Agenda item

1.    Ms Agyepong, Ms Annan-Veitch and Ms Westlake introduced the report which set out the Council’s new responsibilities under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and its progress against these new duties.  These new responsibilities included the creation of a Local Partnership Board, commissioning activity in relation to accommodation-based services and the publication of a Domestic Abuse Strategy by October 2021.  The Council had been allocated over £3.1m in new funding for 2021/22 in relation to the new statutory responsibilities under the Act and the progress being made on proposals to use the new funding effectively and compliantly through the Kent Integrated Domestic Abuse Service (KIDAS) was highlighted.

2.    Ms Agyepong, Ms Annan-Veitch and Ms Westlake responded to questions and comments from the committee, including the following:

(a)  asked whether funding and support followed a person who was placed outside of Kent, Ms Westlake said under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 each tier 1 local authority had their own allocation of funding and a duty to help survivors fleeing Kent who required support in safe accommodation.  Communication with neighbouring authorities was taking place to promote geographic equitability;  

(b)  asked about accessibility and what was being done to reach out to survivors of domestic abuse, Ms Westlake said the KIDAS providers were proactive in raising awareness and there were numerous ways in which survivors could access support, for example, through telephone, text, email, or website.  Safe contact routes were used following a referral;

(c)  asked how Members could help in raising awareness Ms Westlake said she would contact Members regarding the communication plan across Kent and Medway so that Members could share information within their areas.  Ms Agyepong added that the Local Partnership Board had recommended that Members be provided with more insight and Officers were preparing a briefing to take place in due course;

(d)  asked whether support networks were available for men, Ms Westlake said the KIDAS offer of support was inclusive and meeting the needs of a diverse range of survivors.  Support was tailored to individual needs and there were specialist Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVA) workers for male and LGBT survivors;

(l)    asked whether family pets of survivors could be accommodated, Ms Westlake said this depended on the refuge and other residents.  KIDAS providers were currently liaising with the Dogs Trust to see what arrangements could be made for pets of domestic abuse survivors.  Members offered their support in this regard and Ms Westlake would make contact;

(e)  asked how survivors of domestic abuse could seek help, Ms Westlake said the Ask for ANI scheme with pharmacies enabled survivors to ask for help in a discreet way and a response system had been set up in covid testing and vaccination sites.  The need for a national or Kent and Medway scheme with a recognisable sign or logo was discussed. Ms Agyepong said she would take this forward with the Communication Group to look at how this could be progressed and would feed back to Members.

Ms Annan-Veitch said as part of the partnership work there was a Partnership and Social Media Communications Group which focussed on a consistent message and brand, providing clear messaging across the partnership.  Ms Westlake said posters were available and she would send these to Members;

(f)    asked whether signposting was available in schools Ms Agyepong said the obligations under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 sat alongside the safeguarding obligations of the Council and schools were being briefed and updated within the broader safeguarding offer; and 

(g)  asked why survivors were often forced to move away from their homes, Ms Annan-Veitch said most survivors stay in their homes and most perpetrators were not prosecuted making it hard to find routes to force them out of the family home.  Perpetrator programmes were in the process of being developed with the intention of reducing abusive behaviours. Ms Westlake said the Sanctuary scheme fell within the definition of safe accommodation and there was current scoping, working closely with police and local districts and boroughs, to enable survivors to remain in their own homes with enhanced security measures.

3.    It was RESOLVED that the progress in relation to the Domestic Abuse agenda be noted, with thanks.