Safe Newcastle Domestic Violence Strategy - Newcastle City Council

Better Lives, 

Stronger Communities. 

Newcastle Domestic Violence 

and Abuse Reduction Strategy 

2006-2008

1) Introduction and Aims – page 2 

2) Executive Summary – page 4 

3) Understanding Domestic Violence and Abuse – page 6 

4 ) Context of Domestic Violence Nationally – page 8 

5) Context of Domestic Violence and Abuse in Newcastle – page 10 

6) Current Activity – page 14 

7) Governance and Accountability Structures – page 22 

8) Strategy Development – page 24 

9) Performance Management and Implementation – page 25 

10) Glossary – page 26 

Appendix 1 

Appendix 2 

Appendix 3 – Action Plan (separate document) 

Newcastle Domestic Violence And Abuse Strategy

Foreword 

Who experiences domestic abuse? 

Domestic abuse is not limited to any particular 

type of person or relationship. Anyone can 

experience domestic abuse. 

Research evidence indicates that the majority of 

domestic violence is abuse of women by men, 

but domestic abuse also occurs in same-sex 

relationships, in heterosexual relationships when 

As men members are abused of Safe by women Newcastle, and inwe caring fully and 

support other family and relationships, endorse the Newcastle for example Domestic when 

Violence grown upand children Abuse useReduction violence against Strategy their 

2006-2008. 

parents. Lack of relevant research means that 

much less is known about these forms of 

We domestic would abuse. urge everyone to read the strategy, 

to discuss it and to sign up to being a part of the 

implementation Acknowledging that process. domestic abuse affects a 

range of people does not diminish the experience 

Why? of heterosexual women survivors/victims. 

The Domestic issue of abuse domestic also affects violence those and people of abuse who 

within are not relationships being directly is abused. a clear priority It harms for children, the city of 

Newcastle damages family upon relationships Tyne. and causes 

Domestic friendships violence to breakand down. abuse Thewithin costsrelationships 

to the 

has survivor a significant and those impact around upon them the are lives extensive. of children 

and Victims families and survivors from all social, do not religious, want to be and abused, cultural 

groups. nor do they actively seek out violent partners and 

The people, impact but of perpetrators domestic violence are sometimes and abuse skilled 

affects at identifying everyone. people who may be vulnerable. 

With Domestic the introduction abuse is experienced of a best value differently performance 

indicator, according all toservices gender, whether age, ethnicity statutory, race, private, 

voluntary social class, or independent religion or sexual will have identity. to work Societal 

together oppression to tackle and discrimination, domestic violence such as and sexism, abuse. 

Our racism effectiveness and homophobia will be monitored make harder and for 

evaluated. victims andThis survivors opportunity to protect should themselves not be or 

underestimated. 

get support and therefore make it easier for 

perpetrators to get away with using violence. 

far left 

Chief Supt Chris Machell 

Northumbria Police 

Acting Chair of Safe Newcastle 

left 

Who commits domestic violence? 

Jacqui There Sirs is no typical perpetrator. Just as anyone can 

Assistant Director of Children’s 

Services become Barnardo’s a victim North of East domestic abuse, so 

perpetrators come from a range of social 

backgrounds, can be men or women, heterosexual, 

right lesbian or gay. Research shows that most 

Danny Ruta 

perpetrators of domestic violence are men. 

Acting Director of Public Health 

Newcastle Primary Care Trust 

Perpetrators choose to use systematic violence 

We against want others to implement because the they strategy have learnt in a way that that this 

makes enablesit them clear to maintain everyone their in Newcastle control. that they 

have Perpetrators a part to make play in amaking conscious a difference. decision to abuse 

people; it does not happen because they are out of 

We control want or to because provide hope, they are safety, provoked. and justice to 

all affected by domestic violence and abuse. 

We Links also between want to be Child more Abuse aspirational in our 

approach, and Domestic which Violence means we want to prevent 

domestic There is aviolence strong link from between happening childin abuse the first and 

place. domestic This violence will mean: which is now firmly 

acknowledged and embedded in the Government’s 

• Changing public attitudes and supporting 

approach to safeguarding children. Research 

safer communities 

demonstrates that children and young people can 

• be Working negatively with affected young people by domestic on respect violence within in all 

aspects relationships of their lives, however service responses 

are inconsistent and frequently fail to address 

• Providing help for victims of domestic violence 

children’s needs. Statistics show that 75% of child 

and abuse as early as possible 

protection registrations result from children 

• experiencing Developing explicit or witnessing support domestic for children violence. who On 

both experience a national domestic and a local violence level, and we know abuse that 

• serious Preventing injuryperpetrators death occur re-offending as a consequence by holding of 

domestic them accountable violence. for their actions 

We Theare Adoption confident andthat Children if we work Act 2002 together established flexibly 

and thatcreatively, children suffer if we harm are clear as aabout resulthow of witnessing the issue 

of violence domestic andviolence abuse. The and Children abuse fits Act within 2002 our 

respective imposes new agendas dutiesand on Local priorities Authorities and if we totake 

ensure 

responsibility local cooperation for implementing to improve wellbeing, the actions make 

contained arrangements in the tostrategy safeguard we children can make and a to 

difference. improve information sharing. 

Chief Supt Chris Machell 


Acting Chair of Safe Newcastle 

Jacqui Sirs 

Assistant Director of Children’s 

Services Barnardo’s North East 

Danny Ruta 

Acting Director of Public Health 

Newcastle Primary Care Trust 


1. Introduction 

and Aims 

Domestic violence is a serious social and criminal 

problem that accounts for almost a quarter of all 

violent crime and has significant human and 

financial consequences for individuals, families, 

communities and society as a whole. 

The Newcastle Domestic Violence and Abuse 

Partnership (NDVAP) will deliver through 

partnership a coherent and effective response 

which provides hope, safety and justice to all those 

affected by domestic violence. The NDVAP will 

also seek to ensure that a cultural change in 

relation to domestic violence takes place and 

that the prevention of domestic violence is given 

the highest priority. The NDVAP commits to the 

continuation of this work until domestic violence 

is eradicated. 

The Aims of this Strategy are: 

– To prevent abuse through education and 

awareness raising 

– To improve the protection and safety of victims/ 

survivors of domestic violence and their children 

– To hold perpetrators to account and to provide 

a range of responses which increase the safety 

of victims and their children 

– To ensure appropriate, accessible services are 

provided to all victims of domestic violence 

– To raise awareness of the scope and nature of 

domestic violence in Newcastle via training and 

campaigning 

– To ensure the domestic violence strategy 

maintains and develops complementary links 

to other relevant strategies at both national and 

local levels 

– To ensure that Newcastle has an effective 

partnership structure which allows the delivery 

of the objectives of the strategy through a 

coordinated response 

This strategy will focus on successful outcomes 

through rigorous data collection and performance 

management. 

2 Newcastle Domestic Violence And Abuse Strategy

Victims Voices 

Peter, Father of three, 

contacted the Domestic 

Violence Protection 

Project after suffering 

domestic violence in 

silence for four years. 

“She woke me up by hitting me. I have a laceration 

to my neck, then she spat in my face. I don’t feel 

well at all. She has burnt my face with a kettle. I 

want her kept away from us. I can’t go anywhere 

looking like this. I’ve had enough of life now. There 

is just no point in it.” 

Intervention 

A Victim Support worker tried to telephone Peter 

several times but there was no answer. She then 

contacted the police and together they went to 

Peter’s home. They found Peter very distressed 

and confused. A risk assessment confirmed he 

was a ‘high risk’ victim. The Victim Support worker 

sat down with Peter and worked out a safety plan. 

Support was provided to help Peter move out of 

his home. 

After 

“I would like to thank you for your phone call 

yesterday and the relief that at last someone 

believes me. Having someone to help me has 

brought tears of joy to me that I haven’t had for 

many years. Thank you for that and I will see you 

soon, there’s so much I need to tell you.” 


2. Executive 

Summary 

This is Newcastle’s first ever stand alone domestic 

violence strategy, effective from September 2006 

to March 2008. 

The strategy has been developed by the Newcastle 

Domestic Violence and Abuse Partnership 

(NDVAP), which brings together all key agencies 

who provide services and responses to victims 

of domestic violence. 

All agencies included in the partnership are 

committed to working pro-actively to safeguard 

adults and children and indeed whole communities 

from harm due to domestic violence. 

The partnership believes that multi-agency 

working is the most effective way to prevent 

domestic violence occurring and to reduce the 

impact on victims and their children. 

This strategy identifies and outlines the actions to 

be undertaken by the Newcastle Domestic Violence 

and Abuse Partnership in order to improve services 

for all victims of domestic violence regardless of 

age, gender, race, colour, nationality or ethnic origin, 

disability, faith, marital status, family circumstances, 

sexual orientation or class. 

Our priorities are organised into 3 main challenges: 

• Prevention 

• Protection 

• Provision 

Prevention: 

Domestic violence is a serious and pervasive 

human right issue. Our aim is to work towards a 

future in which all forms of domestic violence are 

considered unacceptable. 

Protection: 

Domestic violence is both a social and, in some cases 

criminal problem. Our aim is to safeguard victims 

by increasing their choices and improving both the 

civil and criminal justice systems in Newcastle. 

Provision: 

Domestic violence affects everyone. Services 

and responses need therefore to be appropriate 

for all victims. 


“From first meeting to 

present day, the Domestic 

Violence Protection 

Project has been a 

constant support and I 

truly believe them being 

there has helped me 

through my ordeal and 

I wouldn’t have been 

strong enough to keep 

myself going without 

them. Nothing was ever 

a problem, and I think 

the service provided is 

essential to help people 

to see the light at the end 

of the tunnel and making 

sure these crimes are 

brought to justice.” 

Karen, Newcastle 


3. Understanding 

Domestic Violence 

andAbuse 

What is Domestic Violence and Abuse? 

Defining domestic violence has historically proved to 

be problematic. In 2005 the Government agreed a 

core definition of domestic violence as follows; 

“Any incident of threatening behaviour violence or 

abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or 

emotional) between adults who are or have been 

intimate partners or family members, regardless of 

gender or sexuality”. 

The Government also made explicit that such issues 

as forced marriage, female genital mutilation and 

honour killings are encompassed within this 

definition. 

In order to achieve consistency across all agencies 

and sectors, the Newcastle Domestic Violence and 

Abuse Partnership intends to adopt the 

Government’s definition. There are considerable 

benefits to be gained from a shared common 

definition, however the NDVAP additionally believe 

that in order to fully understand the complexities of 

domestic violence the following factors need also to 

be considered. 

Domestic violence is a systematic pattern of abuse 

that is committed within a current or non-current 

partner or family relationship. It is rarely a one off 

event. It includes a range of abusive behaviors that 

tend to escalate over time, and can occur in new 

relationships or after many years. 

Domestic violence includes, 

but is not limited to: 

Physical violence: for example 

Slapping, pushing, kicking, stabbing, damage to 

property or items of sentimental value, attempted 

murder or murder 

Sexual violence: for example 

Any non-consensual sexual activity, including rape, 

sexual assault, coercive sexual activity, or refusing 

safe sex 

Restricting freedom: for example 

Controlling whom you see or where you go, what 

you wear or what you do, stalking, imprisonment, 

forced marriage 

Emotional/psychological abuse: for example 

Intimidation, social isolation, verbal abuse, 

humiliation, constant criticism, enforced trivial 

routines 

Economic abuse: for example 

Stealing, depriving or taking control of money, 

running up debts, withholding benefits books or 

bank cards 


1 

British Crime Survey: 

England and Wales (2000) 

London: Home Office 

2 

Reder P and Duncan S (1999), 

Lost innocents. A follow-up study 

of fatal child abuse. 

London, Routledge. 

3 

Part 8 enquiries 

Why does domestic violence happen? 

Domestic violence happens because perpetrators 

choose to use abuse to exert and maintain power and 

control over another person or persons. The abuse 

continues when there are no negative consequences 

fortheperpetrator,ortheconsequences are not severe 

enough. Their choice to use violence is usually a 

significantly ingrained pattern of behavior. 

Victims and survivors find it hard to end the abuse 

because domestic violence is a crime that is often 

secret, difficult to accept and because they care 

about the perpetrator. They may also fear that telling 

someone about the abuse will make it worse. 

Other people who know about the abuse can 

sometimes, consciously or unconsciously, collude 

with the perpetrator and allow the pattern of abuse to 

continue. Friends, family or professionals can do this 

by minimising the abuse, refusing to believe the 

person who is being abused or saying that they 

deserve it. Doing nothing is also a form of collusion. 

Who experiences domestic violence? 

Domestic violence is not limited to any particular type 

of person or relationship. Anyone can experience 

domestic violence. 

Research evidence 1 indicates that the majority of 

domestic violence is abuse of women by men, but 

domestic violence also occurs in same-sex 

relationships, in heterosexual relationships when men 

are abused by women and in caring and other family 

relationships, for example when grown up children use 

violence against their parents. Lack of relevant 

research means that much less is known about these 

forms of domestic violence. 

Acknowledging that domestic violence affects a 

range of people does not diminish the experience 

of heterosexual women survivors/victims. 

Domestic violence also affects those people who are 

not being directly abused. It harms children, damages 

family relationships and causes friendships to break 

down. The costs to the survivor and those around 

them are extensive. 

Victims and survivors do not want to be abused, nor 

do they actively seek out violent partners and people, 

but perpetrators are sometimes skilled at identifying 

people who may be vulnerable. 

Domestic violence is experienced differently 

according to gender, age, ethnicity or race, social 

class, religion or sexual identity. Societal oppression 

and discrimination, such as sexism, racism and 

homophobia make it harder for victims and 

survivors to protect themselves or get support and 

therefore make it easier for perpetrators to get 

away with using violence. 

Who commits domestic violence? 

There is no typical perpetrator. Just as anyone can 

become a victim of domestic abuse, so perpetrators 

come from a range of social backgrounds, can be 

men or women, heterosexual, lesbian or gay. 

Research shows that most perpetrators of 

domestic violence are men. 

Perpetrators choose to use systematic violence 

against others because they have learnt that this 

enables them to maintain their control. Perpetrators 

make a conscious decision to abuse people; it does 

not happen because they are out of control or 

because they are provoked. 

Links between Child Abuse and Domestic 

Violence. 

There is a strong link between child abuse and 

domestic violence which is now firmly acknowledged 

and embedded in the Government’s approach to 

safeguarding children. Research demonstrates that 

children and young people can be negatively 

affected by domestic violence in all aspects of their 

lives, however service responses are inconsistent 

and frequently fail to address children’s needs. 

Statistics show that up to one third of child protection 

registrations result from children experiencing or 

witnessing domestic violence. On both a national 2 

and local level, 3 we know that serious injury or 

death occur as a consequence of domestic violence. 

The Adoption and Children Act 2002 established 

that children suffer harm as a result of witnessing 

violence and abuse. The Children Act 2002 imposes 

new duties on Local Authorities to ensure local 

cooperation to improve wellbeing, make 

arrangements to safeguard children and to improve 

information sharing. 

Domestic violence is also strongly identified within 

Every Child Matters: Change for Children 2004, the 

Government’s approach to the well being of children 

and young people, as a cause of vulnerability which 

has a negative impact across the five outcomes 

identified: 

– Be healthy 

– Stay safe 

– Enjoy and achieve 

– Make a positive contribution 

– Achieve economic well being 


4. Context of Domestic 

Violence Nationally 

Policy context driving the Newcastle agenda 

Domestic violence is a widespread social problem 

and criminal issue that causes huge amounts of 

suffering. Domestic violence has always existed in 

all social, geographical, religious and cultural 

groups. Until the 1970s domestic violence was 

viewed as a private matter and wide spread 

tolerance existed. 

4.1 Crime & Disorder Act 1998 

In recent years, the issue of domestic violence has 

received greater public and political attention at a 

national level. Home Office guidance, in the form 

of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, places an 

expectation on statutory Crime and Disorder 

Reduction Partnerships to identify the level of 

domestic violence in their area and to develop 

strategies to address it, as part of the wider 

reduction of crime strategy. 

4.2 Domestic Violence Crime & Victims Act 

In June 2003 the Government published its 

consultation document Safety and Justice, setting 

out its proposals to prevent domestic violence, 

improve support and protection for victims and 

bring more perpetrators to justice. From this 

came the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims 

Act published in December 2003 which includes 

the following measures: 

– Significant new police powers to deal with 

domestic violence include, making both common 

assault and breach of a non-molestation order an 

arrestable offence and extending the availability 

of restraining orders 

– Provision for an independent commissioner and 

a code of practice for victims of crime, and 

establishing a system to review homicides at 

a multi agency level, identifying lessons to 

be learnt 

– Strengthening the civil law on domestic violence 

so that cohabiting same sex couples have the 

same protection as heterosexual couples 

4.3 National Domestic Violence Reduction 

Delivery Plan 

Underpinning the commitment of the Government 

is a National Domestic Violence Reduction Delivery 

Plan focusing on 5 identified outcomes which the 

Government has committed to achieve. 

These are to: 

1) reduce the prevalence of domestic violence, 

particularly in relation to high incidence areas 

and/or communities 

2) increase the rate that domestic violence is 

reported, particularly in the high incidence areas 

and/or communities 

3) increase the rate of reporting of domestic 

violence and the number of offences that are 

brought to justice 


4) ensure that victims of domestic violence are 

adequately protected and supported 

5) reduce the rate of domestic violence related 

homicides 

These key outcomes will inform the outcomes of 

the Newcastle Domestic Violence and Abuse 

Reduction Strategy. 

4.4 BVPI 

In April 2005 the revised Best Value Performance 

Indicator, BVPI 225 (see appendix 1) came into 

force. Prior to the BVPI relating to domestic 

violence, local authorities measured only the 

number of refuge spaces provided and therefore 

did not reflect the wide range of strategic and 

operational activities that are needed to 

effectively tackle domestic violence. The 

purpose of the revised BVPI is to assess the 

overall provision and effectiveness of local 

authority services designed to help victims 

of domestic violence and to prevent further 

incidents. 

The development of this strategy has been 

informed by the following national strategies, 

legislation, guidance and policies. 

National: 

Forced Marriages Guidelines 

Female Genital Mutilation Act (2003) 

Children and Young People’s and Maternity Services 

National Services Framework 

Supporting Local Delivery 

Draft Children (Contact) Adoption Bill 2005 

CENTREX Guidance on Policing Domestic Violence 

Every Child Matters – Change for Children 2004 

Children’s Act 2004 

Working Together to Safe Guard Children 

Good Practice Guidance for Children who have 

witnessed Domestic Violence 

Green Paper ‘Parental Separation, Childrens’ Needs 

and Parent’s Responsibilities’ 

Crime and Disorder Act (1998), including Section 17 

Freedom of Information Act 2005 

Safety and Justice – sharing personal information 

in the context of domestic violence 


5. Context of 

Domestic Violence and 

Abuse in Newcastle 

5.1 The City of Newcastle upon Tyne 

Newcastle serves as the regional capital for a 

population of over two million people across North 

East England. Newcastle is also a local authority 

serving 266,000 people within its administrative 

boundary. 

Newcastle is a city of influence that exhibits the 

diversity of the region. It includes a lively city 

centre that provides entertainment, employment 

and commerce for people throughout the North 

East and visitors from around the country and 

beyond. The residents are diverse with affluent 

rural and semi-rural areas to the north and west 

and areas of significant deprivation in the east and 

inner west. Minority ethnic communities make up 

6.9 percent of the population. This proportion is 

higher among young people from minority ethnic 

groups who make up 10 percent of the school 

population. 

In the decade between 1991 and 2001 the 

population of Newcastle decreased by 5.6 

percent. The rate of decline peaked at an 

approximate loss of 1,900 people each year over 

the last five years of the decade. However, since 

2001 the indications are that population loss has 

stabilized with the latest mid-year estimates 

indicating a modest growth in population. More 

than two-fifths of the population live in the twelve 

wards that are among the 10 percent most 

deprived wards nationally and five wards are in 

the 1 percent most deprived. Falling population 

is both a symptom and a cause of Newcastle’s 

problems. In affluent areas of Newcastle there is 

a severe housing shortage and high house prices. 

This contrasts with large numbers of empty 

houses, high levels of long-term unemployment 

and low levels of educational attainment in the east 

and inner west areas. 

Life expectancy figures are below the national 

average with male life expectancy in 2001 being 

73.7 (England and Wales average 76) and female 

being 79.1 (England and Wales average 80.6). 

22 percent of people in Newcastle live with a long 

term limiting illness, as opposed to an England and 

Wales average of 18 percent. Teenage pregnancy 

rates are also 16.1 points higher than the England 

and Wales average – 59.9 per 1000; 15 to 17 year 

olds in Newcastle. 

Educational attainment overall is lower than the 

national average with nearly a third of Newcastle 

people having no qualifications, however progress 

is being made in this area and recent performance 

shows an encouraging uplift in attainment levels. 


1 

Incidents are recorded at the 

first point of contact, usually an 

emergency 999 call and telephone 

operators collect as much 

information as they can about the 

incident. Electronic data collection 

enables operators to identify repeat 

incidents and to flag outstanding 

court orders (assuming they have 

been entered on the system). 

Once the incident is resolved 

officers update the initial on-screen 

record reporting details using an 

11 points pro forma that covers 

the name, address, date of birth, 

ethnicity, details of the relationship, 

children, the incident and its 

outcomes. 

Local Evidence Base 

A number of agencies collect data relating to 

domestic violence and the specific services they 

offer, for example in 2004/05, 145 women were 

accepted by the Local Authority as homeless and 

in priority need because of domestic violence. 

However, Northumbria Police are currently the 

sole organisation operating across Newcastle 

that can be regarded as collecting and 

maintaining domestic violence incident data. 1 

In 2004/2005, 4422 incidents were reported 

to Northumbria Police. Increasing the cities 

evidence base of both the prevalence and nature 

of domestic violence is a key challenge. Current 

statistics demonstrate that there are significantly 

more recorded incidents of domestic violence in 

specific areas of the city, and services will be 

targeted accordingly. 

Local Strategies that informed the 

development of this strategy 

Supporting People 5 Year Commissioning 

Strategy 2005-06/2009-10 

“Sets out plans to commission and monitor 

accommodation and support services for the 

following groups, to help service users establish 

and maintain independent living.” 

– Homeless people, including homeless families 

– Offenders/ex offenders 

– Substance misusers, including drugs and 

alcohol 

– Women at risk of domestic violence 

– Young people at risk, young people leaving 

care 

– Refugees 

– People with a physical or sensory disability 

– People with mental health problems 

– People with learning disabilities 

– Travellers 

Newcastle City Council Strategic Housing 

Homelessness Strategy 2003 

This Strategy has five main themes: 

– Partnerships to prevent homelessness 

– Meeting Government aims 

– Good quality advice and support 

– Meeting accommodation needs and 

– Information, communication and training 

Newcastle City Council Race Equality Scheme 

(Draft) 2005 

Under its race equality objectives Newcastle City 

Council agrees to: 

– Challenge racism by our employees, other 

organisations and users of our services 

– Deal effectively and consistently with racial 

harassment and violence 

– Support campaigns and activities for achieving 

full equality for black and minority ethnic people, 

as employees of the City Council and as users 

of services in Newcastle City Council 

Northumbria Police Local Policing Plan 

In Newcastle Area Command, the policing 

priorities for 2005-06 were: 

– Citizen focus including addressing the needs of 

victims and witnesses 

– Reducing crime, focusing on criminal damage, 

burglary and violent crime 

– Investigating crime through improved 

intelligence gathering, and paying greater 

attention to and providing support for victims 

and witnesses 

– Promoting public safety with the Public 

Protection Unit focused on those who are 

particularly vulnerable 

– Providing assistance 

– Resource use 

These priorities are aligned with the National 

Policing Plan. 


5. Context of domestic violence 

and abuse in Newcastle continued 

Your Homes Newcastle, Delivery Plan 2006-07 

Two out of their seven stated strategic objectives 

are to: 

Increase choice and expand their business by: 

– delivering an expanded range of “added value” 

support services to tenants 

– attracting new customers for their core services 

– offering more choice to customers and potential 

customers by increased joint working with other 

agencies, particularly other housing providers 

through Your Choice Homes 

– offering a range of services that meet the 

changing needs of their tenants as they 

progress through the different stages of life 

– meeting the diverse range of needs that exist in 

the community and respond to new needs as 

they emerge 

Be responsible to the community by: 

– working with their tenants and other agencies to 

make the City a safer place to live 

– working to ensure that people from all the 

communities that live here find Newcastle to be 

a City that supports them and welcomes the 

contribution they make 

– providing vulnerable people with the support 

they need to live independently 

– being a good employer, bringing investment, 

training and jobs to the City 

– working with partners to maximise the social 

and economic well-being of tenants and 

leaseholders 

Newcastle’s Children and Young People’s 

Strategic Partnership: A Strategy for Newcastle’s 

Children and Young People 2004 

The main themes of this strategy are: 

– The rights of children and young people to have 

access to excellent public services 

– A commitment to end the social exclusion of 

young people by removing the negative effects 

of social exclusion on their development and the 

risk of becoming socially excluded as adults 

– That children and young people should have the 

choice to contribute to their local community, be 

heard and be valued as responsible citizens. 

The vision for children and young people 

is for them to: 

– Enjoy the best physical, emotional and spiritual 

health and development so that they feel good 

about themselves and their lives 

– Be safe and protected from harm within their 

families and communities 

– Be fulfilled, enjoying and achieving in all areas of 

their life – in particular education 

– Take part in all areas of their life 

– Live free from poverty and hardship 

North East Regional Resettlement Strategy; 

Government Office for the North East 2005 

– Enable a coordinated and integrated response to 

the resettlement and rehabilitation of offenders 

– Reduce the risk of harm to victims, communities 

and vulnerable groups 

– Contribute to the building of safer communities 

through the provision of effective programmes 

for offenders before, during and post custody 

– To play a part in the regeneration of the region by 

helping build safer communities 



6. Current Activity 

Newcastle is currently under performing in some 

of the key service provision areas which relate to 

domestic violence. Historically, services in 

Newcastle have developed without a strategic 

framework or commissioning process leading to 

responses that are in some cases of high quality 

but in most cases patchy and inconsistent. 

A recent audit commissioned by the Newcastle 

Domestic Violence Forum and published by the 

Community Safety Research Unit of Northumbria 

University (July, 2005) highlighted notable gaps in 

service provision which need to be urgently 

addressed. The recommendations identified that: 

i. A strategic partnership approach was essential 

to the delivery of improved responses in relation to 

domestic violence. 

ii. The Newcastle Domestic Violence and Abuse 

Partnership needs to establish a consistent 

approach to supporting victims, raise awareness 

of services and create a climate of non tolerance 

of domestic violence across Newcastle. 

iii. The partnership needs to address the following 

key challenges: 

– Appropriate support for victims, including those 

within the BME communities 

– Appropriate support for children who witness 

domestic violence and preventative work in 

schools and youth groups 

– Measures that challenge perpetrators of 

domestic violence, including the development of 

non-court mandated group work programmes 

– Suitable safe secure accommodation for victims, 

primarily women and their children 

In recognition of the need to improve responses 

to domestic violence, the Local Authority has 

demonstrated significant commitment to 

transforming the delivery of services and 

responses to those at risk due to domestic 

violence by taking a lead role in coordinating multiagency 

partnership and increasing the resources 

available. It is envisaged therefore that during the 

lifespan of this strategy Newcastle will dramatically 

improve both its responses to, and its services for, 

all those at risk due to domestic violence. 

6.1 The Full Circle Project (renamed Domestic 

Violence Protection Project) – partnership in 

service provision. 

The Full Circle Project is a multi-service 1 domestic 

violence advocacy and support project funded by 

the Neighborhood Renewal Fund (NRF). It has 

been in existence since April 2005 and is a 

collaboration between Victim Support, 

Northumbria Police, Womens Aid, Panah 

(BME Refuge) and Safe Newcastle. 

Workers from Victim Support are co-located with 

Domestic Violence Liaison Officers (DVLO’s) within 

the Public Protection Unit (PPU), Etal Lane. 

The project has a coherent strategy and policy 

steer, provided by a steering group. 

Aims and Objectives 

Aims 

The project aims to increase support to victims/ 

survivors of domestic violence by proactively 

supporting them at the earliest opportunity. 


Number 

Objectives 

– To provide a victim’s needs led support and 

advocacy service 

– To reduce the time spent on support activities 

by Domestic Violence Liaison Officers (DVLOs) 

and free up their time to concentrate on 

policing duties, including intelligence 

gathering and monitoring high risk victims 

– To increase the referrals made by frontline 

officers (via the 11 point plan, Appendix 2) and 

thereby increase referrals to the project 

– To reduce repeat victimisation 

– To increase the safety of victims 

– To improve positive criminal justice outcomes 

pursued by victims supported by the project 

– To improve confidence in the police, amongst 

agencies and victims in order to increase 

reporting of domestic violence. 

Impact of the Project 

Since the start of the project, there have been 

a total of 4366 incidents of domestic violence 

reported to the Police in Newcastle. Of these 

4366 incidents, a total of 634 referrals have 

been made to the Full Circle Project. 

The following graph illustrates the significant 

increase in the number of referrals made by 

Northumbria Police to Victim Support since the 

inception of the project. 

Figure 1.1 

50 2005 

45 2004 

40 

35 

30 

25 

20 

15 

10 

5 

0 

A M J J A S O N D 

Month 

The number of referrals increases significantly 

from July 05 onwards. This corresponds to the 

training of front line Police Officers by Victim 

Support. 

Figure 1.2 Nature of Support 

20% 

4% 

14% Housing 

17% 2% 

25% Solicitors 

14% 

4% 

Alarms 

Photographic evidence 

Courts process 

Court information 

Conpensation claims 

Unrecorded 

Conclusions 

Undoubtedly the Full Circle Project has had a 

significant impact in improving support to 

victims of domestic violence. Significantly 82% 

of victims supported by the project through the 

Criminal Justice System did not make 

retractions – The attrition rate of 18% is 

significantly lower than the figure of 44% as 

stated in “A joint inspection of the Investigation 

of Crime Involving Domestic Violence”. (2003, 

CPSI, HMIC). 

An interim independent review of the project 

revealed that the Full Circle adds value to the 

Police Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) and has 

increased community confidence in the Police. 

The Full Circle Project is an example of best 

practice as it is based upon national evidence 

about “What works” (Hester and Westmorland 

N. 2005). Currently the project is implementing 

an improvement plan, the primary aim of which 

is to ensure a more robust approach is taken to 

collecting data. 

1 

As Defined by Hester, and Westmorland, N, 2005 in their review of 

Domestic Violence Intervention projects. These projects have the aims of 

increasing initial domestic violence reporting, reduce repeat victimization, 

increase prosecutions, increase victims self-esteem, collect 

comprehensive data, develop multi-agency working and increase victim 

safety through the development of screening tools, outreach, crisis 

intervention, alarms, legal and court support & awareness raising. 


6. Current Activity continued 

6.2 The Health Contribution 

The involvement of health in tackling domestic 

violence is now written into governmental 

legislation. Most notable is the Crime and Disorder 

Act (1998) which has placed a statutory duty upon 

local authorities to convene partnerships for crime 

reduction and it is expected that health will be a 

statutory partner in reducing crime (along with the 

police and the local authority). 

“The Health Service is in a unique position to 

contribute to helping people who suffer violence at 

home get the support they need. Health services 

have a pivotal role to play in the identification, 

assessment and response to domestic violence, 

not only because of the impact of domestic 

violence on health, but crucially the health services 

may be the only point of contact with professionals 

who could recognise and intervene in the 

situation” (Domestic Violence: A resource manual 

for Health Care Professionals, 2000). The main 

focus of the health service response to domestic 

violence in Newcastle over the last 2 years has 

been in the implementation of routine and 

selection enquiry. 

Routine enquiry refers to asking all women (or 

as many as is safely possible) who are using a 

service, direct questions about their experience, 

of domestic abuse regardless of whether there 

are signs of abuse or whether abuse is suspected. 

Selective enquiry refers to asking direct questions 

to women only when there are signs of abuse or 

abuse is suspected. To date close to 300 staff 

have received training in Routine & Selective 

enquiry across a number of sites and services 

within or connected to the Health Service in 

Newcastle. 

The NDVAP plans to evaluate the effectiveness of 

routine and selective enquiry in the first year of this 

strategy. 

6.3 The Housing Contribution 

Strategic Housing Service 

Strategic Housing, Newcastle City Council 

coordinate the Housing Strategy and its associated 

partnerships. They are responsible for providing 

homelessness responses and providing 

emergency accommodation and support. 

During the lifetime of this strategy, Strategic 

Housing will ensure that the temporary 

accommodation needs of domestic violence 

clients will be considered in the appraisal of the 

options for replacing the Council’s temporary 

accommodation. Newcastle City Council 

recognises the need to improve the quality of 

temporary and refuge accommodation and to 

bring this in line with contemporary standards. 

Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) 

In managing over 32,000 properties on behalf of 

Newcastle City Council, YHN is the largest social 

housing provider in Newcastle. It has both stated 

policy and staff procedural guidance which clearly 

sets out what it hopes to achieve in relation to 

domestic violence. This is as a provider of services 

to the tenants and residents of Newcastle, as a 

supporter of organisations working in this field and 

as a large employer of over 700 staff. 

The main thrust of its policy is to contribute to a 

City wide approach that fosters a culture that is not 

just about moving people but is also about dealing 

with root causes and prevention, keeping people 

safe and resolving their problems and ensuring the 

areas in which people live are sustainable. 


The main themes covered by the staff guidance 

are around their duties and responsibilities in 

relation to: 

– Standards of service 

– Confidentiality and safety 

– Housing support and advice 

– Homeless prevention 

– Protecting those who are vulnerable 

– Monitoring and referral 

It also provides information about: 

– what a victim or a perpetrator can expect from 

YHN 

– staff training, support and contacts 

– interview guidance 

– forms for employee reporting, monitoring and 

Housing Advice Centre referral 

Some examples of the scope of their support activity: 

– a specific domestic violence clause is included in the 

tenancy agreement 

– providing in house Advice and Support workers 

– letting 212 out of the 3,597 lettings through Your Choice 

Homes in 2004/05 to victims of domestic violence, 97 of 

those were direct from the register without having to make 

a homeless application 

– providing staff domestic violence policy and guidance 

training linked to the safeguarding of children and 

vulnerable adults 

– providing Vulnerable Persons Community Alarms through 

their in house Community Care Alarm Service allowing 155 

victims of domestic violence to feel safer in their homes in 

2004/05 

– providing furnished tenancies and child safety equipment 

through their in house Newcastle Furniture Service 

– promoting same sex interviews and Interpreting services 

– including awareness training as part of the ongoing open 

training programme 

– ensuring that both the protection of staff victims and 

dealing with staff perpetrators is included in the Code of 

Conduct for employees 

– building the core skills needed to address domestic 

violence issues into the core competency framework for 

all YHN managers 

– specific policies and guidance around housing offenders 

– making sure staff have access to telephone counseling 

services either as victims or in their support role 

– operational staff representation on the Domestic violence 

forum 

– Management Team representation on the Domestic 

Violence and Abuse Partnership 

– electronic lone worker monitoring pilot 

– HASBET in house Police, Housing, Victim support 

Housing, Anti Social Behaviour and Enforcement Team 

– specific domestic violence clause in Modern Homes 

procurement contracts 

– branded public information leaflet in appropriate locations 

and information on web site 



6.4 Asylum seekers 

The Asylum Seekers Unit (ASU) is part of YHN and 

is a dedicated Charter Mark awarded team who 

work with a range of partners to provide 

accommodation and support to people who have 

claimed asylum and are dispersed to them by the 

Home Office. They are subject to a contract with 

the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) 

which is a section of the Home Office. Since 2002 

they have also operated the Refugee Move-on 

Service that aims to support those people in 

transition when they have had a Home Office 

decision on their asylum claim. 

The majority of ASU clients have no recourse to 

public funds in the generally accepted sense. 

Exceptions to this are clients of the Move-on Team 

as they have received a positive decision on their 

asylum application. There are also some clients 

who are supported via Social Services because 

they have needs above and beyond destitution. 

These people have been refused asylum but are 

unable to return to their country of origin at the 

present time. 

NASS have a policy on domestic violence that the 

ASU must adhere to as part of their contract. The 

NASS state that they receive only a small number 

of domestic violence reports involving people 

seeking asylum. However, it is recognised that, 

for a number of reasons, domestic violence is 

under reported in the asylum community. There 

are many accepted general reasons for this as 

well as those specifically associated with people 

seeking asylum. 

They are: 

– the fear they will be removed from the UK 

– the uncertainty about the availability of services 

and their legal rights 

– the uncertainty about their rights in relation to any 

children and that their children may be taken 

away by Social Services or their partner 

– the misguided belief that involving the authorities 

in a report of domestic violence may somehow 

count against them with regard to their asylum 

claim 

As part of their contract they must have a 

statement on domestic violence policy and 

procedure that conforms to the requirements of 

the NASS policy as agreed by the Home Office. 

NASS clients are dispersed on a ‘no choice’ basis. 

Unless they reside in the accommodation they are 

sent to their support is stopped. In the past this 

meant that the ASU were unable to move a victim 

without prior consent of NASS. This could take up 

to 10 days and sometimes even longer to achieve. 

The policy has now been amended and where it is 

necessary victims are re-housed and NASS 

informed after the event. NASS investigations then 

work with ASU staff on how things proceed and this 

may result in the perpetrator losing support and/or 

accommodation. 

The new way of working has resulted in the ASU 

achieving better outcomes for their clients. In 

addition to their specific policies around domestic 

violence, the Unit works closely with their clients 

and other agencies to foster good community 

relations, raise awareness and promote 

community based support groups. They hold many 

events throughout the year involving their clients 

and their activities on International Women’s Day 

are a good example of the work they do to raise 

confidence and empower their women clients. 


6.5 Areas requiring further development 

Inter Agency Work in the field of Domestic 

Violence and Child Protection. 

Given the high proportion of children either 

accommodated by Social Services or registered 

on the Child Protection register where domestic 

violence is a known factor, inter-agency work 

needs to be improved as a matter of urgency. 

In order to meet the needs of children the 

Newcastle Domestic Violence and Abuse 

Partnership will work closely with the 

Safeguarding Board and the emerging 

Children and Young Peoples Plan to ensure: 

– All services commissioned locally are 

consistent with the National Service Framework 

for Children, Young People and Maternity 

Services and the principles set out in the 

statutory guidance on making arrangements to 

safeguard and promote the welfare of children 

under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 

– Commissioning of services will take into 

account and build on existing provision and in 

particular recognise the expertise of voluntary 

organisations and facilitate their involvement in 

both the planning and delivery of services 

– Domestic violence as an issue is mainstreamed 

and integrated throughout the children’s 

agenda 

Women with no Recourse to Public Funds 

Due to current immigration and benefit rules, 

women resident in the UK under sponsorship 

arrangements can experience severe difficulties 

if they are in an abusive relationship. Women in 

such situations are prevented from claiming 

benefits, accessing social housing, and therefore 

often find themselves and their children 

completely destitute. Whilst the local refuges; 

Newcastle Women’s Aid, Praxis and Panah, 

refuge to women at risk of domestic violence that 

have no recourse to public funds, this support is 

limited due to the intensive resource demands. 


Partnership commits to: 

– Collate data locally to monitor the scale extent 

of this problem in Newcastle 

– Ensure that this issue is included in the 

emerging Training Plan 

– Disseminate Southhall Black Sisters guidance 

aimed at assisting BME victims to navigate the 

system 

– Campaign to demand that the Government 

develops longer term funding solutions for 

those victims with no recourse to public funds 

Enshrined in this approach is the rationale that 

the most effective intervention for ensuring safe 

and positive outcomes for children experiencing 

domestic violence, is to provide a package of 

support for the non-abusing parent and their 

child that incorporates a robust risk assessment 

and holds the perpetrator accountable for 

their actions. 



Investment in accommodation services 

for victims of domestic violence 

Newcastle has two dedicated refuges - Newcastle 

Women’s Aid and Panah, and additionally Praxis a 

service for women and their children. Combined 

these three organisations can provide 

accommodation to 16 families or single women. 

Existing accommodation based services are in 

high demand operating at an average of 91% 

occupancy during 2003/04. 

Anecdotal evidence informs us that demand for 

Panah services is particularly high due to a 

number of possible factors, those being: 

– Panah is the only specialist refuge for BME 

clients in the entire Northern region 

– The proportion of BME clients joining services, 

and defined as women fleeing domestic violence 

at 20.9%, is higher than the average for all 

services which is 15.7%. 62% of service users 

from backgrounds other than White British joined 

a women’s refuge, compared to 34% of White 

British service users. 

Improving and investing in accommodation is a 

priority, and the NDVAP commits to working in 

partnership with strategic housing and supporting 

people to ensure the needs of all victims are 

considered. 

It is recognised that key groups including disabled 

women and children, women misusing substances, 

women with mental health needs requiring high 

levels of support, and women with older male 

children are insufficiently served by current 

provision. 

Additionally the NDVAP will provide choices for 

those families who wish to remain in their own 

homes by developing a sanctuary scheme. 

Substance Misuse 

Research demonstrates that women who 

experience domestic violence are more likely 

to use prescription drugs, alcohol and illegal 

substances than their non-abused counter parts. 1 

The NDVAP recognises that substance misusers 

experience significant barriers in accessing 

services, particularly refuge provision, as agencies 

were unable to cope with their additional needs. 

The NDVAP is committed to working with partner 

agencies to produce a minimum standards 

protocol for both domestic violence and substance 

misuse sectors on workers with clients who 

experience this abuse. 

Sexual Assault 

The NDVAP recognizes the link between domestic 

violence and sexual assault. Research 

demonstrates that 54% of rapists are either 

current or former partners of the victim (BCS 

2001). Furthermore, evidence also suggests that 

those women who experience sexual assault in the 

context of an abusive relationship experience the 

most severe forms of violence. 

For these reasons the NDVAP will ensure that: 

– All awareness raising / training conducted will 

promote an understanding of the inter-connections 

between sexual assault and domestic violence 

– Practitioners are aware of specialist sexual 

assault provision that currently exists – Tyneside 

Rape Crisis Centre (TRCC), REACH (Rape, 

Examination, Advice, Counselling and Help) 

– Scope out the potential for integrating domestic 

violence and sexual assault services 

1 

Jacobs, J (1998) The link between Substance Misuse and Domestic 

Violence: Current knowledge and debate (Alcohol Concern) p6. 


Emerging Work with Perpetrators 

The National Probation Service Northumbria 

delivers an accredited court mandated 

programme throughout the whole of the 

Northumbria area. The Community Domestic 

Violence Programme (CDVP) is a community 

based integrated offender management and 

group work programme designed to reduce reoffending 

by adult male domestic abuse 

offenders, the victims of whom are women. 

(A similar programme – Healthy Relationships – 

is run in custody by the prison service). 

The principle goal of CDVP is to eliminate 

violence and abuse toward female partners 

through a process designed to change attitudes 

and behaviours. It directly promotes and requires 

interagency working with both statutory and non 

statutory organisations. The safety of women 

and children is central and in particular Women 

Safety Workers ( currently through a partnership 

with Victim Support) work with the known victims 

at regular intervals.The number of visits required 

is detailed in the programme manuals and 

subject to audit. Key to the whole process is 

a robust system of risk assessment and risk 

management. The programme is reviewed on a 

regular basis by the Correctional Services Panel 

and changes can be agreed where appropriate. 

The programme is based on a sound theoretical 

underpinning combined with the principles of 

what we know to be effective practice. In 

Canada, where the programme was devised, 

there is evidence of successful outcomes but it is 

too early to undertake research in this country at 

the moment. Data is collected on a regular basis 

by the National Probation Directorate to inform 

this research. This will look at attitude change, 

risk management and victim safety – a far wider 

brief than numbers of attendees/completers. 

CDVP was introduced in Northumbria last August 

– the first groups completed in January with 14 

completions. The target area wide for 2006/7, 

set by the Directorate, is 54 completions. 

Currently in Newcastle work with men who are 

perpetrators of domestic violence is restricted 

within the realms of the criminal justice system. 

Given that an evidence base continues to 

demonstrate domestic violence is extensively 

under reported, this represents a situation whereby 

vast numbers of perpetrators receive little 

intervention that both challenges and changes 

behaviour. Furthermore, domestic violence is a 

problem that will not disappear without persistent 

and positive action; working with victims is only 

one part of this process. If we are to robustly 

tackle this issue we need also to work with 

perpetrators of violence within the home. 

The provision of non-court mandated 

programmes are therefore considered to be an 

essential component of any strategy that seeks 

to safeguard women and their children and 

reduce both levels and impact of domestic 

violence. Work is therefore being developed via 

the Newcastle Domestic Violence and Abuse 

Partnership to implement Newcastle’s first 

comprehensive domestic violence service that 

will deliver effective group work programmes 

that challenge abuse by men. 

Newcastle Domestic Violence And Abuse Strategy 2

7. Governance and 

Accountability Structures 

The NDVAP rest on the premise that domestic 

violence and abuse can only be ended through 

a coordinated response. 

To facilitate this way of working the NDVAP has 

developed the following structure. 

Working Structure 

i. The Partnership will meet on a quarterly basis 

and will be chaired by an individual elected/chosen 

by the Partnership. 

ii. The Partnership will oversee the work of task 

groups. It will be responsible for setting the 

strategic agenda, approving work programmes of 

each task group and for ensuring targets are met. 

iii. The Community Safety Unit, Newcastle City 

Council, will provide officer and administrative 

support and will take responsibility for the 

production and dissemination of minutes. 

Only those members of the Partnership in active 

attendance and members of the various task 

groups will receive minutes. 

iv. Any member wishing to put items on the 

agenda for discussion/ information will contact 

the Community Safety Unit Domestic Violence 

Officer giving an outline of the item at least two 

weeks prior to a Partnership meeting. 

v. If a member fails to attend three meetings 

consecutively without submitting apologies they 

will be considered to be inactive members and may 

have their membership reviewed. 

Wider Structures and Consultation 


Partnership will seek to make contributions to 

local, regional and national groups who are working 

on the issue of domestic abuse. 


Partnership will align its work priorities to other 

relevant strategic partnerships e.g. Safe 

Newcastle, Newcastle Partnership. 

Governance Structure 


Partnership will report to the Safeguarding Children 

Board and the Safe Newcastle Board. 

The Newcastle Domestic Abuse Governance 

Framework. 


“Thank you for helping me 

at such short notice. I had 

no-one else to rely on. I really 

appreciate you helping me. 

I can’t thank you enough.” 

Pret, Newcastle, after contacting the 

Domestic Violence Protection Project 


8. Strategy Development 

This strategy has been developed by the NDVAP 

and has been endorsed by: 

– Safe Newcastle 

– LSCB 

This strategy and its associated action plan has 

been developed with reference to a broad range 

of literature and information. Significantly an audit 

compiled by the Community Safety Research Unit 

of Northumbria University in July 2005, and a 

comprehensive report based on an extensive 

consultation process with some 70 community 

groups are the basis on which this strategy was 

formed. 1 Additionally an event was held in 

November 2005 involving the following 

organisations: 

CAFCASS 

Crown Prosecution Service 

LSCB 

Newcastle City Council 

– Strategic Housing Service 

– Children’s Services 

– Adult Services 

Newcastle Womens Aid 


Northumbria Probation 

PCT (Primary Care Trust) 

Panah 

Relate 

Safe Newcastle 

Sure Start East and Fossway 

Sure Start Westgate 

Tyneside Rape Crisis Centre 

Your Homes Newcastle 

The NDVAP commits to ensure that it will provide 

opportunities to seek the views of service users, 

service providers and other stakeholders over the 

life time of this strategy. We will do this by carrying 

out a rolling consultation with a range of victims/ 

survivors of domestic violence and abuse as well 

as domestic violence service providers. This will 

include joint work in regard of children and young 

peoples views and experience. This will give them 

the opportunity to identify issues that affect them 

and suggest how existing services may need to be 

reshaped, or new services developed to meet their 

needs. 

We anticipate that this consultation process will 

identify issues and provide information that will 

complement data collected and collated by the 

partnership, thereby ensuring a robust information 

gathering system. 

1 

Tackling domestic Violence 

A report and recommendations on developing user and public involvement 

2006, Newcastle Primary Care Trust and Community Action Health 


9. Performance 

Management and 

implementation 

The Domestic Violence and Abuse Reduction 

Strategy will be monitored and delivered through 

an action plan based on the priorities that have 

been agreed by the partner agencies. 

Agencies will take responsibility for ensuring their 

actions are completed within the agreed 

timescales. 

The management of the strategy and the 

monitoring of the action plan will be integrated 

within the Safe Newcastle Performance 

Management Framework, which utilises a 

quarterly monitoring process (QMR’s). 

Quarterly Monitoring Reports will be presented to 

the NDVAP. The chair of the NDVAP will then report 

back to the Safe Newcastle Board and LSCB on a 

quarterly basis. Additionally an annual report will 

be produced, introducing an updated action plan 

for the following year. The annual action plan will 

be agreed by the NDVAP and fed into Safe 

Newcastle and LSCB. 

Performance monitoring will be carried out using 

existing, and developing new, performance 

indicators (PIs). The PIs will be aligned to 

Governmental and ODPM PIs and those outlined in 

the independent review of the Full Circle Project. 

The NDVAP will ensure a vigorous system for 

the monitoring of domestic violence is in place, 

however reliable data is needed in the first 

instance. The first year of the strategy will 

therefore be dedicated to establishing robust 

baselines and ODPM Pls. 


10. Glossary 

A 

ARCH 

Is the multi-agency forum in Newcastle to 

collaboratively combat racism with members 

drawn from the statutory and community sectors. 

ARCH has devised a multi-agency web based 

reporting system for racist incidents that is 

currently being rolled out through all of its 

constituent members. 

Area Child Protection Committee 

(see Safeguarding Board) 

B 

Black and minority Ethnic Communities (BME) 

Best Value Performance Indicator 225 (BVPI) 

A new indicator to better assess the level and 

quality of domestic violence service provision in a 

local authority area. 

C 

Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) 

The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 set out the 

framework for CDRPs in which responsible 

authorities are required to work together in 

partnership to tackle crime, disorder and the 

misuse of drugs. The responsible authorities 

consist of the local authority, police, police 

authority, probation, fire authority and primary 

care trust. 

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) 

The Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for 

prosecuting criminal cases investigated by the 

police in England and Wales. 

D 

Domestic Violence (DV) 

Defined by Newcastle DVP as “the use of violence 

to gain power over, dominate or control a partner 

or ex-partner.” 

DDA 

Disability Discrimination Act. 

F 

Floating Support 

Floating support is a service offered to tenants in 

their homes to prevent the need for them to enter 

emergency housing such as a refuge. 

I 

Independent Advocate 

Independent advocacy refers to the professional 

provision of advice, information and support to 

victims of domestic violence aimed at increasing 

safety. The advice must be based on a thorough 

risk assessment. 


L 

Local Area Agreement (LAA) 

A government initiative through which local 

agencies will have greater flexibility to use their 

combined resources to achieve shared 

outcomes. 

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) 

Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) 

LSPs are local authority wide non-statutory 

partnerships that work together to identify 

common objectives for the local community. 

They include representatives from the public, 

private, business, voluntary and community 

sectors. 

M 

MARAC 

MARAC’s are Multi-Agency Risk Assessment 

Conferences for high risk victims. They were first 

held in Cardiff in 2003, since this time they have 

further developed and have been independently 

evaluated. Successes include reducing the rate 

of repeat victimization in Cardiff from a baseline 

of 34% to single figures. 

MAPPA 

Multi-agency public protection arrangements 

P 

Positive Action 

A policy adopted by the police to make clear their 

commitment to improving victims safety. 

Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) now 

Safeguarding Adults 

Multi-agency partnership work to prevent 

mistreatment, exploitation and abuse of adults 

with a physical or mental disability that affects 

their ability to protect themselves from significant 

harm. 

Public Protection Unit (PPU) 

A police area command based unit formed to 

improve the service and support Northumbria 

Police gives to people suffering domestic 

violence and abuse. The unit also monitors the 

activities of registered sex and other dangerous 

offenders. 

Primary Care Trust (PCT) 

The local health organisation responsible for 

managing local health services. 

S 

Safeguarding Board (formerly known as ACPC) 

Required under the children bill to co-ordinate 

child protection work by all agencies. Replaces 

the Area Child Protection Committee. 

Safe Newcastle 

Within Newcastle the Crime and Disorder 

Reduction Partnership is known as Safe 

Newcastle. 

Safety Planning 

A method of working with women that does not 

presume that either she has to separate from her 

abuser or that separation creates safety. 

Sanctuary Scheme 

‘Sanctuary Schemes’ are victim centered 

initiatives, which aim via Home Security and 

personal safety advice and support to enable 

victims of domestic violence to remain safely in 

their own homes. 

Supporting People 

The Supporting People programme offers 

vulnerable people the opportunity to improve their 

quality of life by providing a stable environment 

which enables greater independence. 

Y 

Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) 

Newcastle City Council’s Arms Length 

Management Organisation (ALMO) which manages 

and maintains its 32,000 homes and associated 

added value services. 

Youth Offending Team (YOT) 

Multi-disciplinary team to tackle offending by 

young people. 


Appendix 1 

BVPI (Best Value Performance Indicator) 225 

definitions 

The definitions below are those used by the Office 

of the Deputy Prime Minister. 

1. The Directory must list both statutory and 

voluntary agencies that can provide emergency 

housing, advice (welfare, housing and legal), 

counseling and support, and include any local 

Women’s Aid contact details and the National 

Domestic Violence Helpline. It must be widely 

distributed and updated at least every two years. 

A directory should be available for each district 

and not just at a county level. As a minimum it 

should be available on the local authority’s 

website. A directory for services that work with 

victims of domestic violence can be provided 

separately from the Directory for Victims of 

Domestic Violence. 

2. ‘Places’ means the number of rooms providing 

bed spaces for a woman and her children. Rooms 

not normally designated as bedrooms should not 

be counted towards the total. ‘Refuge’ means 

emergency accommodation for women and 

children who have been referred for help having 

experienced threats to their physical safety. It 

must provide help, advice and advocacy support 

as well as being part of an integrated local 

approach involving partnership with other local 

and statutory bodies. Calculate ‘Local Authority 

population’ using the latest ONS mid-year 

estimates. 

3. The co-ordinator should be employed at a local 

authority level (see exemption below) and have 

responsibility for strategically co-ordinating 

domestic violence issues throughout the local 

authority area. Where funding has been provided to 

the voluntary sector or local partnership to employ 

a Co-ordinator this will meet the definition as long 

as their role remains to co-ordinate work in both the 

statutory and voluntary sectors across the area 

covered by the local authority. Exemption – in 

cases where District Councils fund a county-wide 

Co-ordinator the District Council will meet the 

requirements of this BVPI, if the responsibility for 

ensuring that any country-wide work is 

implemented at a district level is included in the job 

description of an existing senior officer for that 

district. 

4. The strategy should have been developed in 

partnership with all relevant statutory and voluntary 

partners. It should be supportive of, and aligned 

with, the authority’s Crime and Disorder Reduction 

Strategy (CDRP). The strategy should cover a 

three-year period with an action plan reviewed 

annually. The action plan should contain at least 

50 percent outcomes that are SMART (Specific, 

measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timescaled) 

and include a section on how the needs of 

BME (black and minority ethnic) communities will 

be addressed. A Chief Officer and an Executive 

member in the authority should have been 

allocated responsibility for its implementation. 


5. The forum should have a mix of statutory and 

voluntary sector representatives at a senior 

enough level to aid the implementation of 

decisions and the strategy action plan. The 

Forum should be formalised as part of the Crime 

and disorder Partnership. 

6. The information-sharing protocol must 

facilitate the exchange of information to enable 

domestic violence to be effectively tackled 

across all statutory agencies. Key statutory 

agencies are defined as the police, health, 

housing, social services and education. The 

protocol will also provide an opportunity to 

implement homicide reviews where appropriate. 

It must ensure that confidentiality and victim 

safety is protected. 

7. A sanctuary type scheme must provide 

security measures to allow the woman to remain 

in her home where she chooses to do so, where 

safety can be guaranteed and the violent partner 

no longer lives within the home. It must be 

available across tenures where the landlord 

of a property has given permission for the work 

to be carried out. 

It must consist of additional security to any main 

entrance doors to the accommodation and locks 

to any vulnerable windows. Wherever possible it 

must provide a safe room in the home secured 

with a solid core door and additional locks. It is 

essential that the service is only provided where it 

is the clear choice of the victim. The scheme 

should be implemented through partnership with 

the police and/or the voluntary sector that could 

provide supplementary support. It may be 

provided directly by the local authority or through 

a third party funded as part of the local authority’s 

homelessness prevention work through grants 

that may be available for crime reduction 

initiatives. 

8. The indicator is met if there is a percentage 

reduction in homelessness acceptances due to 

domestic violence. Acceptances who were 

previously homeless in another local authority area 

should not be included. Reductions achieved in 

preventing repeat homelessness should be clearly 

linked to positive measures adopted to provide 

genuine alternatives for women to either remain 

in their own home or be placed in alternative 

accommodation, removing the need to become 

homeless. Alternative accommodation may be 

secured by arranging a reciprocal property with 

another social landlord, or a safe management 

transfer. Any options or measures to prevent 

repeat homelessness must only be taken with the 

full consent of the victim of domestic violence. 

9. Any clause should make clear that evidence of 

domestic violence for eviction purposes does not 

need to rely on a criminal charge. Evidence may be 

based on a possession action using civil evidence. 

10. The domestic violence education pack must 

have been specifically designed for use in schools 

and with youth groups. It must aim to challenge 

attitudes of tolerance to violence and help young 

people to achieve positive relationships based on 

mutuality and respect. Schools and youth groups 

cannot be forced to run a programme on domestic 

violence but the pack must be easily available and 

actively promoted. Schools should be encouraged 

to use the material as part of their PSHE79 or 

Citizenship curriculum. 

11. The training programme must cover domestic 

violence awareness training, the legal framework, 

information sharing, and who provides what 

services to victims of domestic violence with 

referral and contact points. The programme 

should be developed in consultation with the 

Domestic Violence Forum and reviewed by the 

forum annually. 


Appendix 2 

Information Gathered on the 11 Point Plan (as used by Northumbria Police) 

1. Victim name, address, date of birth, self classification code for ethnicity, 

language, telephone number if appropriate and alternative number if 

available. 

2. Suspect name, address, date of birth, self classification code for ethnicity, 

and SRN details if appropriate. 

3. Relationship status of the victim. 

4. Details of children who reside within the victim, their ages, and complete 

the Child Abuse Notification CC screen. 

5. Indicate if there were children present at the incident and complete the 

Child Abuse Notification CC screen. If there are any other children present, 

complete the Child Abuse Notification screen. 

6. Details of incident. 

7. Extent of injuries. 

8. Whether a power of arrest existed. 

9. Whether that power was exercised. 

10. The risk factors that were identified: 

– Pregnancy or new birth. 

– Isolation, either cultural or geographical. 

– Escalation in number of incidents. 

– Stalking or harassment. 

11. Whether consent was obtained for referral to other support agency. 



Notes 


Understanding Domestic Violence And Abuse

Contact us 

Contact Safe Newcastle for more information. 

Tel: 0191 277 7833 

Email: safenewcastle@newcastle.gov.uk 

Our visit our website at: www.safenewcastle.org.uk

Safe Newcastle Domestic Violence Strategy - Newcastle City Council

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