We are proud to have adapted our services to meet the needs of our survivors and supporters during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the first lockdown we were unable to provide face to face support and instead offered a helpline service from 9am-5pm to deliver assistance for anyone in need of immediate support or advice.
In the year April 2020 to March 2021 we responded to 872 calls from survivors. Calls peaked over the summer of 2020 with over 100 calls from survivors received in July 2020.
As Covid restrictions have eased our specialised staff have been able to work with clients in person again. Alongside this we have seen a significant increase in demand for our other services and our team are busy responding to referrals and supporting clients. We have reopened our One Stop Shops face to face in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Folkestone, where clients can drop-in and speak to someone for immediate advice. Unfortunately, this has meant we no longer have capacity to offer a helpline staffed by domestic abuse experts as well as deliver our day to day frontline work.
Therefore our helpline will be changing back to a standard office phone line from the 11th October 2021. The main purpose of the office phone line will be to respond to general enquiries about our services and how to access support.
If you need specific, specialist advice and support for yourself, a friend or a client, you will still be able to reach us on our usual number from 9am-5pm. We will take your details and find the right person to get back to you.
You can also call the freephone, 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 if you need advice immediately. In an emergency please call 999.
All our other domestic abuse services will continue to operate as usual. Thank you for your understanding as we make this transition.
Further information about support and services
| Rising Sun Office Phone Line | 01227 452 852 |
| Information about Rising Sun’s Services(We cover Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone & Hythe and Swale.) | http://www.risingsunkent.com/get-help/ |
| To make a referral to Rising Sun | Download a referral form on our website (http://www.risingsunkent.com/contact/) and email it to referrals@risingsunkent.com or call our office phone line to complete a referral over the phone. |
| Information about domestic abuse services across Kent | https://www.domesticabuseservices.org.uk/ |
| 24-hour National DA Helpline | 0808 2000 247 |
| In an emergency call | 999 |
| Canterbury One Stop Shop | Thursdays: 9:30am – 12:30pmPrince of Wales Youth Club, 23 Military Road, Canterbury, CT1 1YX |
| Herne Bay One Stop Shop | Last Tuesday of the month: 9:30am – 12:30pmPoppy Children Centre, Memorial Park, King’s Road, Herne Bay, CT6 5RG |
| Folkestone One Stop Shop | Thursdays: 12:30pm – 2:30pmFolkestone Library, Grace Hill, Folkestone, CT20 1HD07375 261 215 |
| Ashford One Stop Shop (via telephone) | Tuesdays: 9.30am-12.30pm07765 897 211 |
| Other Domestic Abuse Services in Kent | |
| Clarion (South and North Kent) | 07376 637 069www.myclarionhousing.com |
| DAVSS (West Kent) | 01892 570 538www.davss.org.uk |
| Look Ahead (West Kent) | 03330 104 660www.lookahead.org.uk |
| Oasis (East Kent) | 07856 856 278www.oasisdaservice.org |
| SATEDA (Swale) | 01795 417 251www.sateda.org |
| Victim Support | 0808 168 9111www.victimsupport.org.uk/what-we-do/local-services/south-east/kent |