Notes of the ADVA PARTNERSHIP MEETING

Held on Wednesday 26 July 2006

The Ockment Centre, Okehampton

Present

Cllr Jill Owen (Chair)Devon County Council

Sarah Adams-Sure Start Dawlish & Teignmouth

Alison Allen-North Devon PCT / North Devon Forum

Steffi Bednarek-ADVA

Michael Beechener-Independent Consultant

Marion Braund-PPSA

Bob Brown-Police

Chris Dimmelow-DCC Children’s Service

Melody Floyde-ADVA

Martin Gladwin-CAFCASS

Helen Hyland-Designated Nurse Child Protection

Zoe Joslin-Central Devon Magistrates Court

JaneLake-Education Welfare Officer

Rachel Martin-ADVA

Christine McKenna-South Devon Women’s Aid

Michael Miller-Exeter Community Safety Partnership

Mary Mitchell-Probation

Ann Morecraft-PPSA

Angie Mudge-Devon Educational Psychology Service

Rose Neave-Victim Support

Gemma Newbery-Devon Educational Psychology Service

Bill Pascoe-Police

Chris Pearson-Exeter Women’s Aid

Nikki Phillips-Zero 14+

Maureen Read-Judiciary

Jane Richards-Devon Medical Committee

Ruth Saltmarsh-Central Devon Magistrates Bench

Gail Salway-Everys Solicitors

Katy Shorten-Devon Strategic Housing Group

Andy Stapley-PPSA

Roy Tomlinson-ADVA

Ann Wilson-CYP Services

Sharon Woodsell-DevonCornwall Housing

Apologies

Chris Bennett – CPS;Deborah Booth – Education; Pat Clewer – DCC Children Services;Maria Cox – Safe Project; Ian Curtis – Police; Lyn Davis – CAMHS;Richard Dealler – REPAIR; Ian Fraser-Roe – Police; Pam Freeman – Exeter University; Kath Jones – NDWA; Sally Kingdon – Police;Amanda Palmer – Safer North Devon; Claire Lemmy – Safer North Devon; Avril Mewse – Exeter University;Jo Morrish – NDWA:Anne Marie Parkin – NDWA; Vicky Plastow – East Devon Outreach; Jan Rockey – YOT; Mary Smeaton – Westcountry Ambulance; Nicky Storey – Mid Devon Outreach; Andrea Toman – East Devon Forum; Jenny Veale – South Devon Women’s Aid; Mark Walker – Connexions;Karen Williams – Exeter City Council;

  1. Welcome & Update

Jill Owen welcomed everyone to the meeting and updated on the latest developments:

  • The new IDVAs (Independent Domestic Violence Advisor) are now in place in North Devon. Jo Morrish & Rachel Tucker will be job-sharing the role. The recruitment process is currently underway for IDVA posts in East/Mid and South Devon.
  • North Devon Women’s Aid have put in a successful bid to comic relief for £90,000 over 3 years to employ a children’s worker to work with young boys/men aged 11-21 years.
  • ADVA will be interviewing this week for 2 new temporary posts (one full-time co-ordinator and one part-time administrator). Both of these posts will be for 2 years.
  • ADVA is in the process of trying to map a 3 year budget plan to plan core and other services in Devon.
  • Following on from the Survivors Conference in November, a DCC Scrutiny Task Group has been set up to look at the issues arising. Jill Owen sits on this group and reported that the group has had 2 meetings and have interviewed agency reps, they are also hoping to speak to the CPS. The group also intends on looking at DCC as an employer. The report will be produced in time for the Survivors Symposium event on 22 September.
  • The ADVA training team has piloted 2 managers training courses which were very successful although no DCC managers attended. More of these courses are planned. More Risk Assessment Courses for practitioners are also being run after the successful pilots.
  • ADVA has commissioned an external evaluation of Level 1 & Level 2 Training and a final report on this is expected at the end of July.
  • GPs – routine enquiry is currently being piloted in one practice, following on from some well-received awareness training. It is hoped to run this training in 4 practices this year.
  • Home Office funding of £20,000 has been received for this financial year to be used towards appointing an SDVC IDVA.
  • Exeter Women’s Aid has appointed Claire Pollard, to work with the SDVC in Exeter. Claire is based at Women’s Aid.
  1. Update from Devon & Cornwall Constabulary – Bob Brown

Despite a big push from Government, the regionalisation of Forces is not going ahead.

The recent Workforce Development document concentrates on developing community support and public protection units for the Force. 90 posts have been created from current posts for the new unit. The location of these posts has not been confirmed yet.

The development of Public Protection Units is a force-wide project, and although there will be regional variations there is a broad model which will provide a more cohesive service covering domestic violence, child & adult protection and missing persons. There will be a Serious Case Review Officer for domestic violence/ child protection cases which will lead to an improved service, and allow better inter-agency working. In addition domestic violence investigators will be available over a wider range of time.

Other positive developments in the past year have included:

  • Specialist Domestic Violence Courts (SDVC)
  • MARAC – running in North Devon, Torbay & Exeterand East/Mid
  • Plymouth DVU Pilot which increased detection rates

MARAC for South Hams, Teignbridge & West Devon is not yet running but ADVA funding is available to appoint an IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Adviser) for this in due course.

3.Home Office National Plan – Rachel Martin & Roy Tomlinson

The latest Review of the Plan was published in June 2006 (attached).

There has been a positive sense of change in Home Office DV work over the past 3 years. There is lots of activity nationally and DV is still very much on the National agenda. The work of ADVA is in line with what is outlined in the Home Office Plan.

Corinne Chamberlain is the new Lead on Violent Crime for GOSW.

A bid is in to the Home Office for funding for a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Exeter and for an IDVA post to support it. This would be a ‘one-stop shop’ offering services for victims of assault (adults & children).

Bob Brown has visited SARCS in DurhamNewcastle and feels that we are not that far from achieving one in Devon.

There is a sense of change in theSDVC Court. Magistrates, CPS, and Court staff have received DV training..

The Key Actions for the year highlighted in the National Plan are:-

  • Regional breakfast seminars for PCTs on new DV guidance from Department of Health.
  • MARACS – the new ADVA Co-ordinator (when in post) will work on MARAC and developing cohesion between North & Exeter
  • Corporate Alliance (DV Policies) – further developments
  • Occupational Standards – currently looking at ADVA contracts to ensure standard
  • Helpline for DV Victims – this practice will change
  • Homelessness Prevention – new guidance is available from
  • IDVAs are being promoted nationally

Lesley Valentine noted that the rate for Domestic Homicide Murders in Devon & Cornwall is 1 every 28 days on average. This year (up until May) there have been no murders.

4.Homicide Review – Roy Tomlinson

ADVA’s draft response to the consultation has been circulated (see attached). If anyone has any comments on this please pass them to Roy Tomlinson by 21st August (). The final guidance is likely to be implemented in early 2007 and will be a statutory requirement for agencies.

Agencies will be responsible for setting up their own structure and processes to deal with reviews. Most agencies will need to hold an urgent review of their policies and procedures to risk assess them against the criteria set out in the document. They will need to look at their responses as both a service provider and employer.

Work needs to be started now for agencies to be ready in time for when the guidance is implemented. Roy will investigate setting up a working group of Chief Officers from agencies to work together.

5.Survivors Reference Group & Symposium – Steffi Bednarek

The follow-up to event to last year’s conference will be on 22 September and will involve the same agencies and survivors as the original conference. Agencies will feedback to survivors on actions taken to improve services since the conference. Real feedback will come from the survivors who use the services.

It is hoped that this will be a series of events, with agencies reporting back to survivors on changes to their services.

22 September will also be the official launch of the Survivors Reference Group ‘SEEDS Devon’ led by Philippa Chapman. It is hoped that other survivors will be encouraged to join the group. Four meetings of the group have been held to do the groundwork and training for the members will be in October. The Group will be ready for agency consultation in November.

The symposium on 22nd September is an open event. If anyone, who has not already been invited, wishes to attend please contact Melody Floyde or Steffi Bednarek.

Next Meetings:

Weds 4th October 20069am – 1pm– Ockment Centre, Okehampton

Weds 24th January 20079am – 1pm– Ockment Centre, Okehampton

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