mansfield District Council is extremely passionate and dedicated to supporting anyone experiencing domestic abuse, helping the whole organisation to understand more about the impact it can have as well as how we can spot the signs and do the right thing for survivors, their family and friends.”
Cllr Anne Callaghan, portfolio holder for housing at Mansfield District Council, said: “I’m so proud of this achievement, which demonstrates just how hard we work to understand and support people experiencing domestic abuse. Mansfield District Council works tirelessly to support survivors and their families, and this accreditation is proof of that. The fact that the process got even tougher and we have achieved gold only makes this more impressive and shows how well our practices are adopted across the whole organisation.”
The Council was first awarded DAHA accreditation in 2023 which was valid for three years. Since then, Mansfield District Council has worked proactively towards renewal in 2026, aligning its actions with the new framework to ensure it not only met but exceeded the new requirements. This has included strengthening partnership working, embedding survivor‑led approaches, and ensuring that responses are informed directly by the voices and experiences of those affected by domestic abuse.
Jill Finnesey, Assistant Director of Housing at Mansfield District Council, said: “Achieving DAHA Gold is not the end of our journey. We are committed to improving and strengthening our partnerships to sustain this high standard of support for our communities. Listening to survivors and using their voices to shape our services is central to everything we do.
“Over the past two years, we have provided extensive evidence, delivered training, taken part in audits and reviews, and worked collaboratively across teams to strengthen our approach. A big thank you to everyone involved, from frontline staff to strategic leads – whose contributions have made this achievement possible. We have implemented new ways of working that are truly survivor‑led, while also ensuring perpetrators are held to account.”
DAHA is a nationally recognised accreditation framework that works with housing providers and local authorities to improve their response to domestic abuse. It sets a robust standard for how organisations can identify, respond to and support those affected.
You can find more information on domestic abuse support at Mansfield District Council here: Domestic Abuse – Mansfield District Council