Agenda item

The previous Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy 2016-19 had expired and a new wider and more comprehensive strategy had now been developed and designed to encompass the full remit of domestic violence and abuse.  Domestic abuse crosses the whole Borough, all communities, all ages, and all socio-economic groups.  The new strategy had been developed to address this and challenged all partners to work together to tackle this.  The new strategy, An Intergenerational Domestic Violence and Abuse Strategy For 2021-2024 ‘Making Domestic Abuse Everyone’s Business’demonstrated Bromley’s commitment to tackling perpetrators and supporting both victims and survivors of domestic abuse in its widest sense and invited partners to join the public demonstration of this commitment.

The Head of Early Intervention and Family Support introduced the new Strategy.  The Strategy had been developed as a useful training tool in addition to a statement as to where Bromley was and its direction of travel.

The Head of Early Intervention drew the Committee’s attention to the Bromley Commitment to Tackling Domestic Violence to which Bromley Council and the Police had signed up.  As other partners signed up to the Commitment the document would be refreshed to reflect this partnership-wide approach.  All partner agencies were being encouraged to sign up to the Commitment.

The Committee noted that the Sanctuary Scheme across Bromley had been reintroduced.  The scheme enabled victims to remain safely in their own home through the provision of additional security.

The Drive Scheme was a new perpetrator intervention programme.  The Committee noted that whilst Bromley had fewer perpetrators of domestic abuse than neighbouring boroughs such as Croydon, Bromley’s perpetrators were of a higher harm level.  The Drive programme was intended to tackle specifically this issue of high harm perpetrators of domestic abuse with the aim being to reduce the numbers of such domestic abuse incidents by tackling the source of the problem.  In response to a question, the Committee heard that the Drive Programme had been piloted across the Country and the closest pilot to Bromley had been Croydon.  The Drive Scheme was now being rolled out across the BCU (Basic Command Unit – i.e. Bromley, Croydon and Sutton).  Where the pilots had been conducted there had been an 82% reduction in the extent of the harm inflicted on victims.  Members of the Committee were invited to attend the strategic launch of the programme with details of the launch be provided following the meeting.

Members noted that there had been a significant increase in the number of incidents of domestic abuse.  The Head of Early Intervention and Family Support reported that the total number of referrals into the service last year had been 466.  So far this year (quarters 1, 2 and 3) the referral rate was at 700.  This demonstrated the timely nature of the production of an intergenerational domestic violence strategy which would be promoted across the strategic partnership.

The Committee noted that Domestic Abuse Awareness training was open to all Councillors and staff.  Details of training could also be sent to local MPs.  Members noted that efforts were currently underway to identify a provider who could deliver online training.

In response to a question, the Head of Early Intervention and Family Support confirmed that colleagues in Adult Social Care, the previous Chairman of the Adult Safeguarding Board and colleagues in Trading Standards had also been involved in the development of the Strategy to ensure that it addressed the issue of domestic violence against elderly people.  In addition, colleagues across the wider workforce were also invited to contribute via a number of existing Committees and Boards;  the DVA VAWG Strategic Board, the DVA VAWG Operational Forum, the Safer Bromley Partnership, the Health and Wellbeing Board, and the Bromley Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.

RESOLVED: That

1.  The Portfolio Holder be recommended to note, endorse and approve the promotion of the new intergenerational Domestic Violence and Abuse Strategy for 2021-2024 “Making Domestic Abuse Everyone’s Business”; and

2.  Partners be encouraged to come forward and commit to the delivery of the Domestic Violence Strategy.