Hillingdon review

The recommendations below should be acted on through the development of a partnership owned action plan. This is in addition to the actions identified in individual IMRs: initial reports on progress by agencies on their IMR action plans should be made to the Safer Hillingdon Partnership within six months of the Review being approved by the Partnership.

A briefing to be prepared jointly by the Crown Prosecution Service, Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and the Metropolitan Police outlining the current processes in place for partnership working and sharing of performance and case information (including any meetings), and for this to be distributed appropriately through each agency. The Crown Prosecution Service, HMCTS and the Metropolitan Police to meet to identify the development required to improve these processes; and to take action on these. Updates to be provided to the Safer Hillingdon Partnership.

Metropolitan Police Service, Crown Prosecution Service and the IDVA service to jointly establish a multi-agency procedure in relation to Restraining Orders, with reference to the learning in this case.

Southall Black Sisters and the IDVA service to ensure – through procedure, training and ongoing supervision – that all support staff establish contact with the Officer in the Case for clients who are engaged in the criminal justice system, and remain in contact with them until cases are completed. The Safer Hillingdon Partnership to also disseminate this learning to other agencies in Hillingdon that support domestic abuse victims.

The Safer Hillingdon Partnership to ensure that all domestic abuse specialist services operating in Hillingdon are notified of new domestic homicides at the earliest point possible.

The Safer Hillingdon Partnership to raise awareness – through for example fact sheets, awareness sessions and/or training, and drawing on appropriate expertise in relation to BAME female victims of domestic abuse – of the intersections of race and gender and how they impact on women’s experiences of domestic abuse. With reference to the learning from this case; and to include directions to staff on where further advice can be sought. For information to also be added to standard Domestic Abuse Awareness training.

In the redevelopment of the local MARAC process, the MARAC Steering Group to develop a process through which education services (schools) and General Practices can be appropriately involved (though not necessarily always attend) in the MARAC process.

The Safer Hillingdon Partnership to ensure, through regular reports from the MARAC Steering Group, that the MARAC redevelopment outlined in this review continues to make progress. In particular that a review of the MARAC Steering Group terms of reference, chairing and membership has taken place with reference to the points made in this review, and that the Local Safeguarding Children and Adult Safeguarding Boards are appropriately involved.

Children’s Social Care to review the free materials available from http://endingviolence.com and, also with reference to the learning in this case: ensure that fathers are always spoken with in domestic violence/abuse cases (where safe to do so, and in those cases where it is not, to document it) ensure that perpetrators are held accountable for domestic violence/abuse, and that non-abusive parents are therefore fully supported and not expected to stop the abuse themselves For this to be regularly reviewed in supervision, and for a dip sample audit to take place six months after changes have been made, with the results reported to the Safer Hillingdon Partnership.

For the school to ensure that domestic violence/abuse policies, procedures and training for staff include the need to see parents alone when there has been a disclosure or suspicion of domestic violence/abuse.

CNWL to review their domestic abuse policy in light of the learning from this case, and in particular to ensure that it contains adequate information and guidance on warning signs/triggers in relation to domestic violence/abuse perpetrators.

Hillingdon Hospital to ensure that Hospital database systems link family members together so that they can be identified when an individual attends.

Safer Hillingdon Partnership to carry out a review to establish service users’ and partner agencies’ views on the IDVA service being located in a statutory service. The experiences of other boroughs to be sought, and the findings to be acted on accordingly in relation to service delivery.

The Safer Hillingdon Partnership (or a delegated short term working group) to review the use of the DASH risk identification checklist in Hillingdon agencies, covering (other issues may also be identified): the purpose of DASH completion the use of DASH as an ongoing risk identification tool (rather than as a one off threshold tool) the sharing of risk identification outcomes between agencies involved with the same client

Metropolitan Police Service to review the ongoing contact by Officers in the Case with victims as investigations and trials progress, in light of the learning from this case.

The Specialist Domestic Violence Court (SDVC) Steering Group to review, with the IDVA service and other relevant services, the support provided at the SDVC to victims of domestic abuse/violence, with particular reference to victims in cases that are transferred from the Magistrate’s Court to the Crown Court. To report to the Safer Hillingdon Partnership on the Review and any actions taken as a result.

Safer Hillingdon Partnership to carry out a review of existing domestic abuse specialist support services, that includes all services operating in Hillingdon (not just those based in Hillingdon), to establish how the needs of minority ethnic victims are met. To also include consultation with minority ethnic women in the borough on whether they feel their needs are met, and their opinion on how services should operate. For the learning from the review to be acted upon and progress reported back to the Safer Hillingdon Partnership.

Metropolitan Police Service to review their processes (and conduct a dip sample audit) in relation to arrest, and withdrawal statements, with reference to the learning in this case, and to report back to the Safer Hillingdon Partnership addressing these learning points.

All members of the DHR Panel and Safer Hillingdon Partnership to conduct internal reviews of their domestic violence/abuse policies and procedures in relation to how they identify, risk assess, refer and respond appropriately to perpetrators (including alleged), to make changes as appropriate and report to the Safer Hillingdon Partnership.

The Safer Hillingdon Partnership to review the structure, governance, membership and Terms of Reference of the partnership responsible for domestic violence/abuse, to address the points made in this review, including but not limited to: The need to provide governance of the MARAC and MARAC Steering Group; including the necessity of different partner agencies chairing the MARAC and the MARAC Steering Group. The MARAC Steering Group to report into an appropriate partnership group. The need for the partnership to be inclusive of the voluntary sector. Ensuring that all organisations in Hillingdon understand the purpose and role of the partnership responsible for domestic abuse/violence; their role within it and their ability to present issues and potential to effect change.

The Safer Hillingdon Partnership and MARAC Steering Group to establish a procedure for all agencies and the MARAC to respond appropriately to situations in which a known perpetrator poses a risk to someone not known to agencies, including those out of area.