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Children and young people EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC ABUSE: Guidance Note for Planners
6 Strategic Planning
6.1 Structure and Organisation
The National Strategy to Address Domestic abuse urged:
'The development of links between service providers in planning their provision and in responding to the needs of women or children who experience domestic abuse is vital' (Scottish Executive: 2000: 33)
It recommended 'the development of multi-agency groups in each local area to oversee the identification of local needs and the development of an area approach' (Scottish Executive: 2000: 33). While these are now in place, planners have acknowledged that with regard to links between relevant forums work remains to be done (Stafford: 2003). Evidence from the Mapping Support Services research (Stafford: 2003) suggests that the interests of CYPEDA might be best served where:
- The issue is directly addressed in all relevant forums, plans and planning processes i.e. Children's Services Plans, Community Plans, Housing Plans, in the Joint Health Improvement Plan, in the Multi-Agency Domestic Abuse Partnerships and Child Protection Committees.
- There are good formal and informal links between relevant forums.
- There is effective partnership working between the local authority and Women's Aid and where there is Women's Aid children's representation on key planning forums.
- Where the key role of the local Multi-Agency Domestic Abuse Partnerships in co-ordinating planning services to this group and the links between this forum and the Children's Services planning process are recognised.
Planners are asked to review the way the Multi-Agency Domestic Abuse Partnerships are working, and the formal and informal links between them and relevant other forums and take this into account in planning for services to CYPEDA.
6.2 Services Planning
The good practice guidelines contained in the National Strategy (Scottish Executive: 2000) in relation to policy and service planning included the need to:
- Carry out an audit of needs of women/children experiencing domestic abuse in the local area.
- Identify gaps in local services and priorities for local service delivery in relation to domestic abuse and identify means of meeting any outstanding needs.
- Recognise and address the specific needs of particular groups of women/children, such as women/children in rural areas, disabled women/children and women/children from black and minority ethnic groups.
- Recognise and address the specific needs of children and young people.
- Recognise and define the links between domestic abuse work and other areas of work, such as women's safety, community planning, community safety, education, health, criminal justice, the children's hearing system and other areas.
While this agenda may be underway in relation to addressing service needs of women experiencing domestic abuse, planners are asked to ensure the above applies equally to CYPEDA.
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