Sheffield review

All Agencies should recognise the importance of ensuring ethnicity and other protected characteristics are recorded. All Agencies should provide additional guidance and training around recording and sharing personal information, including protected characteristics.

STHFT should ensure there are effective monitoring and audit arrangements in place to provide reassurance that where a child safeguarding (or vulnerable adult) referral is raised that safeguarding concerns are noted during initial assessment.

All Agencies to consider the evidence of the links between adverse childhood experiences, family violence and youth offending and put in place strategies to mitigate the risk.

SYP should build upon the training to date, and support professionals in identifying and responding to inter-adult violence / domestic abuse between siblings.

STHFT should build upon the training to date and support professionals working within the Emergency Department(s) using selective enquiry or professional curiosity.

STHFT to raise awareness and understanding of professionals to ensure where domestic abuse is disclosed, within the Sheffield Teaching Hospital, a DASH should be submitted. Within the Emergency Department(s) a Domestic Abuse Communication Form should be used by health professionals.

The STHFT ED should remind all staff of the Standard Operating Procedure for the reporting of gun and knife crime and ensure all staff working within the Emergency Department and Minor Injuries are made aware of their responsibilities for reporting such incidents to police. The SOP could include responsibilities for considering parallel safeguarding and DA referrals.

As part of the ongoing review of ‘Did Not Attend’ strategy and policies, Sheffield CCG to consider whether they have the capacity to review the risk where patients demonstrate a consistent lack of engagement.

SCCG should build upon the training to date, and support professionals, in identifying and responding to inter-adult violence / domestic abuse between siblings.

All Agencies should recognise the importance of multi-agency working and follow agreed protocols around information sharing in order to assess risk.

All Agencies to disseminate to Professionals the ‘Standing Together Against Domestic Violence’ (Sharp-Jeffs and Kelly, 2016) guidance, as part of their professional development strategies.

Where domestic abuse may be suspected, Professionals should seek to create a safe space (including the use of interpreters as necessary), in order to provide opportunity for vulnerable victims to disclose what may be happening in confidence.

Health Visitors (working for Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) or Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust) should routinely submit a DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking, Harassment, and ‘Honour’ Based Abuse) risk assessment where domestic violence or abuse is identified or suspected, including inter-family violence.

All Agencies are encouraged to build upon the professional development to date and support professionals around identifying and supporting victims who may be subject of coercive control.

SYP should ensure a DASH risk assessment is completed in all domestic abuse incidents, even when the victim is refusing to engage.

The Partnership to review the support available to male victims of domestic abuse, particularly men with protected characteristics; and reassure themselves specialist independent support is accessible to victims, who may be reluctant to come forward.

SYP should ensure any person arrested for a ‘trigger’ offence should be the subject of a mandatory drug test and assessment, we well as being offered the support of a drug referral worker.

STHFT should ensure patients are signposted for specialist support when they are exhibiting evidence of alcohol and drug misuse.

Sheffield CCG to encourage GP Practice staff to adapt their ‘did not attend’ policy to consider the impact of not accessing health care appointments on the health of adults who may lack capacity and children.

The Housing and Neighbourhoods Service is in the process of developing a ‘tenancy ready course’ to help new tenants understand how to manage their tenancy with the help of a support worker. This will hopefully support vulnerable tenants and reduce incidents of non-engagement between the Housing and Neighbourhood Service and tenants.

To build upon the ongoing training as part of the safeguarding champions network awareness around the impact of ACEs and adopting trauma informed practice.

To raise awareness through levels 2 and 3 Safeguarding training of the ‘Think Family’ approach when undertaking assessments.

ED staff to be offered domestic abuse training to include recognition, routine and selective enquiry, use of the DASH risk assessment document and the MARAC referral process. IDAS have offered training and are wanting to link in with ED staff to raise awareness.

The STHFT ED should remind all staff of the Standard Operating Procedure for the reporting of gun and knife crime and ensure all staff working within the Emergency Department and Minor Injuries are made aware of their responsibilities for reporting such incidents to police. The SOP could include responsibilities for considering parallel safeguarding and DA referrals.

Continued training packages for dealing with non-engagement, and the barriers faced specifically due to cultural differences. Training to include working alongside community leaders to enhance SYP profile and the perceptions of Police as a force to help those in need.

SYP have stated they will explore whether the DA Matters training could be expanded to include cultural differences.

Operational update / brief around the importance of completing a DASH and even submit where DA is suspected, this is regardless of whether the victim engages and assists by answering the questions.