Melton review

The Domestic Abuse Strategy Board to incorporate the learning from this review into their business planning; and specifically consider:

all staff within agencies need to know what to consider when presented with Domestic Abuse and associated linked issues. A clear process and good practice guide, applicable across all agencies and supported by appropriate internal and multi-agency materials, training and awareness of domestic abuse, would support staff. Good practice should include consideration of male victims; safety and support where there are concerns for more than one victim in the relationship; opportunities for routine enquiry about domestic abuse and other aspects of learning from the review.

To assist in the development of good practice and commissioning, consider researching local prevalence of male victims of domestic abuse and complex relationships where violence is apparent to more than one victim to ensure a shared understanding of terminology and approach.

Reviewing MARAC processes to ensure that thresholds and criteria for referral are consistent with the resources available; in turn ensuring that medium and standard risk cases that do not reach the MARAC threshold have appropriate referral routes for enhanced services where needed for victim and perpetrator management, on a multi-agency basis.

Ensuring agencies identify an appropriate approach to Domestic Abuse in line with developing local good practice and implement the DASH risk assessment tool; underpinned by appropriate training and understanding of domestic abuse.

Developing strategies that continue to inform the public about domestic abuse; services available and where to seek help. Awareness raising regarding males as victims to be specifically considered.

Developing a partnership approach with local businesses to encourage the adoption of domestic abuse policies in the work place.

The Leicestershire Safeguarding Adults and Leicestershire Safeguarding Children Board to incorporate the learning from this DHR into their review processes and consider ensuring:

Agencies review their information sharing processes and staff confidence to share information and discuss concerns that maximise opportunities for multi-agency engagement and effective safeguarding.

Agencies review their local procedures to ensure that where mental health and/or substance abuse is a factor, agencies are aware to include this in assessment and that specialist services are engaged to contribute and support.

Agencies review their record keeping and recording processes in relation to safeguarding to ensure that full history and background is collated for assessment and is available for holistic and accurate assessments in the future.

Examining how it uses DASH in conjunction with professional judgement to ensure officers understand the way in which a risk assessment should take into account, not only DASH, but all the facts and circumstances available at the time; including previous history, so that a well-reasoned risk management plan can be formed.

Ensuring that, as an investigation progresses and additional information comes to light, supervisors instigate a review of the risk assessments, investigations and risk management plans in domestic related incidents and crimes, and record the rationale for their decisions on the crime report.

Ensuring that where the police make decisions to take no further action in respect of domestic related crimes the rationale for that decision is detailed either on the custody record or the crime report by the supervisor making it. The rationale should include all the evidence available at the time and the explanations given within the interview by the suspect.

Reviewing and reissuing guidance in respect of unwilling victims of domestic abuse so that it is clear to officers and staff what needs to be considered in respect of the criminal investigation and prosecution, of such cases.

Ensuring a system is in place that ensures repeat victims of domestic abuse are identified and are subject of supervisory review. This review should consider all the facts and circumstances of current and previous history to ensure that the risk assessment, risk management and criminal investigation is effective and due consideration given to a multi-agency response to risk management.

Reviewing and reissuing guidance to officers regarding the importance of being open minded as to who the perpetrator is when conducting investigations into domestic abuse. Officers should be alive to the possibility of more than one victim in the relationship and that the suspected victim may in fact be the perpetrator. This is particularly relevant when considering whether the male ‘perpetrator’ could in fact be the victim. Officers should be aware of how to deal with counter allegations when they are made by suspected perpetrators and ensure that the investigation reflects the information and evidence that is available. The decision making rationale should be fully recorded.

Consider providing advice and guidance to officers and staff investigating linked safeguarding investigations that ensures a primary investigator oversees the full circumstances. Ensuring the learning from Leicestershire Police’s IMR is embedded in the training of police officers and staff to make clear the standards of investigation, risk assessment and risk management expected from them in order to safeguard victims of domestic abuse and vulnerable persons.

Acknowledging the good work of officers who have recognised the child protection issues and made referrals in respect of the children in this case as it is clear that they were at risk of neglect and being exposed to moral danger when in the perpetrator’s care especially when she was under the influence of drink/drugs.

Ensuring that record keeping includes dates of visits made by social care staff; when they are completed and who is present; and these should be clearly recorded in case notes even if the detail of the visits are clearly recorded within an assessment or case conference report.

All cases that have received an assessment from social care should have an effective and clear closure date with Team Manager supervision and closure.

Ensuring clear guidance and training on the use of DASH assessments and how they should be used to assess risk. Staff should be confident and knowledgeable on the expectations of its use; including where a DASH assessment has not been completed. In line with this social care should ensure that all agency social workers are trained in domestic abuse and are able to undertake effective risk assessments.

Provide guidance to GP’s to ensure that when a patient’s anti-depressant medication is reviewed, enquiries are made to establish whether the patient is coping with dependent children or adults and if potential risk exists to the patient or others.

Ensure that GP’s use peer review where there are safeguarding concerns apparent and which includes domestic abuse as a marker of risk. Where children are known to have been affected by domestic abuse GP’s to refer any children in the family to Children’s Social Care.

Ensuring they contact individual placement providers to ensure that information is requested to identify concerns; such as the reporting of visible injuries observed

Ensuring that where a court order is made for unpaid work only and there is a history of, or elements of domestic violence known; that a higher level of risk assessment is carried out.

Ensuring that when domestic related incidents are reported which may involve parties who have connections with locations outside of Kent then, wherever possible, a Police National Computer check should form part of the information gathering process. Consideration should also be given to making contact with colleagues from other Force Area’s and where relevant, that the Police National Database is also checked.

Ensuring the revised Kent Police policy on domestic abuse includes the requirement for Response Sergeants to supervise all reports of domestic abuse occurring during their tour of duty.

Ensuring all frontline staff are aware of their duty to fully complete DASH questions at Domestic Abuse incidents and identify children subject of domestic abuse either as victims or as being present when domestic abuse occurred. Also to ensure those cases are referred to the Public Protection Unit - Central Referral Unit for assessment against the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Children Threshold procedures.

Ensuring the development of a procedure within primary schools applicable to situations where children are routinely dropped off and picked up from school alone by taxi; that this is investigated and recorded, and the Designated Safeguarding Practitioner made aware for consideration of wider safeguarding issues.