Barnardos Registered Charity Nos and SC Barnardos Domestic violence: Risk Assessment Model

BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Risk Assessment Model Claudette Malcolm – Domestic Violence L/D Consultant (LEASE) Libby Fry – Assistant Director Barnardos LEASE Tel: /

BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Risk Assessment Model BACKGROUND: Adapted from a manual produced by the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services in Canada Piloted with Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland over a 4 year period. THE MODEL: Designed for use by frontline agencies and Social care professionals to assess the severity of domestic abuse experienced by children and young people, living within families exposed to domestic violence. Gender specific; assessing male to female domestic violence. Provides safety planning interventions for children, young people and non- abusing parent. PRINCIPLES OF THE MODEL: Protecting children is the first priority Protecting the non-abusing parent usually the mother helps protect the child Providing supportive resources Perpetrators are responsible for their abusive behaviour Respecting the non-abusing parents right to direct their life without placing children at increase risk of further abuse.

BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Risk Assessment Model AIMS: To help children and young people stay safe and healthy, that is to attain the objectives for children outlined in Every Child Matters and Children Act 1989 To increase the competence of Social care professionals and Multi-agency staff when dealing with domestic violence through a training and mentoring package. OBJECTIVES: To assist staff to identify risks to children from domestic violence To assist staff in decisions whether a case presents as in need of a safeguarding response or family support To help staff to make appropriate intervention for children, non- abusing parent and perpetrators To provide a specific domestic violence risk assessment format within initial and core assessments

BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Risk Assessment Model Four separate modules: Module 1: Multi-agency domestic violence threshold scale Designed for front-line multi-agency staff to enable screening/ identification of risk and to provide specific guidance for the initiation of CAF and appropriate levels of intervention Module 2: Domestic Violence Initial Assessment within Social care Training consisting of a number of triggers for assessing the risk to children and the non abusing parent for use by Social care staff whilst undertaking an initial assessment Module 3: Domestic Violence CORE assessment within Social Care A specific in- depth DV core assessment tool to be used by Social Care staff when children/ YP are subject to core assessment. Sec 17/47 of CA 89 Module 4: Safety intervention with children and mothers Provides social care staff with safety planning interventions to be undertaken with children/yp and the non abusing parent during initial assessment and core assessment process. Implementation: Phase 1:Formation of Steering Group Phase 2: Presentation to Local Safe Guarding Board Phase 3: Training Module 1: Multi-agency ½ day DV awareness training and use of the threshold scales and professional guidance.100 Multi-agency staff (inc CAF assessors, health professionals, education) Phase 4:Training Module 2 & 3- Two days training on initial core domestic violence risk assessment model. Phase 5:Training Module 4 -One day training on safety planning interventions with children and mothers. 25 social workers or key practitioners. E.g. CP coordinator, Police etc Phase 6: Mentoring – practice learning session Groups of 5/6 staff four session each, usually on a monthly bases.

BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Risk Assessment Model OUTCOMES: Increased staff awareness and understanding of the dynamics of DV and the risks domestic violence presents for children and young people An improvement in Social workers ability to respond more effectively to domestic violence. Safety planning and risk assessment will enable staff to assess childrens safety in families where domestic violence occurs Non-abusing parent will be more aware of the risks posed by domestic violence and be able to keep themselves and their child safer More accurate core assessments where domestic violence is intensely assessed More children and young people will be identified as requiring support and safeguarding Children/ YP and the non-abusive parent will have safety planning interventions aimed at improving their safety. Parallel process – model matches other risk assessment tools – Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC), SPECCS (Domestic Violence Risk assessment used by the Police) and Co- ordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse (CARDA). BENEFITS: More specialised domestic violence assessment of families during section 47 & section 17 enquiries Provides a consistent multi-agency framework to identify and assess level of risk Increases safeguarding of children with greater informed decision making. Greater focus on the needs of children and victims Offers holistic support to families

BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Risk Assessment Model BENEFITS CONTI: Greater support to staff dealing with domestic violence cases It enhances the assessment process within CAF as a specific risk assessment tool. It supports the Governments objective within Every Child Matters Maintains the focus of domestic violence as a main concern within the assessment framework without marginalising any other significant concern COST: Cost for the full package: £13,000. Any further enquiries please contact: Claudette Malcolm Tel: /