Commissioning
In October 2014, Police and Crime Commissioners became responsible for commissioning emotional and practical support services for victims of crime.
In Thames Valley, commissioned services for victims and witnesses operate under the umbrella of Victims First.
In June 2023, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley confirmed it would be recommissioning the Thames Valley-wide core victims provision with the tender process opening in August 2023.
In January 2024, the OPCC announced the outcome of that tender process.
From 1 April 2024, Victims First will be restructured into three new streams of provision – a new Adult Service, a Children and Young People’s Service and a dedicated Sexual Violence Service.
Victim Support will be delivering the Thames Valley Adult Victims Service,
SAFE! has been recommissioned to deliver the Thames Valley Children and Young People’s Support After Crime Service for victims aged 5–18 and the Thames Valley Sexual Violence Service will be delivered by Hope After Harm
(formerly Thames Valley Partnership).
The new contracts have been awarded for three years with the option to extend for up to five years at a value of £10,016,588 for five years.
More information about the new services, which are now available, for free, to victims and witnesses of crime living in the Thames Valley, and the new service providers, is available via this link.
Before the commissioning process commenced, the OPCC held a series of co-production market engagement events with victims as part of a review into existing victims’ services. The purpose of these events was to understand how the OPCC could best meet the needs of victims and address gaps in provision. These events were supported by a number of public surveys and consultations. We consulted with victims of all crime types including survivors of sexual violence and young victims of crime.
The feedback gathered helped shape the design of the new service model.
You can read more about the impact of this engagement in our “You Said, We Did” document.
Further Information
To contact Victims First call 0300 1234 148
Further information about the support available as well as information on crime can be found on the Victims First website
