Beacon - the Hertfordshire Victim Care Centre went live on 1st April 2015 and offers a complete ‘wrap-around’ provision for victims, with vulnerable or repeat victims being identified early on for an enhanced care package.

Beacon is a partnership organisation created by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Constabulary and Catch 22 staff.

The Constabulary’s Victim Service Team makes initial contact with a victim of crime and provides a crime reference number.

They also update the victims of crime on their case.

This will be followed by an offer of victim support, and those who accept are handed over to the Victim Support team.

Importantly, this service is available free to all victims of crime, including those who have decided not to report the matter to police, or who have changed their mind about needing support and choose to make contact in the weeks or months after the incident.

In 2017 Beacon introduced dedicated Victim Case Managers for vulnerable victims of crime.

This service is for people who have been persistently targeted and require very specialist care.

Visit the website at www.hertfordshirebeacon.org for information and advice to access support.

The hotline 03000 11 55 55 is open from Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm & Saturday 9am – 5pm for victims to contact the centre direct. (Victims who report crimes committed against them to police will automatically be contacted by the centre and will not need to call).
 

Victims of fraud in the county should continue to report their crime to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040, however they too can access support services by contacting Beacon direct.

The Hertfordshire Beacon victim care centre provides a free and confidential service to help support vulnerable adults and children who have been a victim of a crime.

The team use victim centred and restorative approaches by putting the individual’s needs first taking into account the impact and harm caused by the crime.

A tailored support plan is then created to help individuals cope and recover from the impact of crime.

There are many positive stories that have come from victims who looked for support through Beacon. Kevin McGetrick, Head of Commissoning and Victim Services has produced a booklet looking at what Beacon has achieved in the first five years (opens in new window). It describes how Beacon has offered support to victims aged four to 97 around anti-social behavoiur, theft and those affected by serious harm.

In recent years it has been expanded to have specialist teams dealing with victims of fraud and domestic violence.

One case highlights how a victim who was so traumatised by domestic abuse received hope, reassurance and got their life back through reporting the abuse and working with a Beacon Victim Case Manager. Read their story here.