Agenda item

Consideration was given to the report that outlined the main findings and the recommendations of the scrutiny review of domestic abuse services in Rotherham. 

Minute No. 48 (Work Programme Update) of the Improving Lives Select Commission meeting held on 23^rd January, 2013, agreed to undertake a scrutiny review of domestic abuse services as part of the 2013/2014 work programme. 

The submitted report outlined the information presented to the Select Commission at this meeting and the scope of the review subsequently undertaken. 

The review had been concluded and it was found that there was excellent local work taking place driven by the Domestic Abuse Priority Group on behalf of the Safer Rotherham Partnership.  This had brought about positive changes to local practice in the last few years. 

Areas for further improvements included: -

·         There was less consistency and integrated working by partners for standard and medium risk cases;

·         The Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy Service represented the voice of the victim and co-ordinated measures to reduce the risk to victims and their families.  However, it was only funded on a year-by-year basis, something which was inconsistent with the level of priority afforded to domestic abuse within the Safer Rotherham Partnership.  The short-term approach inhibited service planning for the essential and effective service;

·         Funding allocation for target hardening and early intervention and prevention had reduced in recent years and required further review as the effectiveness of easy and low-cost intervention had the potential to prevent escalation. 

The submitted scrutiny review report outlined the twenty recommendations of the review.  The twenty recommendations were grouped into the following categories: -

·         Commissioning and funding;

·         Strategy;

·         Roles and responsibilities;

·         Protocol and process;

·         Prevention and early intervention;

·         Forced marriage and so-called ‘honour’ based violence.

The focus of the review recommendations was to develop a more integrated domestic abuse service that had clear protocols and pathways for all risk levels and were understood by every partner agency.  It was also recommended that domestic abuse should be more integrated at a strategic level so that the other workstreams were addressing the impact it had on victims and families as the long-term effects to individual were harmful on many levels. 

Discussion ensued on the scrutiny review report: -

·         Domestic abuse was not always reflected in the Council’s strategic frameworks;

·         Short-term funding of the support agencies was inefficient and was leading them to use a disproportionate amount of their time seeking future funding streams;

·         Were all agencies using the same protocols?;

·         Did victims feel able to come forward and report these crimes;

·         Portrayal of domestic abuse within the media and television programmes;

·         Individuals can be both victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse.

Resolved: -  (1)  That the report be received and the findings and recommendations of the scrutiny review be endorsed.

(2)  That the scrutiny review on domestic abuse report be forwarded to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and then to Cabinet.

(3)  That Cabinet be requested to refer the report to the Safer Rotherham Partnership for their consideration.

(4)  That Cabinet’s response to the recommendations be fed back to the Improving Lives Select Commission.