Gwent Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) Regional Team

Carmel Jones and Helen Gordon

Gwent Regional Officers

Presentation aims:

• The Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence (Wales) 2015 Act - A summary

• VAWDASV Regional Team • Strategic Priorities

• Regional Criteria

• Evaluation and Moving Forward

The Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence (Wales) 2015 Act

A summary

What does the Act do?

The Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 focusses on the prevention of these issues, the protection of victims and support for those affected by such issues.

This is a unique and ground breaking piece of legislation.

The Act introduces requirements for…

Welsh Ministers to:

Prepare and publish a National Strategy in relation to these matters;

• Appoint a National Adviser on Violence against Women and other forms of Gender-based Violence, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence

Relevant authorities to:

• Prepare and publish strategies to contribute to the pursuit of the purpose of the Act;

Local Authorities to:

• Report on how they are addressing VAWDASV matters within their educational functions, including any action taken within schools

Through a guidance power the Act will also introduce:

• A National Training Framework on VAWDASV;

• A principles based approach to targeted enquiry for these issues across the Public Service known as “Ask and Act”;

• Amended Education Act to reflect VAWDASV;

• Improved multi agency collaboration in relation to VAWDASV;

• Improved commissioning of specialist VAWDASV services.

Other Welsh Government Acts

• Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015

• Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014

VAWDASV Regional Team

• Gwent Domestic Abuse Pathfinder project 2014

• VAWDASV (Wales) Act 2015

• Welsh Government Regional Funding Plan

• South East Wales VAWDASV Board

• Regional Approach; link between national and regional ▫ Support Relevant Authorities to develop local/regional

strategies

Becky Green

VAWDASV

Regional Assistant

E:becky.green@

newport.gov.uk

Carmel Jones

VAWDASV

Regional Officer

CCB, BGCB TCB

Tel: 01633 210096

E:carmel.jones@

newport.gov.uk

Karon Eyers

VAWDASV

Regional Trainer

E: karon.eyers@

newport.gov.uk

VA

WD

ASV

Le

gis

latio

n

We

lsh

Go

ve

rnm

en

t Fu

nd

ing

SEW VAWDSV

Board

Local Councils

and Liaisons

Third

Sector Agencies

Forums

Service Users

Rebecca Haycock

VAWDASV

Regional Adviser

Tel: 01633 210802

E: rebecca.haycock@

newport.gov.uk

Helen Gordon

VAWDASV

Regional Officer

NC MCB

Tel: 01633 210532

E:helen.gordon@

newport.gov.uk

Team Contact Details E: vawdasv.gwent@newport.gov.uk

Tel: 01633 233632

Team Structure

SEW VAWDASV Board

DACC/ MARAC

BGCBC CCBC MCC NCC TCBC

Performance /Service

Development

Rape & Serious Sexual

Offences

Training/ Operational

Learning

Services/Programmes/Projects/Initiatives

HBV/FGM/ FM

Communication & Engagement

T&F

T&F

Links to Strategic

Multi-Agency

partners-hips:

•WG

•LSB/SIP •SEWSCB •GWASB •SDVC •ASB

•MAPPA •Substance

Misuse •Human

Trafficking

Service User

Groups

VAWDASV Regional

Team

Strategic Priorities of the Board are to;

• Prevent VAWDASV from happening in the first place, by challenging the attitudes and behaviours which foster it and intervening early to prevent it.

• Equip professionals to deal effectively with the issues and enable those affected to seek help and support.

• Work in partnership to obtain the best outcomes for victims and their families. Ensuring effective services designed to meet people at the point of need.

• Increase the safety of victims, children and their families and ensure that perpetrators are held to account.

Regional Criteria

• Whole School Approach Provision

• National Training Framework

• Regional IDVA provision

• Survivor/Service User Consultation

• Sexual Violence Services

• Children’s Support Services

• Perpetrators

Whole School Approach Provision

Whole School Approach Provision

• Amendment of Education Act • New Requirements Section 29 Welsh Ministers will require Local Authorities to report on how they promote VAWDASV (Wales) Act 2015 and produce information on what are they doing in Education settings to tackle these issues. Section 408 Welsh Ministers will have regard to information being made available to parents about whether and if so how schools promote the purpose of VAWDASV (Wales) Act 2015.

Whole School Approach Provision (2)

• Comprehensive Set of Measures

1. Action through the curriculum

2. Safeguarding Guidance

3. Teacher Training

4. Inspection

Further Requirements

• VAWDASV (Wales) Act 2015 Section 14

• Policies

• Local Authorities to support schools in adopting good practice

• Guidance documents to achieve Whole School Model

National Training Framework

Requirements on Relevant Authorities: • To prepare a training plan which must be submitted to the Welsh Ministers by 31st

March 2017

• To prepare an annual report of the progress they have made in delivering the actions specified in the plan

Group 1:

50% of staff must be trained within 12 months and 100% of staff within 24 months of the date of issue of this guidance. Incorporated into induction training within 6 months. Refresher training every three years.

Group 2 and 3:

To deliver training through a regional training consortium to professional groups who meet the criteria outlined. Refresher training every two years

Group 4:

To ensure any specialist VAWDASV worker is trained to an appropriate level (as outlined) within 12 months of issue of this guidance/commencement of their employment

Group 5:

To ensure appropriate training of any specialist VAWDASV manager within 12 months

Specialist subject syllabus:

To ensure all training offered and all training attended meets the learning outcomes of the relevant unit

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

Group

6

Awareness

raising and

practical

guidance

Ask and Act

Enhanced training

for non specialist

practitioners with a

pivotal role in client

support

Specialist accredited

qualifications and

training for those

professionals

responsible for

specialist support

Strategic

engagement with

Public Service

leaders

Strengthening

leadership within

the specialist sector

The National Training Framework

Spe

cial

ist

Sub

ject

Syl

lab

us

A principles based approach The working practices through which to offer “Ask and Act” will differ depending

on organisational structure and client group.

Culture and leadership

Clarity and confidence

Recognition and response

Follow up and monitoring

Regional IDVA provision

Regional IDVA provision • Evaluation of IDVA Provision took place with University

of South Wales through the summer. ▫ Focus groups were made up of;

Professionals IDVA’s Survivors who were engaged with the IDVA service.

• This produced an Evaluation a report looking at the IDVA provisions and needs for Gwent

• Report was presented to the Board in October 2015

• Pursuit of funding on-going

Survivor/Service User Consultation

Survivor/Service User Consultation Key and fundamental to the progression of each of our priority areas is the survivor/service user. You can see from the below extract of the Act you can see that it is all about the improvement of services, processes and support for a survivor/service user.

“The purpose of this Act

(1) The purpose of this Act is to improve—

(a) arrangements for the prevention of gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence;

(b) arrangements for the protection of victims of gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence;

(c) support for people affected by gender-based violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence.”

With this in mind it would be unwise, un-useful and ignorant to ignore or dismiss the views, experiences and thoughts of the survivor/service user.

Each service user has a unique, vital and valuable outlook on services they may wish to or have accessed.

Evaluation and Moving Forward

Evaluation and Moving Forward

• Evaluation of Regional Team undertaken by Cordis Bright

• Report due to be presented March 2016 • Findings to be presented at VAWDASV Board • Findings will provide Learning for other Regional roll

out across Wales • The Evaluation report will also provide us with clear

findings on the benefits of Regional working • Action Plan will be developed for 2016/2017 based

upon recommendations from evaluation

Strengthening Leadership Series:

• 1st Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS1W5hALkY4 The Gender-based Violence, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Bill – The role of senior leadership

• 2nd Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liSV8nootbE A Workforce Issue

• 3rd Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGLDZeB7VG8 MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference)

• 4th Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfCFvBVWLRQ Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes

• 5th episode https://youtu.be/ZVAorBUsP3g Domestic Homicide Reviews

• 6th Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc8Fpbs6k18 National Training Framework

• 7th Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYURBtq-O-g Head Teachers and Schools

• 8th Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INHSLPbAc9c Caerphilly Youth Forum

• 9th Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx0-A6jqFWA Gwyneth Swain