APPENDIX 17
Memorandum submitted by Cotswold District
Council
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Gloucestershire Coordinated
Community Response to Domestic Abuse (CCR) is committed to helping
prevent domestic abuse, improving the support and protection for
victims and their children and bringing perpetrators of crime
to justice across Gloucestershire.
1.2 The partners of the CCR
include: Health, Gloucestershire County Council, Police, Probation,
Crown Prosecution Service and the six Local Authorities as well
as representatives from the voluntary sector.
1.3 As part of the CCR and
in order to improve performance in relation to BVPI 225, Cotswold
District Council has actively participated in the County Domestic
Violence Strategic Forum as well as developing local domestic
abuse services with local partners and stakeholders.
2. BACKGROUND
2.1 Cotswold District is a
large rural authority covering over 450 square miles. The issue
of providing services that meet the needs of both the people in
the North and South of the district remains a challenge. In recent
years the profile of domestic abuse been an increasing priority
in the district.
2.2 In response to the rising
awareness of the prevalence of domestic abuse, the Cotswold Domestic
Abuse Forum was originally set up in 2000.
2.3 In 2002 Cotswold District
Council developed a three unit Women's refuge in Cirencester.
However, whilst the refuge was a valuable asset, the lack of additional
revenue funding available through Supporting People meant that
it was not possible to develop any of the other domestic abuse
services which partners and stakeholders had identified, and therefore
the number of women who could be assisted and supported was minimal.
Furthermore, the shared accommodation aspect of the refuge was
not popular and in their exit interviews a significant number
of clients commented that this was part of the reason why they
chose to leave and find alternative accommodation or return to
their partners.
2.4 Through the work of the
Cotswold Domestic Abuse Forum and the backing of Supporting People
it was agreed that a remodelling of the service was appropriate
and timely.
2.5 To that end the refuge
was closed down and the money was diverted to the Cotswold Women's
Service, which opened in April 2007. This service provides outreach
and support to Women across the district and to date has received
32 referrals and provided support to 17 women. Cotswold Women's
Service is supplemented by two further projects:
3. SANCTUARY
SCHEME
3.1 This project has been
jointly funded by the District Council, Safer Cotswolds and the
Police and makes Women's homes more secure by undertaking building
works that make it difficult for unwanted visitors to gain access
to the property. This may include new lock, stronger doors, security
lighting etc. Since the project started in April 2007 the scheme
has assisted three women, enabling them to remain in their own
homes and avoid homelessness.
4. COTSWOLD
VIRTUAL REFUGE
4.1 In partnership with Fosseway
Housing Association it has been agreed that 4 self contained properties
at any one time will be provided for Women fleeing domestic abuse.
The Women will receive support from Cotswold Women's Service whilst
they are in the properties and if accepted as homeless will have
the opportunity to remain in the property or will be assisted
to bid for other properties in the district (through Choice Based
Lettings) or helped to find alternative accommodation out of district
if they so choose. The property is then either reused by another
woman or if the client has remained, the property is replaced
by another.
4.2 The advantages of this
scheme are that because the women have a self contained property
the anonymity of their address is maintained to a much higher
degree, also the composition of the family is not an issue (ie
if there teenage boys in the family). In addition the properties
can be made secure through the use of the Sanctuary Scheme.
4.3 Gloucestershire Supporting
People have recently acknowledged that there is still a need for
refuge provision in the County but they are also interested in
the progress of the Cotswold Outreach and Virtual Refuge scheme
and may consider using it in other parts of the County.
4.4 A working group from the
multi agency Cotswold Domestic Abuse Forum helps to oversee the
work of these projects and is able to identify gaps in service
for the wider forum to consider.
4.5 The following action and
evidence focuses on current and planned work for Cotswold District
both locally and as part of the wider County Domestic Abuse Strategic
Forum:
5. PUBLIC
EDUCATION AND
AWARENESS-RAISING
— Car park ticket campaign.
80,000 car park tickets are to be distributed across Cotswold
District during November and December 2007, advertising local
domestic abuse services on the back of the ticket (this is the
second time this campaign has been run).
— Local radio interviews (Corinium
Radio broadcasting to Cirencester) to raise awareness of domestic
abuse and the services available (the interview will coincide
with the domestic abuse awareness week in the south west)
— An awareness raising session
with the local GP forum, encouraging GP's to signpost to the Cotswold
Women's Service.
— Multi agency awareness raising
training for relevant partner agencies in the Cotswolds.
— Local domestic abuse information
leaflets produced and distributed across the district.
— Links made to county and regional
campaigns including the South West domestic abuse awareness week.
6. POLICE
POWERS AND
LEGAL PROTECTION
FOR VICTIMS
— Introduction of Multi Agency
Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC).
This is a Police led initiative in Gloucestershire,
with a focus on identifying and supporting victims at the highest
risk in order to prevent serious harm.
— MARAC training for relevant
members of the Cotswold Domestic Abuse Forum.
— Cotswold Women's Service will
signpost and support women to obtain legal assistance.
7. CRIMINAL
AND CIVIL
JUSTICE PROCESSES,
INCLUDING THE
SPECIALIST DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE COURT
PROGRAMME
— Introduction of the Gloucestershire
Specialist Domestic Violence Court Programme.
— Use of police risk assessment
MARAC process to identify and support victims identified at high/very
high risk of harm.
— IDVA funding to supporting
victims as witnesses through the Criminal Justice Programme (currently
there is only funding for one post for the whole county).
— Cotswold Women's Service is
supporting women whilst they obtain non molestation orders and
occupation orders.
8. SUPPORT
FOR VICTIMS,
INCLUDING FINANCE
AND REFUGE
SERVICES
— Cotswold Women's Service are
able to support Women in a variety of ways including helping them
with benefit claims and helping them to explore their housing
options.
— Virtual refuge and sanctuary
available to Women in the Cotswolds.
— Weekly domestic abuse support
group for women held in the Cotswolds.
— Potential to use the CAF when
rolled out across the county as part of the Change for Children
Programme.
9. PERPETRATOR
PROGRAMMES
— IDAP countywide scheme linked
to county sentence programme.
— A steering group has recently
formed with the aim to develop a community based perpetrators
programme closely focused on children and young people, working
in partnership with the Police MARAC process and Safeguarding
Children's Board.
10. MULTI
AGENCY APPROACHES
AND WHAT
BARRIERS EXIST
TO THEIR
EFFECTIVE OPERATION
— Quarterly meetings of the
Cotswold Domestic Abuse Forum.
— Regular meetings of virtual
refuge/sanctuary sub group.
— Regular meetings of the County
strategic forum and associated sub groups.
10.1 The partnerships that
have been developed in the Cotswolds have been productive mainly
due to a commitment from the relevant agencies to deliver the
services that meet the needs of the clients.
10.2 However, there are still
a number of outstanding barriers and gaps both locally and across
the county which have been identified, these include:
— The increasing number of cases
of women with duel diagnosis (eg women with a mental health problem
or drug/alcohol problem). The high support required, makes it
difficult to accommodate these clients and provide enough support
to enable them to maintain their accommodation. Work needs to
continue with other existing Supporting People funded services
to ensure cross provider support is provided for complex cases.
— The CCR is continuing to work
with the Children and Young People Directorate to develop support
within the refuges and virtual refuge for Children.
— There is a lack of recognition
of virtual refuges within the BVPI 225.
1 October 2007
| 
