Agenda item

Subsequent to the launch of the Domestic Abuse Commission in February 2020, LBBD Cabinet members largely agreed to accept the findings of the Domestic Abuse Commission report and recognised that there were significant areas of progress to be undertaken over the next 5 years – this is to be guided by the deliverance of the Domestic Abuse Improvement Plan (DAIP) as presented by Angela D’Urso.

Angela D’Urso described the diverse ways in which information was gathered to develop the DAIP:

·  Reviewing the 7 Domestic Commission Outcomes.

·  Reviewing the local, national Domestic Abuse strategic frameworks.

·  Reviewing the legislation and guidance around domestic abuse.

·  Analysing key data points across the system such as the characteristics of victims and perpetrators and looking at what point they would present themselves.

·  Establishing the sources of funding going into domestic abuse and the timespan of this.

·  The victim pathway.

A collation of all the information gathered led to the development of five additional areas of focus that would help deliver the seven aims and objectives of the Domestic Commission Outcomes – this was agreed by the Safeguarding Children’s Partnership and the councils’ strategic groups:

1. Ensuring strategic partnership oversight of domestic abuse system.

2. Having a shared understanding of risk thresholds and practices within the domestic abuse system.

3. Enhancing commissioning services to be delivered at the correct times within the system so that the needs of victims are being met.

4. Improve use of Councillor Partnership resources.

5. Establishing long-term change in the community and reducing the demand in services.

The combination of the five themed focus and the 7 Domestic Commission outcomes has been developed into the DAIP which has a mixture of strategic and operational activities in place, as well as a including partnership complicated system decisions and service specific items.

The DAIP also shows can be achieved in 2022 as well as the action plan for years 3, 4 & 5. The plan has been affirmed by governance and will be presented to cabinet later this year for the final set of approvals.

Angela D’Urso cites that the strategic element of the DAIP can be specifically facilitated by the CSP members. So far, the CSP have agreed to:

·  Hold the CSP VAWG Strategic group to account for the delivery of DAIP as well as establishing dual reporting lines with the Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.

·  Re-establishing the MARAC steering group that will report to the VAWG strategic group.

·  Organising tri-borough meetings for Domestic Abuse leads and the VAWG East BCU.

The CSP board members agreed the recommendations to:

·  Accept the draft terms of reference for the VAWG and MARAC.

·  Agree to re-establish the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Group (VAWGSG) as the key driver for delivery of the DAIP.

·  Agree to establish the Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Steering Group (MARACSG), providing key strategic input as required.

Councillor Worby advised that while all CSP members are likely to endorse the DAIP, it is not enough to simply agree and not be committed. Councillor Worby made an appeal to CSP board members that there must be a real commitment to strategically help the deliverance of the DAIP due to Angela D’Urso having developed such a clear and detailed plan on how to tackle domestic violence in the borough.

Councillor Ghani echoed Councillor Worby’s sentiments by highlighting that the reformation of the VAWG strategic group, MARAC Steering group and Tri-borough Partnership meetings are all timely due to the latest murder of Zara Aleena in the neighbouring borough of Redbridge.

Andy Opie supports the DAIP and assures that he and the CSP team will work alongside with Angela D’Urso to push forward the deliverance of the plan.

ACTION: Angela D’Urso to set up VAWG strategic group meetings for the future.