Northampton review

All agencies review their domestic abuse training to ensure that coercive and controlling behaviour is seen as a major focus of that training.

All agencies in Northampton to work together under the lead of NDAS to create a county wide publicity campaign regarding domestic abuse but in particular the signs, symptoms and outcomes of coercive controlling behaviour. The campaign should consist of leaflets, posters and seminars to inform the public of this kind of domestic abuse and how to seek support from agencies.

Consideration to be given to extend the MADRA (Multi-Agency Daily Risk Assessment) process to include identified vulnerable adults where early intervention by services and support can be offered and given.

All agencies are to ensure that training regarding domestic abuse stresses the importance of professional curiosity and lateral thinking so as to ensure that indicators of abuse are not missed.

With the introduction of Northamptonshire Police Prevention and Intervention Command, the Head of that Command should, whilst making progress with plans to embed the process to prioritise the collation of information from Offender Management systems, MAPPA, Probation and risk management systems in order to gather and assess intelligence which results in proactive action, consider specifically including the MARAC risk management process within its scope.

All agencies to ensure that Domestic Abuse training is to include an update on the use of MARAC referrals, the process, the outcomes of a referrals and the benefits that may result from the referral process.

Northamptonshire County Council Customer Service Centre (SCS) to have a better awareness of risk, exercising professional curiosity, safeguarding processes, and assessing cumulative information organised by a lead social worker.

A monthly auditing of decision making by the Pro-Support Team in CSC.

Northamptonshire Safeguarding Adult Board Quality and Performance Sub-group to provide additional training for staff around the new Adult Risk Management (ARM) toolkit (Safeguarding Adult Review reference 016 2020 has made similar recommendations)

NCC ASC Team to be reorganised in line with the move to a Unitary Authority in April 2021.

To embed into policy Adult Social Care’s revised Serious Incident Policy to ensure that IMRs are systematically and routinely actioned in all cases.

It is recommended consideration be given by Northamptonshire Police to the use of a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) in cases where there is a high frequency of incident occurrences where controlling or coercive behaviours is suspected. This could prove beneficial in terms of gaining a victims trust thus empowering them with confidence to provide comprehensive and coherent evidence to be gathered effectively.

Regular coercive control training to be delivered to all Sunflower Centre staff including the MARAC Team.

Data recording instructions within Case Management Policy to be updated and staff to be reminded of recording responsibilities.

Source additional Mental Awareness Training

Identification of primary victims in cases to ensure appropriate support is provided.