In April 2021 the Domestic Abuse Act placed a duty on all Local Authorities to provide safe accommodation for any person who is harmed by domestic abuse. There is a clear definition within the Act of what constitutes safe/relevant accommodation and accommodation support. In brief relevant accommodation can include:

refuge, specialist safe accommodation, dispersed accommodation, sanctuary schemes, move on/second stage accommodation. Accommodation such as hotels does not constitute safe accommodation.

The support element can include (list is not exhaustive):

counselling
group activities
advocacy
domestic abuse specific interventions
specialist support for those with complex needs, including drug and alcohol use
support specifically for children
housing related support e.g. how to live independently.

Additionally, wider legislation helps us to understand responsibilities from a statutory context. The responsibility to respond to domestic abuse is held by all statutory agencies charged with safeguarding and protecting both adults and children.

Whilst there is no single law or policy that encompasses safeguarding children in the UK, there is a piece of legislation that widely influences most of the systems and practices that are in place today. This legislation is known as the Children Act and was first introduced in 1998 and further developed through the subsequent Children Act 2004 Children Act 2004 (GOV.UK). The Children Act reinforces that all people and organisations working with children have a responsibility to help safeguard children and promote their welfare. This includes in cases of domestic abuse, where a child or young person may be the person harming, being harmed or in a situation where they are exposed to witnessing domestic violence. Children and young people are now recognised as victims of domestic abuse defined by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

Likewise, the Care Act 2014 Care and support: what's changing? (GOV.UK) sets out a clear legal framework for how the Health and Social Care system should protect adults at risk of abuse or neglect. This Act represents the most significant reform of care and support in more than 60 years, putting people and their carers in control of their care and support. It is an important piece of legislation to understand the national expectation for caring and supporting vulnerable people and domestic abuse victims. It specifies that freedom from abuse (and neglect) is a key aspect of a person's wellbeing.

This Domestic Abuse Strategy links to many other key local, regional and national strategies and action plans, which are relevant to the domestic abuse agenda.

Harmful practices is a term used to describe a number of different forms of abuse that in certain cultures are deemed to be acceptable. The most common of these are honour based violence/abuse (HBV), forced marriage and female genital mutilation. The Council is signed up to the Pan Cheshire Harmful Practice Strategy which should be read in conjunction with this strategy.

The Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2021 focuses on prioritising prevention, supporting victims, pursuing perpetrators and a stronger system: Tackling violence against women and girls strategy (GOV.UK).

The strategy ambition is as follows:

Increase support for victims and survivors
Increase in the number of perpetrators brought to justice
Increase in reporting to the police
Increased victim engagement with the police and wider public service response
Reduce the prevalence of violence against women and girls

Violence against women and girls: national statement of expectations (GOV.UK)

The Police and Crime Plan 2021-24 (PDF) presents priorities. The priority to ‘protect vulnerable people’ includes tackling violence against women and girls. The Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire commits to providing funding for tackling domestic abuse and sexual violence crimes, more community-based support for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence, and to work with partners to develop a Domestic Abuse Workplace Scheme.

The West Cheshire Community Safety Partnership sets out a plan to tackle key priorities, one of which is Domestic Violence and Abuse.

West Cheshire Community Safety Partnership Plan (PDF)

The key actions for this priority are:

Explore and analyse the data relating stalking and harassment to ascertain the links to domestic violence and abuse
Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference processes and pathways to be reviewed
All Partners to meet the requirements of the Domestic Abuse Act
Develop the Cheshire West offer to non-intimate domestic violence and abuse including that perpetrated by children informed by national research.

The Strategy supports the overall Council Plan, Play Your Part to Thrive, specifically supporting children and young people to get the best start in life, enable more adults to live longer, healthier and happier lives and making our neighbourhoods even better places to call home. If also supports the vision, values and priorities of the Cheshire West Place Plan, specifically:

prevention and early intervention of health and wellbeing and
keeping people safe.

It links to Stronger Futures, the COVID-19 Recovery Plan.

This strategy cross-references to the Council's Early Help and Prevention Strategy which sets out the shared commitment to providing the right help, at the right time, in the right place; providing a coordinated early response, to reduce risk factors and avoid crisis.

Cheshire West Safeguarding Children Partnership: Business Plan 2021-2024 identifies domestic abuse as a key priority to continue addressing.

Domestic Abuse Strategy

Foreword

Definition

Vision

The Golden Thread

National context

Domestic abuse in west Cheshire

What we know

Assessing risk

Intervening earlier

People who are harmed

Providing services for children and young people

Challenging those who harm and giving them effective support to change

Governance and accountability