Safe Newcastle Domestic Violence Strategy - Newcastle City Council

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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. 6 Newcastle Domestic Violence And Abuse Strategy
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 Newcastle Domestic Violence And Abuse Strategy
Page 1 and 2: Better Lives, Stronger Communities.
Page 3 and 4: Foreword Who experiences domestic a
Page 5 and 6: Victims Voices Peter, Father of thr
Page 7 and 8: “From first meeting to present da
Page 9 and 10: 1 British Crime Survey: England and
Page 11 and 12: 4) ensure that victims of domestic
Page 13 and 14: 1 Incidents are recorded at the fir
Page 15 and 16: Newcastle Domestic Violence And Abu
Page 17: Number Objectives - To provide a vi
Page 21 and 22: 6.5 Areas requiring further develop
Page 23 and 24: Emerging Work with Perpetrators The
Page 25 and 26: “Thank you for helping me at such
Page 27 and 28: 9. Performance Management and imple
Page 29 and 30: L Local Area Agreement (LAA) A gove
Page 31 and 32: 5. The forum should have a mix of s
Page 33 and 34: Newcastle Domestic Violence And Abu
Page 35 and 36: Understanding Domestic Violence And

Safe Newcastle Domestic Violence Strategy - Newcastle City Council

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