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NHS England funded eight pilot Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) clinics for non-pregnant women across England from 2019 to 2021, with our evaluation exploring how best to meet the health and wellbeing needs of non-pregnant women who had experienced FGM. Prior to these clinics, there had been little progress in meeting the needs of non-pregnant women with FGM seeking medical help in England. Our evaluation commissioned Starks Consulting, Ecorys and Leeds Beckett to evaluate documented service delivery across the eight pilot sites. Within this we explored the importance of delivering clinics within community settings. The evaluation tested how effective/capable these clinics were in meeting the health and wellbeing needs of women accessing them. We also examined the effectiveness of various staff roles (lead clinician, health advocate and therapist) to understand the service delivery approach. We captured the views of a small number of service users through individual interviews, gathering their lived experiences of FGM and clinic attendance. The main aim of the evaluation was to determine whether the clinics improved the health outcomes of non-pregnant survivors of FGM. This paper presents findings from the qualitative component of the evaluation; interview data from 42 professionals and 12 service users. We detail the model of support (community service delivery, with trusted professionals, creating a safe space) and the learning gained from the pilot implementation. Positive outcomes include improved health and well-being for women (mental and physical health improvements). Challenges in service delivery included language barriers, how professionals reach into communities, the stigma associated with FGM as an experience, and mental health problems arising from FGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws upon a three-year longitudinal qualitative evaluation of a voluntary sector strategic partnership and delivery project involving eleven women-centred organisations. The consortium, funded by the Big Lottery (charity), worked together to support the most vulnerable women and girls across a city in the north of England 2017-2021. The partnership of eleven female led organisations delivered front-line services which aimed to enable women and girls to lead safer and healthier lives. Partners combined their expertise to support women with multiple needs including: mental health, domestic abuse, sexual violence and exploitation, experience of the criminal justice system, sex work, and substance misuse. The project aimed to achieve 3 outcomes: Outcome 1: Improved and extended access for vulnerable women and girls in Leeds to the services and support they want when they choose; Outcome 2: A holistic response to ensure that the needs of women and girls with multiple and complex issues are better supported; Outcome 3: Women and girls will be empowered to support their peers and influence service delivery, development and design across the city. Our evaluation placed the project staff, partners, stakeholders and service users at the centre of qualitative data collection, using a co-produced Theory of Change approach to data collection. Our sample of 34 service users, 35 professionals (19 interviewed twice) and monitoring data shows that the project successfully met its objectives and developed a model of practice that could be used in other contexts to support and empower vulnerable women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Key Project receives Big Lottery funding to support disadvantaged girls and young women (aged between 13 and 25) deemed to be at high risk of abuse within the Leeds area, aiming to work with 324 individuals. The Key is hosted by a voluntary sector provider of gender-specific (women-only) programmes. This paper presents interim findings from an ongoing longitudinal evaluation of The Key. This paper draws on data collection from creative focus group activities with young women and semi-structured interviews with project staff and referrers. The Key model of delivery provides young women with peer support (weekly group sessions) and additional one to one intensive support where required, to educate them and develop their knowledge and capabilities in being better able to identify and respond appropriately to abusive relationships. The Key aims to increase young women's skills to stay safe and to improve their mental wellbeing. In the evaluation data so far, young women report a variety of positive outcomes as a result of their engagement with The Key, including being better able to recognise abuse, increase their safety and capacity to be in control. Many reported increased self-confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]