Domestic Violence Threshold Guidance

1. Domestic ViolenceThreshold Guidance Jean Miller Irene Wright Michelle Lesbirel Jones

2. Impact of Domestic Abuse: • Domestic abuse costs each household £90 per year to provide assistance, support and advice for DV victims • Nationally this figure amounts to £23 billion per year • Domestic abuse is one of the leading causes of homelessness in the UK • Domestic abuse is the leading cause of death in women aged 19-44 years, it is greater than cancer, war, or motor vehicle accidents • It accounts for 25% of all violent crime

3. Liverpool has an agreed Multi-Agency Threshold Guidance produced in September 2007 This is to be reviewed in February 2008

4. Thank You Barnardo’s Westminster City Council Southampton Safeguarding Children Board London Borough of Camden CAADA (Organisation) and many others

5. How did we achieve it? • Benchmarking with other LA’s • Liaison with Canada and Ireland • Two LSCB Developments Days • LSCB Multi-Agency agreement • Working Party to implement training • Threshold documents acknowledged by JAR inspection

6. Domestic Violence THE LIVERPOOL SCENE • July 2006: out of 360 referrals to Children's Services Careline 120 related to domestic violence • Children unborn CPR 31st August 2007 9 CP 6 relate to DV • Serious case reviews 2003-5 University of East Anglia sample of 161 with a sub-sample of 47 - 50% featured domestic violence and 28% related to teenage mothers • 10,000 plus incidents per year

7. How many children are affected? • At least 750,000 children a year witness domestic abuse. Nearly three quarters of children on CPR live in household where domestic abuse occurs Dept of Health (2003) • About 23.000 children stay in refuges every year and over 11,000 children use outreach and after care services Women's Aid (2006) • CAFCASS officers state that DV features in about 66% of their cases Hansard. Baroness Howarth (2005)

8. Guidance on the factors contributing to the degree of risk of harm to mothers and children • Separation/violation of contact “If I can’t have her then no one will” particularly prevalentwithin the first 2 months of leaving • Pregnancy new birth 30 percent of abuse starts or intensifies in pregnancy • Escalation 35 percent of households have a second incident within 5 weeks of the first • Cultural awareness or isolation- social isolation, not consenting to marriage, insecure immigration status • Stalking - stalkers are likely to be more violent if they have had an intimate relationship with woman • Sexual assault - woman who are sexually assaulted are subjected to more serious injuries. One in 12 of all reported sexual offenders were considered to be very high risk and potentially dangerous offenders

9. Other factors • Child abuse - in approximately a third to two thirds of DV there is also child physical and sexual abuse involving the same perpetrator • Background of violence/criminal career • Past use of weapons • Animal abuse – it is estimated that 88 percent of pets living in households with DV are either abused or killed • Issues of control - men who believe they should be in charge • Recent suicide or homicidal ideation/intent • Recent substance abuse dependency - 32 percent of incidents are alcohol related • Recent employment problems • Mental health

10. Domestic Violence Level one – two Assessed as minor – moderate of short duration: Children in need of family support as protective strategies are being put in place by mother. (For children under 7 threshold could be raised to level 3 as children do not have safety strategies in place and are dependant on their mothers to protect them and therefore strategy discussion needed) Domestic violence where children in family are under 12 months including unborn – even if the child/children was not present, any single incident should trigger a strategy discussion/meeting and or CP conference Minor could include: Incident of short duration slap/push Emotional/verbal abuse towards victim Limited concern regarding parent’s capacity

11. Domestic Violence

12. Domestic Violence • Moderate could include: • Incidents not life threatening but caused injuries Attention must be given to duration, frequency of incidences – kicked/hair pulling/beaten with hands/fists/headbutted

13. Domestic Violence

14. Domestic Violence Level three – four could include • Attempted strangulation • Attempted suffocation • Attempted drowning • Assaults during pregnancy • Threats with weapon • Sexual assault/abuse • Attempting kidnapping of mother and child • Driving recklessly with mother/child in car • Non compliance with Court Orders • Threats of suicide • Deprived of medical treatment • Threat to kill mother and child • Separation violence • Controlling food/money/locking food away Level 3/4 should trigger discussion and referral to SG Unit

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17. What the Safeguarding Unit do Quality assurance role Learning and Development Unit Chair child protection conferences Attend MARAC Attend MAPPP meetings Represent Unit on SCR Group Members of LSCB sub-groups Contribute to policies and procedures Contribute to multi-agency training Members of Domestic Violence Forum Learn from best practice and disseminate Contribute to City Wide Staying Safe agenda Link into Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership

19. A predictor of Good Outcomes A good parent/child relationship, particularly with the mother, can buffer children from inter-parental conflict and is the best predictor of good outcomes in children Janet R Johnston 1994 “ High Conflict Divorce” the Future of Children

20. The Way forward- Wish List • Multi agency training of thresholds • Threshold guidance bedded in • Golden hour approach • Early multi agency intervention team • Neighbourhood resource panel • Consider CP register and how much DV is a feature • Prevention - increased awareness throughout the Looked after Children population • Learn and impart the lessons from Serious Case Reviews

21. Links • Barnardo’s practice manual regarding Safeguarding Children, Northern Ireland, London and Canada • Woman's Aid www.womensaid.org.uk • CAADA www.crag.org.uk • Domestic Violence Threshold Document – www.safeguardingchildrenboard.liverpool.gov.uk