Ms Anne-Marie Sahakian
Our Ref: FOI_1339_SAHAKIA
25 February 2016
By E-mail:
Dear Ms Sahakian
RE: FOI REQUEST - VICTIM SUPPORT SERVICES
I write in connection with your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 ('FOIA') dated 2 February 2016 which was received by this office on 2 February 2016.
I note you seek access to the following information:
Please provide contract information including contract values, contract start and end dates and names of providers of your victim support services.
Victim support services may include but are not limited to:
- Victim engagement and support services
- Victim assessment and referral services
- Victims triage services
- Vulnerable victims services
- Victims of CSE services
- Victims of domestic abuse services
- Restorative justice services
Please also highlight whether these services are delivered in house by the PCC or local police force; and specify what the PCC’s commissioning intentions are for future victim support services.
Following receipt of your request searches were conducted to locate information relevant to your request. The Commissioning Team have provided the attached information.
Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please contact me quoting my reference number as above.
Yours sincerely
Eleanor Tanner
Eleanor Tanner
Office Manager
Complaint Rights
If you are not satisfied with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision you should write to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Endeavour House, Woodwater Park, Pynes Hill, Exeter, Devon, EX2 5WH.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your OPCC complaint or review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner at Commissioner’s Officer, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, telephone 01625 545700.
Schedule of Information
Introduction explaining the Devon and Cornwall approach to supporting victims of crime.
In January 2014, a Victim Needs Assessment report for Devon and Cornwall was published by the Police and Crime Commissioner on his official website. (http://www.devonandcornwall-pcc.gov.uk/victims-information/information-for-victims-of-crime/
This was compiled following engagement with and participation by a wide range of organisations from the voluntary, community and voluntary sector, as well as commissioned service providers, statutory organisations and businesses. The findings were that the existing arrangement through a single service provider fundamentally failed to address the diverse victim needs within the two counties.
Continued consultation and engagement about how to improve services to victims led to a complete redesign of victim care arrangements beginning at first contact with victims by the police, through a referral arrangement to the provision of a diverse range of services either individually or collaboratively of meeting victims needs in a timely manner.
Consequently, since 1 April 2015 a system has been in place to ensure that:
· The needs of all victims of crime are considered by the police and a victim needs assessment (VNA) completed.
· Where needs have been identified a referral is made to the Victim Care Unit (VCU), who then contact the victim to resolve the need.
· With consent from the victim, referrals can be made to member organisations of the Victim Care Network (now over 60 in number) who have completed a due diligence process of checks before being affiliated to the Network.
· Access to services is also provided through a dedicated local telephone number (provided and staffed by Victim Support) for those victims of crime who do not wish to report the crime to the police. Network members also accept direct referrals from crime victims irrespective of whether there is engagement with the criminal justice system.
· Victims are also able to use a purpose designed website describing the services available to help them recover. The site signposts victims of crime and their family to network members, the Victim Support line for those not wishing to report their crime and 101. (http://www.victimcaredevonandcornwall.org.uk/)
The network is formed by organisations that have gone through a due diligence process and can take direct referrals from the victim care unit. Victims are referred with consent on a secure system called MY VCU direct to the service providers.
In relation to restorative justice services, we have worked in collaboration with the four Local Authorities (Torbay, Plymouth, Cornwall and Devon) to establish RJ steering groups to report into the local Community Safety Partnerships. This arrangement was supplemented by a peninsula steering group reporting to the Local Criminal Justice Board that supports the development of procedures spanning across the area e.g. a single secure referral mechanism known as My RJ.
Each of the four areas has a funded co-ordinator post with responsibility for:
· Raising awareness of RJ in their locality
· Establishing and leading the local RJ forum of key stakeholders and providers of RJ that reports to the local Community Safety Partnership
· Coordinating referrals from the Victim Care Unit and other referral pathways
· Acting as a single point of contact for all RJ enquiries in their locality
· Building capacity to deliver RJ interventions through the appropriate training of volunteers
The following structures have been established:
· Restorative Cornwall
· Make Amends – Torbay
· Community Solutions – Plymouth and Devon
Questions included within the Freedom of Information Act request.
Please provide contract information including contract values, contract start and end dates and names of providers of your victim support services.
Victim support services may include but are not limited to:
- Victim engagement and support services
- Victim assessment and referral services
- Victims triage services
- Vulnerable victims services
- Victims of CSE services
- Victims of domestic abuse services
- Restorative justice services
Please also highlight whether these services are delivered in house by the PCC or local police force; and specify what the PCC’s commissioning intentions are for future victim support services.
· The only contracted service between the PCC and a service provider is with Victim Support. The contract is for 12 months (1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016) and has a value of £297,000. We are currently negotiating a new contract with Victim Support for the period 1 April 20-16 to 31 March 2017 but this has yet to be finalised.
· As stated in the above introduction, the Victim Care Unit provides a link between the police officers and staff making referrals and the Victim Care Network delivering services. There is a manager, 10 victim care officers and 4 complex needs advocates covering mental health, domestic abuse, sexual violence, fraud and family support. These posts are employed by the police force at a total cost of £330,000.
· None of the service providers that are members of the Victim Care Network have contracts. All are Grant funded using an engagement fee arrangement after each organisation completes a due diligence process. The list of organisations involved can be found at Appendix A. The full description of the services offered through the Network can be seen through the above website address. In 2015/16 members of the Network received a total of £651,000 and those specialising in domestic abuse / sexual violence £430,000.
· The PCC also contributes to the costs of each of the Sexual Abuse Referral Centres (SARC) in Exeter, Plymouth and Truro. They are jointly commissioned with NHS England and each SARC receives £70,000.
· In 2015/16 the PCC also contributed to domestic abuse service contracts awarded by local authorities. These contributions come from the Community Safety Fund, managed by Community Safety Partnerships and the total value is £535,128.
· Contributions made to fund the four local co-ordinators of RJ services and for direct service arrangements to victims, totalled £170,000 in 2015/16.
Appendix A - Referral pathways
Addaction (RISE)
Age UK Devon
Age UK Exeter
Age UK Torbay
Age UK Plymouth
Age UK Cornwall
Age UK Mid Devon
Balloons
Brook
CAB (Cornwall)
CAB (citizens Advice Bureau) Devon
CAB Plymouth
Clear Support
Cornwall People First
CRASAC (Cornwall Rape & Sexual Abuse Centre)
CRUSE Cornwall
CRUSE Devon
Devon and Cornwall Business Council
Devon Family Resource c/o Exeter City Initiatives
Devon Grapevine and Olive Tree
Devon People First
Devon Rape Crisis
Headway
Hollywell Housing Trust
Intercom Trust
Living Options
MINDEX (Mind in Exeter & East Devon)
North Devon Against Domestic Abuse
Operation Emotion
PDAS (Sanctuary Supported Living)
Plymouth and Devon race Equality Council
Plymouth MIND
Rape and sexual Abuse line
Red Cross
Routeways
Safer Stronger Consortium (including 14 Orgs)
Skoodhya
SPLITZ (DDAS)
Stop Abuse For Everyone
stop hate UK
Sunrise
The Zone
sanctuary supported living ( TDAS)
Twelves Company
Ubuntu Counselling
WRSAC
Young Devon