Domestic Abuse Middlesbrough Council Claire Moore DA Operational Coordinator

1. Domestic Abuse Middlesbrough Council Claire Moore DA Operational Coordinator

2. Role of DA Operational Coordinator • Coordinate Domestic Abuse Strategic Partnership • Implementation of Strategy, Operational Plan and local Initiatives • Contract Management • White Ribbon Partnership • Needs Assessment • Preparing specification for the new service

3. Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2016 - 2020 • Tackling violence against women and girls everybody’s business. • Early identification and intervention priority to stop violence and abuse from escalating • Victims get the right support at the right time • Transformation of service provision

4. Middlesbrough Strategy 2016 Preventing Domestic Abuse • Prevent offending • Prevent reoffending • Support victims • Monitor and challenge

5. Priorities • Improve outcomes for victims, perpetrators and children/ young people • Prevent violence and abuse from happening in first place • Forensic data analysis and strategic needs assessment to understand local picture. • Increase awareness and change attitudes

6. Middlesbrough Domestic Abuse Strategic Partnership • Focused on long term prevention and reduction of Domestic Abuse • Key partners meeting to form a local response and identify need • Identifying commissioning and strategic priorities • Partner participation

7. Preventing Domestic Abuse • In Middlesbrough preventing Domestic Abuse is a priority for action. • Middlesbrough council currently commissions a range of specialist support services for victims, perpetrators and children affected by domestic abuse

8. Preventing Domestic Abuse • In March 2018 we are recommissioning domestic abuse services. • To prepare for this we are conducting a domestic abuse needs assessment. • This will map all points of access to a service, service capacity and gaps. • It will help us understand what is needed in Middlesbrough

9. Preventing Domestic Abuse Good commissioning begins with an understanding that VWAG victims and survivors are expertise in their own lives and are integral to future design of services. It is important we understand from agencies and stakeholders how we respond and the referral pathways accessed.

10. Needs Assessment • Local Specialist Services experience of, and data around needs and gaps. • Qualitative and Quantitative data from wider stakeholders public and voluntary Services • Evidence of Need ( Health, DHR, Housing) • Demographics of population and need • Impact Assessment

11. Commissioning • Specialist service providers and stakeholders have a breadth of expert knowledge and experience to draw on. • Involving specialist services and stakeholders gives increased confidence in getting future services right for your area.

12. Needs Assessment • Data analysis • Consultation framework • Surveys completed based on national statement of expectations (service users, specialist providers stakeholders) • Consultation event and service user focus Groups

13. Local Knowledge The level of reported Domestic Abuse in Middlesbrough is very high, which places a huge burden on local resources • Significant impact on Safeguarding demand • Underlying cultural issue

14. Local VWAG Services

15. Commissioned Services • IDVA • Counselling Service • Crisis accommodation and support • DA Link Worker • Resettlement support • Therapeutic and Prevention programme for Children and Young People • Perpetrator Programme • BME Specialist Provision

16. Commissioning Good commissioning begins with an understanding that VWAG victims and survivors are expertise in their own lives and are integral to future design of services. They have unique knowledge and understanding and can contribute in a meaningful way.

17. Mapping Provision • Different elements of Domestic Abuse • Levels of need ( including unmet) • Pathways • Points of access to service • Duplication • Gaps in provision • Missed Opportunities • Value

18. Unreported / Unrecognized • Data sets of those identified as at high risk from domestic abuse still show relatively low numbers of people with health and social care needs. • Underreported or recognised than in the general population.

19. Statutory Responsibilities • MBC Legal Obligations Care Act 2014 • Make or cause enquiries to be made if it believes an adult is risk of experiencing abuse or neglect • Prevent care and support needs arising from domestic abuse • Information about service available prevent abuse and safeguard themselves

20. Safeguarding, domestic abuse and carers • Care act defines a carer as someone who ‘provides or intends to provide care for another adult’ • LA has a statutory duty to assess a carer support needs. This is currently provided by Carers Together

21. Safeguarding, domestic abuse and carers • Carers may cause harm through abuse or neglect of person they care for • They may be caused harm by the person they care for • Or they maybe observers / reporters of harm by others

22. Safeguarding, domestic abuse and carers • Some people with care and support needs might be intentionally abusive to their carers. • Others may not have capacity to choose to be abusive or their disability / health needs may cause abusive behaviour.

23. Safeguarding, domestic abuse and carers • Potential for domestic abuse in caring relationship tends to be greater when the carer is a partner or close relative and where the carer is trying to support a relative with problematic substance misuse.

24. Alert to Situations Where there is harmful intent on the part of the carer and/ or where unintentional harm is having serious impact on persons well being.

25. Support and Intervention Support to address DA should be offered if abuse is causing carers physical and or mental health to deteriorate or is preventing them caring for another adult. The carer may feel unable to leave or seek help because they are concerned about leaving person they care for with perpetrator or fear about caring for them alone.

26. DA Prevention • Identifying Abuse • Enabling and encouraging Disclosure • Assessments • Respect client autonomy, • Help them plan for future safety, • Overcome isolation • Help them make informed decisions

27. Alerts : Abuse towards Carer • Engages in abusive or aggressive behaviours • History of substance misuse or unusual offensive behaviours • Does not understand actions or impact on carer • Angry about situation and seeks to punish others for it

28. Alerts : Abuse towards Carer • Relationship unsatisfactory • Communication difficult • Health and social care needs exceed carers ability to meet them • Does not consider need of carer • Rejects help and support from outside • Refuses to be left alone day or night • Has control over finances / property living arrangements

29. Alerts : Carer as abuser • Unmet or unrecognised needs of their own and they themselves are vulnerable • Lack of understanding of person care and support needs • Unwillingly had to change lifestyle • Are not receiving practical or emotional help • Sought help and support did not meet thresholds

30. Overlapping Issues • Requested help but problems not solved • Feel unappreciated by person caring for or exploited by family or services • Feeling emotionally and socially isolated undervalued or stigmatised • Have other responsibilities such as work / family • No personal or private space outside of caring environment

31. Pressures • The perpetrator might be elderly or have health needs of their own • Conditions that lead to violence • Transitions of care • Medication • Is criminal justice response appropriate

32. Challenges • The Distinction between intentional harm and unintentional harm • Some actions carers arise due to lack of coping skills and/ or unmet care and support needs • Others may be intentional • May use needs of victim as a way to establish power and control ‘you wont cope without me’

33. Challenges • Under recognised by health and social care professionals – low disclosure rate • Barriers to reporting , dependency , traditional views on marriage / gender roles, • Prolonged abuse makes it difficult to access help • Assumptions about age leads to missed opportunities

34. Challenges • Health and mobility issues might affect victim ability to access services • Might have limited eligibility for housing legal or financial support – leaving might have costly care costs or accommodation which is adapted might not be available • The victim might be reluctant to leave or have complex needs which prevent them from doing so

35. Challenges • Victim might have inability to understand acts as abusive • Multiple carers • Habitual submission to authority • The abuser is the adult child or grandchild • Less likely to report – feel torn as want them to get help. Blame themselves

36. Challenges • DA services are they the right service to support. Experience and understanding of challenges a carer might face could be limited • Does Domestic abuse describe situation. Do they see themselves in the stories of DA specialist services

37. Recommendations • DA referrals should be considered but not always appropriate referral. If DA identified often requires different approach. Better to assess needs of adult and carer and ensure provision of extra support. • Assessments for carers which address their own mental health needs and ensures they are not placing themselves and/ or cared for person at risk

38. Recommendations • Alongside work with victim look for support services for a vulnerable perpetrator • Speak to DA services about experience with particular examples/ cases. • Build strong partnerships with services carer or client is using • Share information where appropriate – and maintain contact / visit at home

39. Recommendations • Drop in sessions at safe places they can easily access • Face to face communication – meets needs • Access to accommodation re adapted • Access to information advice and guidance , re elderly / disability

40. Recommendations • Strategies to be developed ‘ carers aware’ • Professionals need to develop response to carers in line with Care Act 2014 • Friends and family or ‘informal networks’ hold vital information around the level of risk

41. Recommendations • Campaigns should be tailored to specific minority communities who may face multiple barriers when accessing services and support or raise awareness about the importance of third-party reporting.

42. Contact Details • Claire Moore 01642 728691 claire_moore@Middlesbrough.gov.uk Stakeholder Survey http: consult.middlesbrough.gov.uk/portal/da stakeholder