Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities which provided Members with an awareness of the increasing acknowledgement that initiatives aimed at ending domestic abuse and violence also needed to target and engage with men as the primary perpetrators of abusive behaviour.

The Board was advised that the widespread nature of domestic abuse and violence necessitated preventative approaches that aimed to change attitudes, values and behavior of the individual, the community and at a professional level.

The Board was further advised that Domestic Violence Prevention Programmes were well placed to assist agencies to fulfill their statutory duties by working with men who were applying for child contact as well as those who may be a danger to their children or to the child’s mother.

It was reported that there were two types of Domestic Violence Prevention Programmes available, criminal justice programmes and community based programmes. Criminal justice based programmes were operated locally by probation; who took mandated referrals from the criminal courts as part of a sentence for conviction for a violent or abusive incident.

Community based programmes were usually operated by a voluntary sector organisation or part of a voluntary/statutory sector partnership, were they undertook self-referrals as well as referrals from Children’s Services, from the family courts and a range of other services.

It was also reported that During the first three quarters of 2011-12 (Quarter four data was not available), Cheshire Probation had received 25 requirements for domestic abuse offenders to attend the criminal justice mandatory Domestic Violence Prevention Programme; of which 27 offenders had completed the programme with an average wait of two months.

Furthermore, it was reported that activities of a Domestic Violence Prevention Programmes included a range of services which were necessary in order to make sure that the programme was operated as safely as possible and with the maximum possible chance of supporting change. These included: assessment; risk assessment and management; multi-agency working; group work with perpetrators; individual and group support for victims and advocacy for victims.  In addition, it was reported that Domestic Violence Prevention Programmes were usually 26 weeks courses and could vary in size; the number of clients and the model of work and organisational setting. However, all programmes which were members of Respect were committed to delivering services in accordance with the Respect Accreditation Standard.

It was highlighted that preliminary costings had been sought and a voluntary perpetrator programme operated with the same rigorous standards as the statutory programme, authenticated by Respect, the National Association for Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programme, if delivered in a local context for Halton residents would be in the region of £80,000. Relate had suggested that they could offer a service for 40 referrals per year, which was the minimum contract that Relate would consider offering.

In conclusion, it was reported that the lack of Domestic Violence Prevention Programmes provision in Halton was well documented locally, as a significant gap in service provision. If Halton was to have a measurable reduction in the impact of domestic abuse on victims and children, consideration must be given to providing an integrated, coordinated whole system approach with local domestic abuse provision that was equipped to support and empower victims; challenge the behaviour, values and attitudes of perpetrators and support them to make step change; as well as, provide recovery and behaviour change programmes for children and young people affected by domestic abuse and violence.

The Board also received a verbal report on the appointment of Amanda Lewis, Commissioning Manager within the Commissioning and Complex Care Team, Communities Directorate at the end of October 2012.  It was reported that Amanda has been designated the following priorities:-

·       LINk to Healthwatch Transition;

·       Market Analysis (and development of an Adult Social Care Market Position Statement for Halton);

·       Development of Sharepoint pages for Commissioning Division;

·       Development of Overarching Strategic Commissioning Work Plan and Individual Commissioning Work Plans; and

·       Shadowing current Alcohol Lead with a view to leading on Alcohol from 1^st April 2013.

The Board noted that £80,000 was the minimum cost for the programme and that the new benefit reductions in April 2013 could escalate this cost.  It was reported that discussions were taking place with the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group to ascertain if the programme could work alongside their funded anger management programme to meet the needs of perpetrators.  The Board requested that an update report be presented to the next meeting which would include the full breakdown of the costs.

RESOLVED: That the report and comments raised be noted.