How can substance misuse services change their practices on domestic violence.

1. How can substance misuse services change  their practices on domestic violence.

2. Bespoke DV service for Westminster DASL’s HISTORY OF WORKING WITH DV • Early recognition • Clear philosophy with women and children • Charitable funding • London Councils Funding • Mainstream • Additional services

3. WHAT WE PROVIDE: • Amali – accessing families and children (non substance misuse) • Star - DV and substance misuse • Young people’s service for children witnessing DV • Annual Training for all staff • Work with men and violence • Partnerships

4. WORKING WITH PERPETRATORS key issues • Are men accountable for their actions or do they need help? • Safety – of women and children • Men do talk about violence in men’s groups but not often – skilled workers • Early childhood experiences/relationships important

5. WORKING WITH PERPETRATORS key issues • Issues of shame • Are men ever victims? • Holding to account/not condoning violence v. • Holding long enough to work on violence • “Powerless over Alcohol” approach – how can this work?

6. HOW DOES AN EFFECTIVE AGENCY MANAGE AND DEVELOP STAFF IN THE CONTEXT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE • Staff need to be consistently, properly and sensitively trained, adequately supported by managers and supervisors. • Develop staff: • Training policy – match individual personal development with organisational needs and best practice. • Provide DV awareness training across organisation. • Regularly update training to include new employees. • Provide access to specialist courses. • Offer professional ongoing supervision. • Offer professional clinical supervision, individual or group. • Benchmark and evaluate projects to provide examples of good practice and learning

7. LINKING WITH OTHER AGENCIES. • Multi agency work requires good organisation, liaison and planning. • The MARAC process should be embedded in key local partnerships to promote sustainability • Which partners? • Domestic Violence Coordinators Network DV forum • Children’s Services, CAMHS • Criminal Justice agencies to include Police, Probation and anti-social behaviour units. • Victims Support DVIP • Refuges Health care professionals

8. WORKING WITH WOMEN AND MEN WITHIN ONE SERVICE • Clear philosophy - owned by all clinicians • Referral pathways for men and women in place • Supervision and confidentiality issues clarified. • Regular training for all staff

9. DASL WAY OF WORKING WITH DV One model and way of working with domestic violence is the feminist model. This says that domestic violence is intentional and focuses around issues of power and control That men are socialised into a belief that they are entitled to have power and control over women That this entitlement is supported and perpetuated by within society through our institutions and the norms and values of our culture. Domestic violence is a way that some men will use to exert power and control power their partners. The focus of the intervention is on men accepting responsibility for their violence and abuse and stopping it.

10. DASL WAY OF WORKING WITH DV Importantly this model emphasises the possibility of change and that change is a choice men can control. This model is congruent with how we work with clients around their substance use, using the Social Learning Model, which is the perspective that problem drinking/drug use is a learned behaviour, affected not only by individual factors such as family norms, and heredity but can also be influenced by social, cultural, environmental and occupational specifics. We regard harmful substance use as a learned process, reinforced by various conditioned responses. Excessive drinking or substance use is not a lifetime condition and people can change when motivating factors exist.

11. Contact: Sue Kenten DASL 020 8257 3068 suekenten@dasl.org.uk www.dasl.org.uk