The Nottingham City Pathway for Young People in Intimate Violent Relationships
Nottingham City Council now has a trained Young People’s Violence Advisor (YPVA) ( Teen Advocate)employed byWomen’s Aid Integrated Services (WAIS) to develop a consistent response to young people who are experiencing relationship abuse, aged between 13 and 17. The YP Violence Advocate directly supports young people and trains staff working in Nottingham City on how to use the YP DASH RIC.
Nottingham City Council has adopted theCare Pathway developed by Nottinghamshire County Council has, in partnership with third sector colleagues. ThisConsistent Care Pathway describes the involvement ofChildren’s Social Care, the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs) and Domestic Violence Specialists in working together to provide a safe and supportive response to teenagers experiencing relationship abuse.This could include domestic abuse, gang-related violence, ‘honour’-based violence, forced marriage and cyber stalking.
The pathway was launched (in the County) in May 2013 in response to:
• The recent change to the definition of domestic abuse to include 16-17 year olds.
• The inclusion of MARACs in Ofsted’s joint inspections of multi-agency
arrangements for the protection of children.
• The scale and severity of the abuse: 75,000 children and young people’s cases were identified at MARACs in 2012 while 67% of teenagers in adult Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) services are experiencing strangulation, rape, broken bones and stalking.
• The growing recognition of the overlap between different forms of violence and abuse in young people’s relationships.
Young People Who Harm
The pathway is for use with victims of Domestic Violence and Abuse under the age of 18. Where the “perpetrator” is also under the age of 18they should be referred to as a “young person who harms” and we should consider their safeguarding also.
There should be consideration of a referral to the DART where safeguarding risks are identified, and / or where the young person who harms would be willing to engage in support to reduce their harming behaviour. This should be done in additional to any Police involvement required in relation to criminal behaviour of the young person.
REDAmber