The Scottish Government

NATIONAL STRATEGY TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC ABUSE IN SCOTLAND - 2003 CONFERENCE

Contents:

• Introduction
• Panel Discussion
• Workshops

Introduction

1. This was the third year of the conference, maintaining the commitment in the National Strategy to bring together representatives of local multi-agency groups. The main purpose of the conference was to review overall progress, highlight key issues and encourage networking. Alongside the main objectives, the conference represents a good opportunity to exchange information and good practice both between local areas themselves and between local areas and the Scottish Executive.

2. This year's annual conference was, again, well attended by over 80 people from across the sector. Almost every local multi-agency partnership was represented, with people travelling from as far away as the Scottish Borders and Orkney. Also attending the conference were several members of the National Group of Scottish Women's Aid. Thanks go to Claire Houghton and Janette de Haan who, as leaders, also assisted in two of the workshops.

3. Two documents were launched at the conference; a progress report on the implementation of the National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland produced by the Violence Against Women Unit of the Justice Department; and Responding to Domestic Abuse - Guidelines for Healthcare Workers in NHS Scotland, produced by the Women and Children's Unit of the Health Department with help from a Short Life Working Group.

4. The Conference was chaired by Colin Baxter, head of Police and Community Safety Group of the Justice Department. He introduced the Minister for Social Justice, Margaret Curran who outlined the progress that had been made in the implementation of the National Strategy, more fully described in the progress report. The main areas of progress were:-

Refuge Provision

• Improved refuge provision, not only in the number of places but in the quality of service and the nature of accommodation. Research from the working group on refuge provision and applications for the Refuge Development Programme have indicated that the majority of people would prefer to see cluster flats of self contained accommodation with communal facilities e.g. an office, playroom and sitting room(s).
• The research on refuge provision and service has produced a comprehensive report, which will be published shortly.
• For the first time in Scotland, resources and effort are being put into the improvement and expansion of refuges.

Training

• A working group was established to develop a national training strategy. This draft strategy was circulated for consultation in February and is due to conclude on 23 May. Once comments have been received, the strategy will be redrafted and published around summer 2003.
• The next stage will be to implement the strategy and in recognition of the importance of training in improving the services, the Scottish Executive will establish and fund a National Training Consortium.

Prevention Strategy

• The Prevention Strategy received a favourable response when it was put out for consultation at the end of 2002.
• Comments have been taken on board and the re-draft is currently at the printers. The Violence Against Women Unit intends to publish the final document in early June.

Awareness Raising Campaign

• The new 'Dolls House' advert has been particularly powerful and focuses on the effect that domestic abuse has on the children in the family.
• Research indicates that the advertisement raised awareness to 75% during the period that it was running. This has a knock on effect of trebling calls to the helpline.
• The Violence Against Women Unit will be looking at ways to build on this campaign by raising awareness through a number of mediums.

Children

• Around 100,000 children in Scotland are affected by domestic abuse, which is why this current advertising scheme focussed on children.
• The Scottish Executive is already taking action is this area. In a Women's Aid groups, where there is no specialised children's worker, funding is being provided to fund a part-time post.
• The needs of children are also considered when making decision on refuge development.

Conclusion

• Launch the guidance to healthcare workers, produced by the Scottish Executive Health Department. This guidance will help health care workers to recognise the signs and provide women with valuable, local information. These guidelines have been endorsed by the National Group;
• Increased funding, provided to Health Boards last year, will ensure effective implementation of the Guidelines.
• November 2002 saw the Scottish Parliament hold a debate, which recognised the considerable progress across the Domestic Abuse agenda;
• The Scottish Parliamentary Election is approaching and may be causing concern as to the future of the Domestic Abuse agenda. We cannot speculate on the outcome, however, all parties understand that tackling Domestic Abuse is a high priority;
• These are firm foundations, but we have to continue to build on them;
• The National Group has decided that now is the right time to widen the agenda to include other forms of violence against women. Therefore the National Group has changed its name to the National Group to Address Violence Against Women.

Panel Discussion

5. A panel discussion followed with the Minister, Colin Baxter, John Rowell, Head of Police Division 2 and Lorna Belfall, Head of the Violence Against Women Unit. The following points were raised:

• Worry about ensuring the continuity and status of work on the Domestic Abuse agenda in the new Parliament. Any new administration has the right to prioritise its own agenda. However, there has been strong, cross-party support for the work and it is likely that the support for the National Strategy and the National Group will continue.
• Concern was expressed that unaffiliated women's aid groups do not have access to the same support that the affiliated groups have, e.g. Orkney was not initially included in the circulation of information on the helpline. The conference was assured that any funding or information coming from the Scottish Executive includes the non-affiliated groups.
• A query was raised about the outcome of the legislation working group. It was explained that the Scottish Executive is considering the recommendations from the working group's report, which was endorsed by the National Group in May 2002. Furthermore, a possible Domestic Abuse Bill will be considered after the election.
• There was a request for more information about how the introduction of the supporting people benefit would affect refuge provision. This was noted.
• There was also a request that guidance on homelessness strategies should be integrated with local domestic abuse guidance. The Minister said that this would be monitored in future as part of the housing role of Communities Scotland and that she would write to them to ensure they were aware of the domestic abuse angle.
• Difficulty was expressed in finding match funding for the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund and an enquiry was made into the possibility of using Community Safety money. It was explained that match funding must be found outwith the Scottish Executive. Furthermore, match funding demonstrates self-sufficiency on the part of the service and commitment by local agencies. However, benefits can be in kind as well as cash.
• There was a query about links with community planning structures. It was explained that a link was being established with a paragraph about domestic abuse in the community planning guidance and a cross reference in the soon to be issued National Prevention Strategy.
• A question about the future of the Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund was raised. It was explained that a decision would be taken after the election, however, the Minister hoped it would continue. It was also pointed out that there was a need to improve and rationalise the fund.
• The point was raised that it is important to establish links with Child Protection Committees and develop an integrated children's services plan. This was agreed.
• The work in Glasgow in relation to women who had been raped or sexually assaulted was mentioned. Medical examinations were carried out in a forensic way so that information could be held and provided to the police at a later date. This was noted.
• An issue was raised regarding the difficulty in establishing when a child is at risk and when it becomes a child protection issue. The Scottish Executive has a new emphasis on the impact of domestic abuse on children, expressed in the new TV advertisement. It is however acknowledged that progress in other areas needs to be made.
• Deep concern was expressed about contact with children being used as a method of control and continuing abuse. The Scottish Executive is alive to this issue and intends to conduct research on the issue of contact orders in cases where domestic abuse has been alleged, in the near future.
• Scottish Police Forces intend to look at referrals to the children's reporter where, children are present in the home when called out to domestic abuse incidents. It was pointed out that fear of losing children can often be a barrier to seeking help.
• Concern was expressed about the background of young adult males in the criminal justice system, with reference made to reports from partners of men on perpetrator programmes indicating adolescent boys may mimic their fathers. It was generally felt that this related to a small minority but was still worrying. The Scottish Executive agreed to look at links to other offending, but will treat with caution as domestic abuse may be only one of several issues involved.
• There was concern at the rise in statistical information relating to accidents in refuges, especially those involving children. New build refuges will be checked for safety standards.
• An issue was raised about the time criminal proceedings take and the granting of bail. Currently, Sheriffs in Glasgow work with the police to speed up Domestic Abuse cases. This is something the Scottish Executive intends to look at.
• A question was raised on whether local authorities apply for exclusion orders on behalf of women. Examples were given of this being done in Stirling and Falkirk at the request of the woman. The difficulty in finding this information is that the court records have to be examined manually. However, the National Group had discussed the infrequent use of exclusion orders and it intends to carry out research on this matter in the near future.
• A question was asked on the progress of the review of summary justice. Work is well advanced and domestic abuse needs to be on the agenda through the current consultation process. Arrangements for the consultation document to be circulated to our stakeholders are in hand.

Workshops

6. After the lunch and networking session we split into 4 workshops to discuss the following in more details. The four topics for discussion were - Children and Young People, Data Collection, Links with all aspects of violence and raising awareness. Each group was asked for 3 or 4 action points that the Scottish Executive could take forward.

Workshop 1 - Children and Young People

7. This workshop began with a brief slide show that set the scene. This led to a discussion on the following issues:

• Mainstreaming Domestic Abuse across the Scottish Executive, particularly in relation to children's services.
• A landscape of the current provision available to children and young people.
• Dissemination of good practice across the network, particularly making use of websites etc.
• The national crisis within Social Services and what the Scottish Executive is doing about it.
• Raising positive awareness on the role of social workers.
• Raising awareness with children and young people organisations, e.g. YouthLink, schools etc.
• Evaluation of current children's services.

8. The main points raised from the workshop for the Scottish Executive to take forward are:

• Services for children providing information on their options should be developed from a young person's perspective.
• Develop a funding strategy for Domestic Abuse services, particularly children's services and recruitment.
• Develop an education strategy that includes pre-five education and after school care, rather than just in schools.

Workshop 2 - Data Collection

9. This workshop began by establishing why it was important to collect data and what data is required. It was decided that the collection of data is necessary to plan services and that statistics should be collected on a multi-agency basis with a set of core information. Statistics should be gender disaggregated and answer the following questions:

• Number of children including ages and gender;
• Ethnic origin;
• Contact with agencies;
• Referral to other agencies (by tick box numbers ie police 1 SWA 2etc.);
• Impact on services;
• Type of abuse; and
• Presence of mental health problems or addictions.

10. The workshop also suggested an example of specific questions for specific services, e.g.:

• Include repeat perpetrators in police stats.
• Numbers of women presenting at casualty in health stats.
• Medication taken by women - eg anti-depressants.

11. A discussion took place on a possible way forward. It was suggested that the Home Office data set, currently being evaluated, should be looked at, alongside the work in Glasgow in relation to General Practitioners. A core data set should then be piloted.

12. The workshop then when onto to look at research. It was felt that research on attitudes towards domestic abuse should be repeated every year or so to monitor change, e.g. Zero Tolerance research on young people's attitudes. It was also felt that research into the following areas would be advantageous:

• the extent of under reporting;
• the number of children, going in to the care system, that come from families where there is domestic abuse; and
• how many women in prison had experienced domestic abuse. Also how many men in prison had come from a domestic abuse family and gone on to commit sexual offences.

13. The Data Collection working group should be set up to carry out the above pilot and research and develop a National Data Collection Strategy. The Working Group should be made up of representatives from the following sectors:

• Police
• Criminal justice
• Health
• Social work
• Housing
• Children's services
• Education
• Benefit agency
• Voluntary sector - Women's Aid, Rape Crisis and Victim Support.

Workshop 3 - Links with all aspects of violence against women

14. Initially, people were concerned about broadening the remit to 'violence against women' because some authorities had still had difficulty responding appropriately to domestic abuse issues. However, the discussion in the morning session indicated that many links were already being made, and it was felt on balance, that it was important that the connections should be made.

15. It was felt that there was a need to spell out what is meant by 'violence against women', i.e. male violence against women and children. The types of abuse include child sexual abuse, incest, domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, prostitution (not just 'forced' prostitution), and other forms of sexual exploitation.

16. The review into DASDF funding may throw light on the disparity in local authorities around domestic abuse partnership working. Some local authorities still have 'Forums' and not 'Partnerships'. Glasgow has a main Partnership and 8 local forums, but it will probably be different in smaller authorities and this is understandable. However, the discussion did highlight that there was not always senior representation of key players within the Forums or some Partnerships and this was a problem in taking things forward. Also some Partnerships had not met for nearly a year, when the person leading the group leaves. Sometimes, co-ordinating or leading the Partnership is not in anyone's job description.

Action Plan

• Look at what is happening already.
• If widening the remit, more resources will be needed, including financial.
• Scottish Executive needs to take the lead.
• Keep work with abusive men in the action plan.
• Keep to Prevention, Provision and Protection.
• Must have strategy to join up information.
• Computer systems have to be improved and consistent for data and sharing information.
• Strengthen Partnerships - members should be senior.
• Aberdeenshire seems to be a good example of Partnership commitment.
• More clout; more action plans; deadlines needed.

Workshop 4 - Raising awareness

17. This group has suggested a possible message for a future advertising campaign:

After women leave - what happens then? This suggestion came from a woman having said she had been encouraged to leave by the adverts, but no one told her what she would have to go through. However, it was noted that this message could be a bit doomy and liable to put women off leaving, which we certainly don't want! Therefore, it would have to be turned into something positive and should challenge the misconceptions that exist, e.g. focussing on life after abuse, 'I made it!'.

18. The group felt that the main issues that the Scottish Executive should focus on are:

• Research into young people's awareness about domestic abuse.
• Research into awareness about domestic abuse in different parts of Scotland.
• Education should have input on domestic abuse issues from pre-school stage onwards.
• Places to advertise include local press, adverts on back of parking tickets/council tax year planner, stickers on female toilet doors, etc.

Jillian Gilchrist

April 2002