Barnardos Domestic Violence: Risk Assessment Model By Claudette Malcolm

1. Barnardos Domestic Violence:Risk Assessment ModelBy Claudette Malcolm

2. BACKGROUND: Adapted from a model used in Canada Piloted and used in Northern Ireland over the last 4 years Designed for Multi-agency frontline staff and Children Services staff Enabling appropriate identification and assessment of children and families exposed to domestic violence. Safety planning intervention. Based on previous domestic violence risk assessment, child focus model with an awareness that to protect the child/ren, protecting the non-abusing parent is crucial. BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Risk Assessment Model

3. AIMS: To help children and young people stay safe and healthy, that is to attain the objectives for children outlined in Every Child Matters 2004. and Children Act 1989 To increase the competence of Children services professionals and Multi-agency staff when dealing with domestic violence through a training and mentoring package. BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Risk Assessment Model

4. DV contributory factor in 56% cases Services frequently failed children and their mothers Failure to share information Lack of holistic approach Over optimism, absence of clear risk focus Lack of clear framework for inter-agency working in area of DV LESSIONS FROM SERIOUS CASE REVIEWS IN LONDON

5. Endorsed by London Safeguarding Children Board in it’s London procedure for consultation ‘Safeguarding Children Abused through Domestic Violence’, viewed as a key assessment tool in assessing the level of risk to children who experience domestic violence. It is currently being piloted in 3 London Boroughs. Evaluation by Martin Calder in May 2008. BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Risk Assessment Model

6. This Model has three Tools: 1. Multi-agency Risk Identification scales including Flow Chart with Guidance notes. 2. Core Assessment Tool: in-depth assessment for Section 47 and 17. 3. Safety planning Tool: promoting safety interventions for women and children BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:Risk Assessment Model

7. Multi-Agency Risk Identification Threshold Scales • PURPOSE; • Designed for front-line multi-agency staff and children services staff to enable screening/ identification of risk and to provide specific guidance for the initiation of CAF and appropriate levels of intervention. • BENEFITS: • Provides a consistent framework to assessing level of risk • Increase safeguarding of children with greater informed decision making. • ECM – children in families with domestic violence have additional needs – • CAF or Children service involvement. • Greater focus on the needs of children and victims • Greater support to staff dealing with domestic violence cases

8. Threshold 1- Risk as moderate: Children and families with additional needs – Completion of a CAF – single practitioner offering targeted support Threshold 2 – Risk as Moderate to serious: child/ren and families with additional needs – Completion of a CAF – Lead Practitioner – integrated support. Threshold 3 – Serious – Child/ren and family in need – Section 17 – Initial assessment and family support Threshold 4 – Severe – Child/ren in need of safeguarding: Section 47 enquiry – Core assessment Factors are grouped into three categories Evidence of domestic abuse Risk Factors/Potential vulnerabilities Protective factors Multi-Agency Risk Identification Threshold Scales

9. PURPOSE: Designed for Social workers and Senior practitioner to enable a comprehensive assessment of child/ren and families at scale 3 and 4 of the multi-agency threshold scale. Covers 9 key areas Three day training which includes one day training around safety planning for children and non-abusing parents. Mentoring – supporting workers Domestic Violence Core Assessment Tool and Safety planning Tool.

10. London is the most ethnically diverse city in the UK with 40% of Londoners belonging to a minority ethnic group. 65% of children subject to serious case reviews were from a minority ethnic community (Safeguarding London’s Children: Review of London’s case reviews 2007) Metropolitan Police, Operation Umbra reported that 60.6% of domestic violence homicides during 2005-06 were BMER women. Of the 33 homicides 27 were female and out of these 20 were from BMER communities) Average age of Victims of forced marriage is between 16-20 years old with 1 in 4 victims being under 18yrs. 30% of ‘our case’ are minors some as young as 10yrs. And this is a child protection issue (Forced Marriage Unit June 2007) Domestic violence and BMER issues: some facts

11. Incorporated within this domestic violence risk assessment model is a greater emphasis on cultural issue. Barriers: Language, new immigrant, limited resources, racism & discrimination etc – Scale 2 Immigration constraint, no recourse to public fund , family honour, social ostracism – Scale 3 House arrest, so-called honour based violence, force marriage etc – Scale 4 Further consultation and feedback Domestic violence and BMER

12. OUTCOMES: Increased staff awareness and understanding of the dynamics of DV and the risks it poses for children, young people and victims An improvement in Social workers ability to respond more effectively to domestic violence and assess risks to children and young people Increased safety measures for children and young people in families where domestic violence occurs Non-abusing parent will be more aware of the risks posed by domestic violence which can enable the non-abusing parent to keep themselves and their children safer. More accurate risk assessments within core and initial assessment processes More children will be identified requiring support. Children/ YP and the non-abusive parent will learn skills to keep themselves safe Parallel domestic violence risk assessment process alongside adult risk assessment– model matches up with MACRA, SPECCS and CARDA assessment BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Risk Assessment Model

13. Benefits for agency and staff : More comprehensive assessment of families Provides a consistent framework to assessing level of risk Increase safeguarding of children with greater informed decision making. Greater focus on the needs of children and victims Offers holistic support to families 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 BARNARDOS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Risk Assessment Model