About this page. This page summarises a Domestic Homicide Review published in the Home Office DHR Library. The full report is available at the source link below. Victim and perpetrator names are not included in extracted summaries on this page.
Source · Domestic Homicide Review
Hammersmith and Fulham review
CSP: Hammersmith and Fulham
Published: December 2022
Year of death: 2016
Extracted: 14 recs
Statutory domestic homicide review under section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. Source: Home Office DHR Library.
View full report (PDF) ↗
Source: Home Office DHR Library
Summary
The review identified missed opportunities for agencies to enquire about domestic abuse, particularly for BAME women facing additional disclosure barriers. It highlighted the need for increased professional curiosity, targeted support, and improved accessibility of services beyond internet-based advice.
Extracted recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressed to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | In order to increase identification and access to support, material that is designed for communities where there are barriers to disclosing abuse and seeking help is required. Engagement with appropriate minority community groups could facilitate both production and dissemination of such material. The material produced should be made available to all GP practices, medical centres and other venues where it may be accessible to victims. | Hammersmith and Fulham Community Safety Unit | Hammersmith and Fulham VAWG Strategic Lead | Standing Together Against Domestic Violence | Advance | Angelou Partnership |
| 10 | Raise the awareness of DA amongst Housing staff and contractors of the opportunities which may be presented to identify unreported abuse. | Hammersmith and Fulham Housing Services | Hammersmith and Fulham Community Safety Unit | Standing Together Against Domestic Violence | Advance |
| 11 | The Home Office to support NHS(England) in commissioning IRIS nationally, thereby promoting the aims of the national “Ending Violence Against Women & Girls Strategy 2016 – 2020 (HM Government 2016). | NHS National Safeguarding Team | Home Office |
| 2 | Workplaces offer an additional context in which disclosure of abuse can be promoted. To this end, H&F to consider a campaign to encourages workplaces and employers to raise the awareness, especially amongst managers, of domestic abuse and what may be done to support employees. – A number of public sector examples of such an approach already exist, notably, that introduced by the London Borough of Hackney for the care of its own staff. See also “Employers Initiative on Domestic Abuse” | Hammersmith and Fulham Community Safety and Communications Team | Hammersmith and Fulham Human Resources | Hammersmith and Fulham Community Safety | Hammersmith and Fulham VAWG Strategic Lead |
| 3 | Improved, evidence-based training is required to enable social services, medical, nursing and community workers to understand the particular needs of BAME women in the context of domestic abuse/VAWG. | Hammersmith and Fulham Community Safety Unit | Hammersmith and Fulham VAWG Strategic Lead | Safeguarding Children’s Board |
| 4 | When recommissioning VAWG services, H&F should consider the specialist services which may be required to cater for the needs of BAME women. Implementation may be assisted with the advice and expertise of a suitable second tier specialist organisation e.g. Imkaan | Hammersmith and Fulham Community Safety Unit | Hammersmith and Fulham VAWG Strategic Lead | Standing Together Against Domestic Violence | Imkaan | Women’s Aid |
| 5 | NHS(E) via Medical Directors, to remind GP practices of the importance of all staff being aware of DA issues and indicators as well as the appropriate referral routes for those seeking advice. | NHS England | Hammersmith and Fulham Community Safety Unit | Hammersmith and Fulham VAWG Strategic Lead | Standing Together Against Domestic Violence | Hammersmith and Fulham Clinical Commissioning Group | Designated Adult Safeguarding | Designated Safeguarding Children |
| 6 | Pursue current bids for funding to enable the Identification & Referral System to Improve Safety (IRIS) training for GPs and staff. In the absence of IRIS, training on the indicators of abuse, safe enquiry and how to respond to DA to be delivered to GP practices in the borough. | Hammersmith and Fulham Community Safety Unit | Hammersmith and Fulham VAWG Strategic Lead | Standing Together Against Domestic Violence |
| 7 | Examine the currently available material to ensure that there is not undue reliance on internet-based advice to ensure adequate advice is available to those who lack access to internet services. | Hammersmith and Fulham Community Safety Unit | Hammersmith and Fulham VAWG Strategic Lead | Standing Together Against Domestic Violence | Advance | Angelou Partnership |
| 8a | H&F Children’s Services manager and social workers to consider the research around links between sexual abuse, homelessness and domestic abuse during contacts with families. | Hammersmith and Fulham Children’s Social Care |
| 8b | H&F social workers to explore parental relationships and make routine enquiries about domestic abuse when children make allegations of sexual abuse and/or physical abuse about parents. | Hammersmith and Fulham Children’s Social Care |
| 8c | H&F Children’s Services manager to ensure that dates of birth and full police checks are completed and recorded and considered as part of s47 core assessments. | Hammersmith and Fulham Children’s Social Care |
| 8d | H&F provide updated training to front line social workers on linking sexual abuse to domestic abuse. | Hammersmith and Fulham Children’s Social Care |
| 9 | VAWG providers to consider opportunities to promote specific targeted services to identified ethnic minority groups to improve disclosures of abuse and thus access to DA services. | Hammersmith and Fulham VAWG Strategic Lead | Hammersmith and Fulham Community Safety Unit | Angelou Partnership |
| Recommendations extracted from the published report. Source: Home Office DHR Library. View full report ↗ | ||