Tameside Council's Cut it Out Campaign is providing Tameside College hair and beauty students with the tools to recognise and support future clients experiencing domestic abuse.

The campaign has begun by providing educational sessions with future stylists training at Tameside College, who may go on to establish careers in salons across Tameside.

By the end of the academic year, around 300 students will have taken part in sessions educating them on how to recognise and support clients who show signs of domestic abuse.

Tameside's Cut it Out Campaign provides free training to stylists, teaching them how to identify, approach and reassure a client if they feel they are experiencing domestic abuse. Also making them aware of local support services they can refer their clients to. The Cut it Out campaign recognises that the relationship between a stylist and their client are often unique, providing a safe and comfortable environment for disclosure of sensitive information.

The recently launched Sitting Right With You campaign highlights that controlling and coercive behaviour accounts for over half of domestic abuse cases in Tameside. Cut it Out sessions also inform stylists that domestic abuse doesn’t only include physical harm but can also be emotional, psychological, or financial .

Emma Armitage, Assistant Principal, Student Experience at Tameside College, said: "When we were approached by Tameside Council to provide our students with this training, there was no question that we wanted it to be available to our hair and beauty students.’

"I am happy to share we have had nothing but positive feedback from students and staff. Many have said training is engaging, important and interactive, giving them confidence to spot the signs of domestic abuse and know where to signpost for support- we are hoping to build this training to our curriculum so future all our future stylists and other staff can benefit."

The Cut it Out domestic abuse awareness training with students is the beginning of a wider campaign.

Tameside’s hair and beauty salons, barbers, tanning, tattoo and piercing shops (also including those self-employed) can now book themselves onto four free training sessions:

• Friday 28 April – Dukinfield town hall. Morning session 10am – 12pm or afternoon session 1.30pm – 3.30pm
• Friday 12 May – Hyde Town hall. Morning session 10am-12pm or afternoon session 1.30pm – 3.30pm

If interested, email publichealth.enquiries@tameside.gov.uk using the subject line 'Cut It Out'.

For information on the support available, see www.tameside.gov.uk/domesticabuse or you can call Bridges 24 hour helpline on 0800 328 0967. In an emergency, you should always call 999.

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