DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE:        Voluntary Programmes for Men  Support Services for Women  DVPP as a Contact Activity DV Assessments for        Family Courts What is domestic abuse  Impact Family Services consider Domestic Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional and /or other abuse that occurs between current or former partner The abuse can occur in same sex relationships and to men by women, but........ The overwhelming majority of domestic violence is experienced by women, perpetrated by men and witnessed by children  Impact Family Services is a partner agency in the South Tyneside Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programme (STDAPP), a voluntary programme for men who acknowledge they have behaved abusively in their intimate relationships and want to change.  STDAPP is a virtual team made up of staff from Barnardo’s Streetlevel Family Services and Impact Family Services.  Both organisations have been involved since the early stages of design in 2005, along with Northumbria Police, Health, Probation and the Local Authority. The programme was launched in September 2006. STDAPP is accredited by Respect, the regulatory body for setting standards for perpetrator programmes. STDAPP is a voluntary programme for male perpetrators of domestic abuse. Our organisation recognises the links between domestic abuse and family breakdown and the impact this also has on children’s development and emotional well-being. Working with partner agencies across South Tyneside Impact Family Services is part of a co-ordinated response to address the needs of families affected by domestic abuse by: Supporting male perpetrators of domestic abuse (DA) affect change so they gain an understanding of the impact of DA, have healthier, equal relationships & be responsible parents. Contributing towards the safety & well being of women so they are not exposed to domestic abuse, resulting in increased confidence, decreased isolation, enhanced parenting, respectful relationships. Improving lives of children, removing the need for child protection plans & allowing them to enjoy childhood & reach their full potential in life  For more information regarding STDAPP visit our website:  www.stdapp.org.uk  For women living in South Tyneside who would like support, advice or guidance because of domestic abuse in a relationship (whether they remain with their partner or not) you can contact Options for a confidential service.  Their telephone number is: 0191 4567577  Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programme as a Contact Activity: The Children and Adoption Act 2006 enables courts to order parents to attend activities to help them improve or maintain contact with their children (Contact Activities). The Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programme (DVPP) supports parents in addressing their abusive behaviour and helps them to improve their relationships, without violence. Successful completion of a DVPP may assist the court in the consideration of future contact between the parent and their child.   The Department for Education (DfE) is working in partnership with the Children & Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) to build provision of Contact Activities across England. Providers have been delivering Contact Activities since December 2008,   Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes are designed for use where Domestic Violence has been identified as a concern related to a Family Proceedings case. DVPP provides a group programme for men to develop their skills and understanding enabling them to: Improve their relationship to their ex-partner and current partner Ensure their use of violence and abusive behaviour towards a partner is not repeated Develop safe, positive parenting Increase their awareness of themselves and the effect of the domestic violence on their ex-partner and children Resolve conflicts in intimate relationships none abusively DVPP groups are between 8-12 men, available outside working hours and last for between 2 and 2.5 hours per session. Attendance on the programme will be once a week and continue for around 6 months.  Every DVPP will have a parallel service that supports partners and ex-partners at risk from domestic violence and this service will be offered to the partner and ex-partner of any man assessed for the DVPP. The DVPP will report back on attendance, participation and significant changes in risk during the man’s attendance and at the end of the programme.  The DVPP course is free to any participants ordered to attend by court. This is only funded for cases in Private Law. STDAPP is now an approved provider of DVPP as a Contact Activity Order and works in partnership with Options to provide the women’s support service. DV Assessments for Family Courts: Impact Family Services have a team of experienced and qualified professionals that can provide domestic violence risk assessments to assist those managing cases to identify strategies for risk management in relation to child contact in private law. They can make recommendations that address the risks in different levels of contact, risks in changes in levels of contact, exit strategies for supervised / supported contact progression and prognosis and what needs to happen for reduction of risk. In cases where either Cafcass or the court believe that they do not have a full picture of the domestic violence risks and so no consideration of the viability of contact that is safe and positive for the child is yet possible: • Where there has been domestic violence post-separation, particularly at contact handovers • Where levels of hostility, conflict and fear need to be more fully understood and addressed before contact should be positively considered by the court • Where there are uncertainties about the extent, severity and nature of the domestic violence in particular where it appears to be escalating • Where there are significant concerns that the child will be at risk of further exposure to domestic violence if contact takes place • Where there is a complex pattern of intersecting risk concerns e.g. history of violence, substance misuse, non-violent criminal activity, and mental health concerns etc   Process of a full domestic violence risk assessment If the court accepts a recommendation that a full risk assessment should be undertaken, the court papers (plus criminal records and all police intelligence where these are held by the court) will be released to Impact Family Services who will then undertake a comprehensive review of static, variable and situational risks. Full domestic violence risk assessments will normally take up to 10 weeks from receipt of the court bundle and completed referral. The following areas are explored: ·        history of domestic violence and the possible impact on the child ·        likelihood of further exposure of the child to abusive behaviour ·        parents’ understanding of the impact of the domestic violence on the children ·        range of other factors that may have contributed to domestic violence risks ·        motivation for seeking contact The assessment includes work with the victim using the CAADA-DASH Risk Identification Checklist (RIC) by an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor and where appropriate work with the children by an experienced Social Worker. The final report will include the assessor’s views on the likelihood for further abuse specifically in relation to child contact and will recommend ways to reduce this and other risks.   The Team: The team consists of Hazel Hedley, Social Worker and Chief Executive; Steve Eales, Family Support Manager; Lisa Arnell, Social Worker/Senior Practitioner and Sharon Kane Women’s Support Work and Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA).  They all have experience of direct work with domestic violence perpetrators and victims within a treatment setting and working with families via a full range of contact options. They all have knowledge of risk assessment methodology and the capacity to apply findings from the research literature to the specifics of the individual case.  Funding of full domestic violence risk assessment: The cost of providing a domestic violence risk assessment report is £2500 plus VAT. (£3000) The Legal Services Commission (LSC) may fund full domestic violence risk assessments where the applicant for the contact is in receipt of legal aid and the court requests this in order to assist it in reaching a decision as to the possibility of contact in the case before them. Only the LSC can give ‘prior authority’ to ensure that the costs will be paid out of the limited Community Legal Service Fund on behalf of the legally aided/publicly funded client.     Applicants not in receipt of legal aid/public funding Applicants who are self-funding will need to fund their own full domestic violence risk assessment. Costs cannot be shared or passed on to any other party’s funding/legal aid certificate.