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
Chelmsford review
CSP: Chelmsford
Published: May 2023
Year of death: 2012
Extracted: 27 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 significant failures in inter-agency information sharing and risk assessment regarding the perpetrator's violent and sexually assaultive behaviour. Agencies minimised the seriousness of incidents, missing opportunities to identify potential risks to women, including the victim.
Extracted recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressed to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Review how awareness of the new definition of Domestic Violence is being introduced into statutory and voluntary agencies and provide an update to the Chelmsford Community Safety Partnership within six months of receipt of the report | Essex Safeguarding Children Board |
| 1 | Review current domestic abuse training in light of the new definition and ensure that it now includes reference to sexual exploitation and provide an update to the Chelmsford Community Safety Partnership on progress within six months of receipt of the report. | Essex Domestic Abuse Board |
| 1 | Share the report with relevant partners and confirm to the Chelmsford Community Safety Partnership that the lessons learnt have been disseminated as appropriate within three months of receipt of the report | London Safeguarding Children Board |
| 1 | To have in place a clear contact strategy between CSC and UKBA for each young UASC to ensure that information between the two agencies is shared, as the UASC travels through the asylum process. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 1 | To have in place a clear contact strategy between UKBA and CSC for each young UASC to ensure that information between the two agencies is shared, as the UASC travels through the asylum process. | UK Border Agency |
| 1 | Police to be notified when a student is expelled due to assault regardless of whether or not Social Services are involved. To ensure that the incident is logged by the police in case of future incidents. | Havering College of Further and Higher Education |
| 1 | The UK Border Agency should make immediate efforts to re-document failed asylum seekers in an effort to facilitate the removal. This will result in the timely removal of immigration applicants from the UK, and will evidently reduce any risk of eventual domestic violence. | UK Border Agency |
| 1 | Completion of the review of the NELFT policies and procedures on domestic violence. | North East London Foundation Trust |
| 1 | There is a need for interagency agency working and information sharing to be improved. Where there are formal meetings, minutes and documentation should be provided in a secure way to ensure this information is received. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 10 | Given the uncertainty around the immigration status of UASC and young people, they should not be provided with a stand-alone independent living accommodation. Consideration should be given to placement within supported Living, Supported Accommodation with Sharing Housing being considered the least favourable and last option. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 11 | There needs to be a balance of UASC and young people remaining in Essex and having their cultural, diversity needs met. Where possible efforts should be made to provide placements in Essex as this will ensure there is more accessibility and greater contact to the provision of service provided by Essex County Council. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 12 | More focus and attention should be given to the view of foster carers when considering a move onto semi-independent/independent living. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 2 | Ensure that local Schools and Colleges consider the findings of this DHR and review how they currently advise/support young people about domestic abuse within relationships. This should include the role of friends and the issue of breaking a confidence when risk is known. Provide an update to the Chelmsford Community Safety Partnership after six months of receipt of the report. | Essex Safeguarding Children Board |
| 2 | Other statutory agencies, whether responsible for the victims or perpetrators, should routinely and immediately contact the UK Border Agency to share information and intelligence. This will allow the UK Border Agency to focus on cases where there is a need for immediate or swift intervention in relation to immigration matters; whether to assist the victim or to deal appropriately with the perpetrator. This should also apply to information sharing to other agencies by the UK Border Agency. | UK Border Agency |
| 2 | Domestic Abuse Training to be included in the core training skills programme for all clinical staff. | North East London Foundation Trust |
| 2 | There are gaps in communication between the UKBA and CSC. Consideration needs to be given to regular liaison and updates between the UKBA and CSC. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 3 | Havering CAMHS staff to attend DA training. | North East London Foundation Trust |
| 3 | There is a need for interagency agency working and information sharing to be improved. Where there are formal meetings, minutes and documentation should be provided in a secure way to ensure this information is received. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 4 | Implement a system to identify/flag all LAC with an open referral on the CAMHS case load. | North East London Foundation Trust |
| 4 | Consideration to be given to DASH training being made available to all practitioners but essentially to those involved in the initial assessment and intervention process and those working with young people. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 5 | To raise awareness of CAMHS staff in relation to requirements for escalation and management in the event of increased risk factors | North East London Foundation Trust |
| 5 | Consideration needs to be given to additional training and workshops for practitioners working with this user group to assist them in their assessment of need, including where therapeutic interventions are required. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 6 | Health LAC team to receive notification of all LAC children placed in borough from Essex County Council within 5 working days of placement change | North East London Foundation Trust |
| 6 | Consideration needs to be given to the formulation of policy and procedure in relation to domestic violence amongst and between young people. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 7 | Given the level of involvement and work undertaken with UASC in CSC, consideration needs to be given to the availability of legal support and guidance to the L&ACT working with UASC and young people. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 8 | UASC and young people do not often have any one to advocate for them, consideration should be given to UASC being provided with an advocate. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| 9 | The Assessment of Need and Pathway Plan is currently devised with the young person by the Personal Advisor and reviewed every six months. More consideration could be given to this being a joint meeting with all professionals involved in the young person’s life and chaired by an independent person equal to the Statutory Childcare Reviews undertaken when a LAC. | Essex County Council Children’s Social Care |
| Recommendations extracted from the published report. Source: Home Office DHR Library. View full report ↗ | ||