Agenda item

(Indicative timing: 10.05 to 10.40am)

The Panel had requested an update on developments relating to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and the specific support offered to children and families.

By way of introduction, the Head of Safer Communities (Public Health) made the following main points:

·         The Panel was reminded that the Public Health Team had strategic oversight of community safety including domestic abuse and the commissioning of relevant services.

·         The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 set out a range of requirements and responsibilities and placed some new duties on upper tier local authorities, with a focus on providing safe accommodation and support services for victims of domestic abuse and their families.

·         The Act required the setting up of a multi-agency Domestic Abuse Partnership Board (DAPB) to oversee the responsibilities, including developing a Needs Assessment and an associated Domestic Abuse Strategy.  The Strategy had been consulted on and was now in place alongside an action plan.  The DAPB was a subgroup of the Worcestershire Safer Communities Board which has strategic oversight of community safety across the County.

·         Other activity as part of the action plan included the development of a service directory and working with businesses to ensure they had access to information on how to support staff who may disclose domestic abuse.

·         The Domestic Abuse Grant was an annual rolling Government grant which provided funding to the County Council and the District Councils.

·         West Mercia Women’s Aid (WMWA) provided a spectrum of services as part of the Domestic Abuse Advice and Support Service contract.

·         Members were told about the Sanctuary approach which allowed victims/survivors and their children to stay in their own homes, subject to a risk assessment, by adding security measures and a package of support.  This would initially operate as a pilot funded by Public Health with a view to commissioning a service to deliver the model across Worcestershire in a consistent manner.

·         Training for staff on approaches to domestic abuse was provided regularly and was also open to Councillors.

·         In line with the requirements of the Act, the County Council had partnered with Herefordshire Council to jointly commission a Lived Experience Advisory Project.

·         Worcestershire Children First (WCF) Family Front Door received information on incidents of domestic abuse from West Mercia Police.  The Police also shared information with the WCF Early Help Family Support Service.

·         Work also included data analysis of referrals to look at the impact on children and young people.  WCF had developed open working relationships with partners, and were open to challenge and suggestions for improvement, demonstrating a maturity of cooperation.

·         Partnership with West Mercia Police had successfully delivered Operation Encompass to schools in Worcestershire for some years and a pilot project in Early Years settings was now being developed.

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and the following main points were raised:

·      In response to a question about whether there were enough refuges in the County, Members were told that as a result of the Needs Assessment partners were looking at an additional 29 units of accommodation, although not all of this would be in the form of refuges.  Women’s Aid felt that dispersed safe accommodation was more appropriate, although a refuge place might be needed in the short term.  This was a developing approach and would be worked through together with the Sanctuary approach.  The Sanctuary approach was a risk-based approach which had been used successfully in cases of low and medium risk.

·      It was confirmed that the Domestic Abuse Grant included a total of £194,000 pa for Worcestershire District Councils and this was split reasonably equally across the six councils.  The Grant was provided by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to fund very specific provision in the Domestic Abuse Act, in relation to supporting individuals in safe accommodation.  It was suggested that the amount was sufficient, in terms of what the money could be used for, although there were questions about the funding of other related areas of work.

·      The additional 29 accommodation units would be a combination of small houses and flats.  There was a long list of requirements for this accommodation and the District Councils were working with Housing Associations on behalf of the County Council.  Private accommodation would not be used at this stage.

·      It was confirmed that the data table on page 1 of the agenda report referred to specific single isolated incidents which may have taken place at the same house or involve the same individuals.  It was agreed that future reports would include figures for the number of families or same home addresses where incidents had taken place in order to clarify where there had been multiple incidents at the same address.

·      Bed and breakfast accommodation would only be considered a safe place in an emergency and could not be classified as safe accommodation under the Act.

·      It was confirmed that referrals to WMWA that did not enter the service or require support would be signposted to other services.  Members were told that WMWA was very committed to ensuring appropriate support even if this was outside of commissioned activity.

·      The Panel was informed that prevention work could be challenging as it involved reaching out to potential perpetrators.  The County Council was engaged with the White Ribbon campaign and Members were reminded that pledges to the campaign could be made online.  Other activity included a conference for local businesses to encourage them to look at their staff policies and take responsibility in this area.  It was suggested that the strategy could not prevent domestic abuse but could support the education of children and young people and increase awareness of healthy relationships.  Early help partnership work looked at the prevention of conflict as part of the early identification of issues and health visitors were also involved.  Prevention work was undertaken through all services.

·      In response to a question about the number of male victims and, in particular, those with learning disabilities or mental health problems, the Panel was informed that the service was in the process of commissioning a lived experience advisory group to work with ‘hard to reach’ groups especially those with protected characteristics, so that a broader picture of domestic abuse could be understood.

·      It was confirmed that WCF delivered training and support direct to schools.  Operation Encompass had been operating since 2018 and was well embedded in the school environment.  The Domestic Abuse Act was very clear that, even if the abuse was between adults, children in the family were victims too.

·      With reference to audits of performance at the Family Front Door, between January and September 2022 the number of cases receiving managerial oversight within 24 hours had improved from 60% to 95%.

·      It was agreed that details of domestic abuse training opportunities would be circulated to all Members.

The Chairman thanked the officers for attending and welcomed the progress that had been made.  It was agreed that the Panel would receive a further update in due course.