Stoke-on-Trent review

The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Domestic Abuse Commissioning and Development Board should seek assurances that agencies supporting victims of domestic abuse are fully utilising existing tools and powers to support victims of domestic abuse, including Domestic Violence Protection Notices/Orders and the “right to know” under the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (Clare’s Law).

Upon the enactment of the current Domestic Abuse Bill into law, the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Domestic Abuse Commissioning and Development Board should widely promote the provisions of the new Act, and should seek assurances that agencies supporting victims of domestic abuse have in place plans to fully utilise the new tools and powers within the Act.

The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Domestic Abuse Commissioning and Development Board should ensure that all domestic abuse support service providers across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire are made aware of this review and its findings, and seek assurances from the providers that their case closure policy is robust and in line with national guidance.

The Responsible Authorities Group request that the implementation of the recommendations from the review of MARAC effectiveness be taken forward across the force area, and that the local approach for Stoke-on-Trent be developed, agreed and implemented as a matter of urgency, in consultation with the Responsible Authorities Group.

seek reassurance from partners that their processes and training provision enable all staff to effectively identify and respond to children at risk of Child Sexual Exploitation, and

reinforce the message that young people do not become any less vulnerable to exploitation as they approach adulthood and that at any age they should not be viewed as consenting to their own exploitation.

That in conjunction with upgrades to their IT system, Staffordshire Police considers operating a process in the Control Room to proactively audit un-resourced incidents and to demonstrate that, where a response has been delayed beyond the target time limit, the incident has been regularly reviewed by a supervisor.

Where there are known issues of domestic violence and agency involvement there should always be an explicit victim protection plan in order to ensure all possible preventatives steps have been taken to avoid future harm.

Domestic abuse awareness training and practical guidance on how to deal with such issues is delivered for all customer facing staff within Staffordshire Housing Association.

Staffordshire Housing Association to review its ASB and Domestic Abuse policies and consider if clearer guidance can be provided if it is believed that domestic violence or abuse is a cause of the ASB issue reported. Consider should also be given whether an information exchange request should be submitted for all reports of violence or domestic abuse. SHA will consider if reports of violence or domestic abuse, and whether domestic abuse should be reported to Arch’s domestic abuse services.

Ensure that Staffordshire Housing Association`s ASB recording systems are able to easily recognise infrequent, but repeat incidents of ASB to ensure that appropriate action is taken.

Staffordshire Housing Association to consider agreeing a process when domestic abuse is reported via a third party who wishes to remain anonymous, and in cases where the victim and perpetrator do not report the issue, engage with services or consent for action to be taken.

Staffordshire Housing Association to improve information sharing across the group, specifically with Arch domestic abuse services, in situations where services are dealing with the same customers who may be at risk.

Briefing to SRT to ensure that all referrals relating to CSE are considered in relation to risk and vulnerability and are not to be determined by age. This is to ensure that all children are offered the opportunity to engage in services to make them safer.

Disseminate message through CSE training that a child is a child until they are 18 years and should be offered an assessment as this may provide a smooth transition into accessing services for adults

Staffordshire Police to utilise location markers for all the known residential addresses for each person in relationships giving cause for concern of Domestic Violence / Abuse.

Where a patient discloses Domestic Abuse the discharge letter to the GP will reflect the level of abuse and any actions taken.

UHNM to review, with the Principal Officer for MASH, the process for the sharing of patient details with external agencies when the patient does not consent.

West Midlands Ambulance Service Safeguarding Manager to request review of case by Emergency Operations Centre Clinical Manager to review and audit original call and also a review of information sharing with other emergency services where West Midlands Ambulance Service have been the sole agency to receive the call - findings from this to be fed back to safeguarding manager.