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Listen
APPENDIX 2:- DESIGN OF SESSIONS
Session 1 - Introductions and Why the Government should listen to us
The welcome and introductions sessions were led by a young and adult facilitator. These included;
- Purpose of the day
- Introducing facilitators and roles
- Role of the participants
- Brief information on the NDADG, plan and 16 proposals
- Introduction to Scottish Government and its role
- Plan for consultation exercise
- Groundrules
In explaining the reason for the consultation and purpose of the day the first three proposals from the NDADG (outlined below) were raised.
1. Consolidate information on CYPEDA - a) literature review of research findings especially participation section; and b) evidence both written and oral of CYPEDA views on services. Identify any additional research needs which are necessary for the successful implementation of the other proposals plus other research gaps in this field - to be addressed through analytical programme of delivery plan.
2. Engage CYPEDA in the development of delivery plan proposals (this comprises three elements: June 18 representation, Ministerial meeting in September and consultation exercise in October).
3. Longer-term involvement of CYPEDA in the implementation of the delivery plan and in ongoing policy and service design (this has three elements: establishing structures to enable CYPEDA to feed back on the implementation, to contribute to wider DA policy and to be involved with service design, engaging yp- this includes creating a piece of guidance for services on how to involve CYP).
It was recognised that these actual consultation events represented some of the work in relation to these proposals and in other cases the work was in progress or already achieved ( e.g. meeting of Ministers). Reasons for consulting with CYPEDA were considered during the remaining sessions in the day.
Session 2 - Ice breaker
Prior to the actual consultation commencing an 'ice-breaker' game was used to build an informal atmosphere and help the young people relax.
Session 3 - Support I need
The first engagement exercise in which the young people participated was on the theme 'Support I need'. The aim of this was to obtain views related to the following proposals (the numbering refers to that from the original proposal list from the Scottish Government):
13. Secure funding for crisis support beyond March 2008.
14. Set up group work intervention with children and young people affected by domestic abuse following the model developed in London, Ontario.
16. Consider different forms of communication with CYPEDA, including child friendly website (not obviously badged up as domestic abuse or Scottish women's aid), advertised in established credible (cool) sites used by young people. Young people should be able to access by email their own support worker or a central worker who could give local worker contact details. Consider a helpline and text line linked to campaigns/adverts that show all children how to access help and get information (whether experiencing domestic abuse or for help for a friend). Let people know help is out there - non stigmatising, not identified and targeting different age groups.
The exercise involved statement trees whereby participants were asked to prioritise statements ('leaves') by placing them at various levels on an illustration of a 'tree'. In this way the relative importance of each statement was considered and recorded. It was also used as the catalyst for a discussion on the statements.
The written statements were developed from the NDADG proposals in child friendly language to find out how important the CYP thought types of support and why. The written statements discussed included;
- Children's support workers
- Talking to young people who have been through the same experience
- Special groups for young people who have experienced domestic abuse
- Groups for mums to help them know how to help their children
- A special website where young people could get information
- Support by email
- A confidential telephone helpline
- A confidential text helpline
- Links to special website and helpline from 'cool' websites
- Different kinds of help for different age groups
Session 4 - Help from others
The next set of exercises aimed to find out what agencies could do to help CYP affected by domestic abuse. The specific proposals concerned were:
4. Create a toolkit for teachers and school staff to enable them to deal with disclosure of domestic abuse.
9. Routine screening for domestic abuse for all attending a health service e.g. A&E, GP, acute care
10. Develop a risk assessment tool suitable for all services which assess the risk to the adult victim of the abuse and records the concerns for the child involved.
In the first part of the exercise CYP were invited to think about the support teachers could give CYPEDA. A picture of a teacher was created. On one side participants said what they thought a 'bad' teacher would do if a young people talked about experience of domestic abuse. On there other side was a 'best' teacher and their thoughts and actions similarly explored.
For the remainder of this exercise the participants introduced other professionals, including the police, social workers and health professionals. Using visual prompts, they were asked to suggest what these professionals need to know and what they can do to help CYPEDA. The suggestions were written on 'brains' for thoughts and 'hands' for action and placed on a picture of the relevant professional.
Session 5 - Keeping Children Safe
Under this theme the following proposals were consulted on;
15. Improve the accommodation options for children and young people affected by domestic abuse, including appropriate refuges, provisions to remain in own home and the choice of safe social housing
8. Domestic abuse courts: ensure that best practice from the Glasgow pilot court are replicated; develop a toolkit on domestic abuse for sheriffs, criminal justice boards and court practitioners
11. Improve contact arrangements between young people and perpetrating parents by a) conducting research and b) reviewing contact centres
7. Accredited (and funded) programmes for men who abuse, both court-mandated and non court mandated with integrated services for women and children
These are clearly difficult issues for consideration with the young people, both technically and emotionally. This exercise was conducted around a vignette, specifically so it could be discussed in the third person, rather than in anyway encroaching on a young person's personal experience.
The story was constructed about a young person, Jo. In the story, there is a domestic abuse incident, the police come, Jo and his mother move to a Refuge, and there is a court process. Then concerns about contact with the perpetrator and programmes aimed at addressing an abuser's violence were raised. At key points in the story the young people were asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed or didn't know what could be done to ensure Jo's safety. These statements included:
- It would be better if mums and children could stay safely in their own home and violent men leave
- It would be better if all refuges were like the new model children have recommended
- It would be good if courts dealt with domestic abuse better
- It's a good idea to have special domestic abuse courts
- There is a new law to make sure children are safe when they keep in touch with fathers who have been violent and someone should check the new law is working
- It would be better if there were more programmes to help men change their behaviour and stop being violent.
- Children are good at teaching adults stuff.
Session 6 - Getting the message out
The final sessions aimed to explore the idea of helping all children to know that DA is not acceptable and to prevent it from occurring. This touched on existing materials and public education campaigns. It was aimed at the following proposals.
5. A national public education campaign targeting and engaging children and young people.
6. Ensure consistency and sustainability of primary prevention education across Scotland through resource mapping, best practice networks and dedicated resource workers.
In practice there was a shortage of time and the CYP's eagerness to finish and commence the afternoon's activities meant that there was little opportunity for much work on this. However they were given the opportunity to vote on the proposals as outlined below.
Session 7 - Round up and Voting on proposals
The proposals, under their young people friendly terminology were hung on the walls of the venues used. As a final exercise the young people were given sticky dots and asked to vote for the proposals, using the dots in any way they wished.
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