Committee details

Select Committee Report

Terms of Reference and Scope for the review

(1)       To investigate breaking the vicious cycle and impact of domestic abuse in Kent, focusing on equitable access to support for victims and the efficacy of perpetrator programmes in reducing repeat victimisation and repeat offending:

·               Types and stereotypes -  incidence of abuse (including female perpetrators, abuse within same-sex relationships, younger people in relationships, people with learning disabilities, people with mental ill-health, abuse of older persons by spouse/child)

·               Provision of Healthy Relationship work in schools

·               Access to services – reaching vulnerable groups, postcode lottery

·               Sustainability of support/resourcing of front-line services

·               Perpetrator programmes – effectiveness/evaluation/different models

·               Civil and legal remedies and the role of Specialist DV Courts

·               Relationship between substance misuse and incidence of domestic abuse

(2)       To examine co-ordination and collaboration within and between statutory and voluntary agencies, with a particular focus on delivering efficient services and maximising safety while reducing negative impacts of organisational change in key organisations.

·               New structures for early intervention work in Children’s Services – inter-agency referral processes, thresholds and responses, family interventions (contact issues)

·               Risk assessment, Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) capacity and referral pathways for medium and standard risk domestic abuse cases

·               Information sharing and communication between agencies

·               Domestic Abuse Multi-agency One Stop Shops

·               New policing model (Changes to Public Protection Unit/no specialist DV Officers)

·               Training and awareness (domestic abuse/safety) among front-line workers

(3)       To make recommendations for Kent County Council and partner organisations (having explored funding options and feasibility) in order to improve outcomes for, and reduce long term damage to, individuals and families affected by domestic abuse.

·               Explore funding options for any recommendations, within the timetable for the review taking account of KCC commissioning and voluntary sector funding