Equality Impact Assessment

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

SANCTUARY PROJECT

MARCH 2008

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Name of the policy or function being assessed: Sanctuary Project

Directorate Communities Localities and Culture

Date Impact Assessment completed

Is this a policy or function? Policy and Function

Is this a new or existing policy or function? Existing

Names and roles of the people carrying out the Impact Assessment:
1. Anat Toffell is the Domestic Violence Projects Assistant who is responsible for delivering the Sanctuary Project. Anat deals with referrals, conducts assessments including attending the home visit with the Police Crime Prevent Officers (CPOs) and the follow up contacts for 6 months with the clients. Anat is also responsible for liaising with the private contractor who install the agreed works, facilitating the review meetings with partner agencies and collating client feedback and monitoring information.
2. Nicola Proud is Anat’s line manager, and oversees the operation of the Sanctuary Project. Nicola has substantial knowledge of the project.
3. The Crime Prevention Officers conduct the home security assessments and meet directly with the victims.
4. Steve Bonfield is the Director of Pinner Locks – the private contractor who installs the agreed works. The contractors attend the victim’s home. Steve works with a large number of other Sanctuary Projects across London.
5. Tracy Bailey is a specialist Domestic Violence worker within the council’s Homeless Persons Unit. She deals directly with victims presenting for housing advice and support when fleeing their homes due to domestic violence. Tracey is not directly involved in the delivery of the project but as a front line worker within Housing Services she is aware of and understands the needs of service users. Tracey can make referrals to the project.
6. Frances Jones works within the Corporate Equalities Team for the Council. She is not involved with the delivery of the project so would be able to provide an outside perspective on the project as well as expertise in relation to equalities.
7.Victoria Hill is the DV Policy and Partnership Manager and has overall responsibility for the delivery of the Sanctuary Project and chairs the Sanctuary Project quarterly review meetings.
Service Head / Andy Bamber
Signature
Date

Once you have filled in this document please send a copy to the Equalities Team.

SECTION 1

AIMS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY

Identifying the aims of the policy[1]
The Sanctuary Project supports victims of domestic violence who are at risk of becoming homeless due to domestic violence from a current or former spouse, partner or close family member. The project offers victims of domestic violence the option to remain safely and securely in their homes, through the installation of free, tailored home security. The project is a partnership between the Council, the Police, specialist domestic violence (DV) services and specialist contractors.
Reduce homelessness and the number of households accessing statutory homelessness provision.
Improve safe choices for victims of domestic violence, in particular providing an additional housing option including those who are not eligible for statutory homelessness assistance, such as women with no recourse to public funds.
Reduce level of domestic violence repeat victimisation.

Rationale behind the policy and its delivery

Housing is a key concern for victims of domestic violence. Sanctuary Project was developed as a housing option in acknowledgment of the significant negative impact and disruption that victims (and their family) experience when they have to flee their home due to domestic violence.
Sanctuary is more cost effective than rehousing families into temporary accommodation, for both families and agencies.
There is limited housing stock locally and Sanctuary can help to reduce demand as well as the numbers of households presenting to the Homeless Persons Unit.
Moving into emergency refuge accommodation can be traumatic for victims and is not an option for some families – e.g. those with older male children. Sanctuary provides an option for some women who may not be able to access refuges e.g. single employed women who can not afford refuge.
Who is affected by the policy? Who is intended to benefit from it and how?
The Sanctuary Project is for Tower Hamlets residents who are at risk of homelessness due to domestic violence, from a current or former spouse, partner or close family member. It is an alternative housing option as victims do not need to leave their address as safety measures have been implemented. It prevents disruption to victims and their families in relation to changing their address, moving schools, losing touch with social networks. Residents need to be in permanent accommodation to access the project.
Clients and their families benefit from having their home security improved and 6 months of ongoing proactive contact with the Council’s DV Team which can help to improve their safety and provide assurance.
The council, in particular Housing Services/Homeless Persons Unit is a key stake holder, as the project can assist in reducing the number of people presenting for homelessness assistance, which is a key national performance indicator. The Police are also a stakeholder, as provision of sanctuary can assist in reducing repeat victimisation. Other stakeholders include housing providers such as Registered Social Landlords and private landlords who agree for the work to be installed as their property is improved through the installation of additional security and the reduction of empty properties they hold.
Pinner Locks are the sole contractor for the project and have to install the agreed works in the time as set down in the protocol.
Promotion of good relations between different communities
The service is open access and not linked to a person’s identity. The DV Team has Bengali speaking workers and we are able to access Language Line and council interpreting services if required. We share monitoring information, updates and developments on the project at the quarterly DV Forum which has a diverse membership. We have liaised with the Police’s LGBT Officer to make her aware of the project. The project enables victims to remain in their own homes.
(Specifically identify the relevance of the aims of the policy to the equality target groups and the Council’s duty to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and good relations between people of different racial groups).
Sanctuary is open to all individuals if they fulfil the referral criteria (ethnicity is not a criteria). The ethnicity of referrals is reviewed on a quarterly basis to ensure that the client base reflects the borough’s make up. Any gaps or concerns identified in the monitoring report in relation to who is being referred to and accepted onto the Sanctuary Project is addressed with specific groups to raise awareness of the project.
Policy Priorities:
A cleaner, greener, safer Tower Hamlets
Domestic violence is a repeat crime and accounts for a quarter of all reported violent crime. The Sanctuary Project meets the priority of a safer Tower Hamlets, by providing victims with additional home security and helps to reduce repeat victimisation.
Decent homes in decent neighbourhoods
The provision of Sanctuary helps to improve the security/quality of the property.
Healthier communities
Domestic violence impacts on a victim’s physical and mental health. The project helps to reduce further incidents, reducing harm so that victims and families can fulfill their potential and live without fear of further violence.
Improved outcomes for vulnerable children and adults
Domestic violence has a negative and long term impact on victims and their families. The project helps to reduce repeat victimisation and disruption for children , as they are able to remain in their home and school. It provides assurance and additional confidence to victims.

How the policy is implemented

The requirement for having a Sanctuary Project is included in the Local Authority Performance Indicator BVPI225. This BVPI aims to assess the overall provision and effectiveness of Local Authority services designed to help victims of domestic violence and prevent further domestic violence. The indicator covers all local authorities. The indicator is measured as a percentage score of the number of questions that a local authority can answer yes. One of the BVPI criteria’s is “has the LA developed, launched and promoted a ‘Sanctuary’ type scheme to enable victims and their children to remain in their own home, where they choose to do so and where their safety is guaranteed”.
The BVPI does not include specific requirements of what “Sanctuary” must include only guidance on provision so there are many different models in operation across the country. Sanctuary schemes range from simple lock changes, to provision of a ‘sanctuary room’ within the home, to a holistic model as provided by LBTH where the security of the entire perimeter of the address is improved and the client receives 6 months of proactive and ongoing support from the DV Team. The case is then reviewed before it is closed after client feedback has been obtained. The majority of the cases are closed at the 6 month stage, but if any ongoing/new concerns are identified, these are discussed with the DV Policy and Partnership Manager to agree further support or referrals, e.g. extension of the Care Alarm contract for repeat incidents.
The policy is implemented by the DV Team in conjunction with our partner agencies: Police CPOs, Pinner Locks and LBTH Housing. The Police and Pinner Locks have agreed and signed the Sanctuary Project Protocol to set out roles and responsibilities in assessing and installing the Sanctuary Project. The referral criteria and assessment process is clearly documented on shared forms and assessments are evidenced and recorded. The role of DV Projects Assistant, who deals with all referrals to the project and assessments, requires specialist knowledge of DV and experience of working with DV victims.
The project is implemented with the cooperation of RSLs and housing providers in the borough who need to agree to the works being installed.
The DV Team is responsible for managing the project. The Homelessness Prevention Strategy provides the funding for the project that the DV Team manages. Implementation is reviewed at quarterly meetings with partners and a protocol has been agreed and implemented to improve the work of the project.
We share information on the project with the DV Forum and also the RSL Anti Social Behaviour Forum.
RSLs are required to work to Greater London Domestic Violence Project’s minimum standards that detail what they are required to do and provide for their residents experiencing DV.
The Police and RSLs are required to work in accordance internal policies that reflect the council’s equalities policies.
Monitoring information that we collect and share cover all equalities strands and complies with council policy. We undertake to review the EIA in 3 years.
Pinner Locks are an approved contractor and therefore are required to work in accordance with the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy.


SECTION 2

CONSIDERATION OF DATA AND RESEARCH

List all examples of quantitative and qualitative data available that will enable the impact assessment to be undertaken
Sanctuary Project monitoring reports (including client feedback) from April 2006.
DV data report 2006/7
Borough Census data 2001
Borough Police DV monitoring data
British Crime Survey

Equalities profile of users or beneficiaries

We collect monitoring data for ethnicity, gender, disability, age and sexual orientation (on the DV1 form) but not for religion/belief. This shows that the highest user groups of the project are female, White/Asian, 26-34 years, not disabled and hetrosexual. This matches the police DV data on the identity of DV victims in the borough.

Equalities profile of staff

The equalities profile of the DVT reflects the target client group, female, white and Bengali. Pinner Locks – employee profile. 4 males one Indian, 3 white (Irish, British x2). No disabled, x 2 Christian, one Sikh, all hetrosexual and aged between 33-44. Police CPOs x 3 are all white males.

Evidence of Complaints against the service on grounds of discrimination

Each client has contact with the DVT for a period of 6 months and client feedback is regularly collected through this contact. Clients are asked specific questions:

“How do you feel the DVPA dealt with you?”

“How do you feel the Police CPOs dealt with you?”

“How do you feel the contractor who did the wok dealt with you?”

We have never received a formal complaint.

Barriers
The process of recognising that you are experiencing domestic violence, acknowledging this and seeking help is a very long, difficult and complex process for victims. Victims have to overcome numerous barriers to seek help due to feelings of shame, fear and embarrassment. For some victims there are additional barriers that they must overcome such as:
The Police positive arrest policy could be considered a barrier to victims seeking help as they may not want to call the police as they are fearful that their partner will be arrested.
BME victims may have previously experienced institutional racism and the impact of possible police involvement. They may have had previous poor experiences when seeking help and engaging with statutory agencies. Asian women in particular may be fearful about bringing shame and dishonour to her family and the subsequent exclusion from the community. Religious beliefs and notions on gender stereotypes, particular in relation to gender entitlement make its very difficult for many Asian women to seek help. BME (including Asian women) may have language difficulties or fears of seeking help due to their immigration status.
LGBT victims of DV may not disclose due to fears of homophobia and fears of being “outed”.
Male victims of DV – (regardless of sexuality), may not seek help for fears of being labelled as a perpetrator and stigma for not conforming to society’s notions of masculinity.
Disabled and older victims may not be able to access help as their carer may be their abuser and their access to the “outside” world may be very limited. They may have few opportunities to engage with agencies to discuss DV privately and are more likely to be living with the perpetrator. Other barriers for disabled victims include:
1.  The property made have been subject to adaptions and these may not be practically overcome by the project
2.  Access to permanent accommodation suitable for disabled people is problematic due to limited housing stock. This could be a barrier as Sanctuary Project is only available to persons in permanent accommodation.
3.  Victims may suffering from undiagnosed mental health issues or leaning difficulties can make engagement difficult.

Recent consultation exercises carried out