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
Ashfield review
CSP: AshfieldPublished: December 2022Year of death: 2018Extracted: 6 recs
Statutory domestic homicide review under section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. Source: Home Office DHR Library.
The review highlights limited agency awareness of the domestic abuse experienced by the victim, who was isolated and feared reporting due to perpetrator threats and misconceptions about social services. It identifies missed opportunities for intervention and a need for improved public awareness of support and child safeguarding processes.
Home Office classifications
32 tags
Source-supplied classifications used by the Home Office to catalogue this review.
Victim - mental ill health
Victim - anxiety
Victim - depression
Victim - had been a victim of an abuser before
Children - under 18 shared parental responsibility (victim and perpetrator)
Children - under 18 shared parental responsibility (between victims)
Children - under 18 shared parental responsibility (between perpetrators)
Children - living with victim (including adult children)
Children - present at homicide (including adult children)
Child - primary address same as victim
Perpetrator - case heard in court
Perpetrator - known to agencies as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to police as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to others as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to friends as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to family as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - immigration involvement
Aggravating factors - separation
Aggravating factors - coercive or controlling behaviour
Aggravating factors - psychological or emotional abuse
Aggravating factors - physical abuse
Aggravating factors - economic abuse
DHR process - family received draft report
DHR process - police recommendations
DHR process - social services recommendations
DHR process - health services recommendations
DHR process - school recommendations
DHR process - community safety partnership recommendations
DHR process - identification of risk recommendation themes
DHR process - training recommendation themes
DHR process - policy recommendation themes
DHR process - awareness raising recommendation themes
Extracted recommendations
6 recommendations pulled from the report · 2 matched to organisations in the index
It is recommended that Nottinghamshire schools have a a clear policy about how they will respond when they are made aware that parents have separated to ensure that there is clarity about how issues, such as collection of children and altercations in the playground, will be dealt with.
It is recommended that Nottinghamshire Police raise awareness of the change in its policy in July 2018 which means that, in this case a risk assessment would have been undertaken. Awareness should be raised in order that officers understand that incidents where a relationship has come to an end or where complaints are withdrawn increase the risk to the victim.
It is recommended that the GP practice reminds all practitioners of the importance of using their professional curiosity and asking about domestic abuse at every opportunity, especially when dealing with those who are pregnant or presenting with anxiety.
Whilst it is acknowledged that there is much work done to raise awareness, it is recommended that the partnership considers more innovative ways of getting the messages to young women, such as the victim, who are not having contact with agencies.
It is recommended that publicity messages focus upon the support that social services can provide to women experiencing domestic abuse with a view to allaying their fears that their children will be taken away.
Addressed to
Nottinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board
It is recommended that the role of school safeguarding leads is reviewed and incorporates the opportunity for victims of domestic abuse and others who have concerns to have confidential conversations and make reports in a safe environment.