3rd EDITION Transforming Community Safety • HALTON • UPDATE

Spotlight on Domestic Abuse

The ‘ Transforming Community Safety ’ programme brings together four local councils, , Cheshire West, Halton and Warrington with Cheshire Police, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Probation Service and Health agencies to work together to reduce re-offending, levels of crime and numbers of victims and to help create a safer community for everyone

The programme is co-ordinated by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service with other agencies taking the lead in five different work streams. These are: Reducing Harm Through Alcohol, Anti-Social Behaviour, Domestic Abuse, Reducing Reoffending and System Change, Performance and Governance. In 2013/14 there were 4,537 Domestic domestic abuse incidents recorded In this edition we put a spotlight on by police in Cheshire. However, we the work that is being carried out to abuse: the know that in reality this figure is likely tackle domestic abuse across the to be far greater. In fact the British sub region. issue Crime survey established that less than a quarter of the most serious Domestic Abuse is a significant domestic violence incidents come challenge for public services. It also to the attention of Police. has a major impact on the lives of This is a growing concern and one those directly affected and their that places high demand on public families. services. It can also have profound It affects one in three women and implications for the life chances of one in six men. On average two affected children and increases their women a week are killed in use of public services in the medium domestic abuse incidents in the UK. to longer term. Tel: 01270 686560 could lead to serious harm or even The initiative, which is helping 15 How we said death. youngsters aged between 12 and 17, is being run by the Young They offer victims intensive support we would Person’s Advocate. All of those and also help coordinate the enrolled on the programme have response of a wide range of tackle it experienced domestic violence in agencies who might be involved their teenage dating relationships or with their case including those The Domestic Abuse workstream have been affected in other ways by working with the perpetrators of the set out to build on existing good domestic abuse. practice and the work already in violence and children. The Advocate will also help with the place through the local authorities’ Ensuring that there is an IDVA in delivery of the new ‘Teenage Domestic Abuse Partnerships. every hospital, was a key milestone Intimate Relationship Abuse for the Programme and has been It focuses on partners working Course’. together to: made possible by funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner. The programme is now looking into • Deliver consistent services and the possibility of that this same level The initiative is already proving to be programmes across the sub of intensive support could also help a huge success with hundreds of region to help both protect those in the 18-20 age bracket. victims of domestic abuse and victims receiving support from the deal with the issues of those who service. commit the crime Operation • Drive improvement across the sub region and utilise best “I appreciate being Compass practice models • Improve consistency in contacted on the A joint scheme between Cheshire approach and content of training weekend because I have Police and local schools is helping as well as creating opportunities to provide better support to children for joint delivery more time to talk.” and young people caught up in A weekend user of the Independent • Put together joint bids to attract Domestic Violence Advocate Service domestic violence incidents. funding Operation Encompass involves • Develop a ‘one voice’ information being shared between communication strategy and The provision of the service at the Neighbourhood Police Units and consistent and shared weekend is also working key staff at the schools. Each campaigns of activity. successfully with IDVA’s being able morning a police officer will review contact those who they cannot all violent or abusive incidents that reach during the week. As well as would indicate domestic abuse. Providing enabling them to liaise with Police Where the incidents involve Officers over the weekend to get someone living at the home support for information, such as updates on bail between the age of four and 18 conditions or pending court dates. victims contact will be made with the school to let them know what has happened. This will then enable There is now an Independent Supporting staff at the school to support the Domestic Violence Advocate in young person in the best possible every hospital. young people way. This could be through direct Independent Domestic Violence action or silent observation. An intensive programme was Advocates (IDVAs) are specially launched this January for young The initiative has been running in trained case workers who work people who have experienced , , mainly with high risk victims, who domestic abuse. and Warrington Central are potentially facing situations that since June 2014. To date over 500 take place in March as the first • Increase understanding of the individual contacts have been made stage of the review. prevalence, nature and effects of and there is evidence of positive domestic abuse, The second review will look at the outcomes in terms of children being • Contribute to ‘de normalising’ performance management systems better safeguarded. domestic abuse and its currently in use and bring together acceptance, The plan is to extend the initiative to performance information on a sub • Highlight linked exacerbating cover the whole of Cheshire by the regional basis to enable a strategic factors and impacts – including end of the year. view and identify gaps. alcohol use and the effects on children, Review of • Facilitate conversations about Campaign domestic abuse and gain public Programmes support for ending domestic launch abuse. and A new public health campaign has been launched in February to raise Performance awareness around the issue of domestic abuse and gain public There are two areas currently support to help end it. subject to review with the aim of developing a consistent approach The TCS Programme has worked across the sub region, supported by closely with the Cheshire and funding from the Police and crime Merseyside Public Health commissioner. Collaborative Service (CHAMPS) which has delivered the campaign The first is a review of arrangements on behalf of the Directors of Public in place to deal with the Health. ‘Be a Lover not a Fighter’ is perpetrators of domestic violence. an integrated, multi-channel Cheshire currently has a range of campaign that enables all people responses in place to deal with across Cheshire and Merseyside to All agencies are being encouraged domestic abuse perpetrators at a be informed, get involved and lend to use the campaign resources local and sub-regional level, while their support to help end domestic especially on their digital and social nationally the priority is on research abuse. and strategy development. The area media platforms to help maximise is complex and it is important to The campaign aims to: its reach. learn from what is working within • Improve public understanding of For more information about the the sub region as well as what is the new definition of domestic campaign or to order campaign working around the country. A abuse, material email workshop with all practitioners will [email protected] Need more information?

If you would like more information about the Domestic Abuse workstream or any of the others connected with the Transforming Community Safety Programme please use the contacts below:

Domestic Abuse Anti Social Behaviour System Change, Performane and Contacts: Contacts: Governance Executive lead, Executive lead, Dwayne Mark Palethorpe, Contacts: Johnson, Strategic Director for Director of Strategic Communities Commissioning Executive lead, Kathryn Griffiths, Assistant Director Partnerships Project lead, Project lead, Nigel Wenham Michelle Nicholson and Performance [email protected]. michelle.nicholson@cheshirewest Warrington Borough Council police.uk andchester.gov.uk Project lead, Melanie Alsop Tel: Tel: 01606 362108 01244 972360 '[email protected]'

Reducing Harm by Alcohol Reducing Reoffending Tel: 01925 443513

Contacts: Contacts:

Executive lead, Lorraine Butcher, Executive lead, Janette Director of Executive Strategic McCormick Deputy Chief Commissioning Constable Cheshire Cheshire East Council Street Triage project lead, Project lead, Guy Kilminster Kate Woods Guy.Kilminster@cheshireeast. [email protected]. gov.uk police.uk

Tel: 01270 686560 Work stream lead, John Roberts john.roberts20247@cheshire. pnn.police.uk

Tel: 01606 362212

For more information If you would like more information please contact the Programme Office on 01606 868643 or email: [email protected] Alternatively contact one of the programme leads connected with the various work streams.