IDAS - Independent Domestic Abuse Services

Interagency working

It is essential that agencies work together and communicate effectively when tackling domestic abuse. This enhances best practice and can ensure that victims and children living in violent families don't 'slip through the net'.

Domestic Abuse Coordinators have been appointed in some areas across the county to ensure a coordinated approach to the work. This has lead to an increase in awareness of the prevalence of abuse and developments in service provision.

There are several ways in which agencies can work well together including:

Domestic Abuse Forums

In York, Hambleton and Richmond, as in most areas across the county, Domestic Abuse forums provide a focus for work carried out in relation to domestic abuse. The forums are useful in terms of meeting other professionals, sharing best practice and resolving any recurrent problems. The forums usually meet on a quarterly basis

If you would like more information about the forums in York, Hambleton and Richmondshire, email us at info@idas.org.uk.

You can also download minutes of previous forum meetings from this website.

Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC’s)

MARAC meetings have been running across much of the county for at least 12 months. A MARAC is a multi agency forum designed to determine the level of risk for a victim and to develop and implement a management plan with the aim of reducing risk. MARAC's should be victim focussed and the results of these should be to allow victims to feel safer and more supported.

Any agency can call a MARAC meeting if they have reason to believe the risk to a victim of abuse is high. This can be done by contacting the Domestic Abuse Coordinator for your area.

Making Safe

Sandra Rees - DV Coordinator for the Scarborough and Ryedale area developed a scheme called 'Making Safe' during 2006. This is a multi-agency project that aims to tackle domestic violence in a non-traditional way. It was first developed in Scarborough and has lead to a large reduction in repeat incidents of domestic violence where families have engaged.

Essentially, rather than the victim of abuse moving from the family home, the scheme finds accommodation for the perpetrator. Appropriate interventions are then developed for him (the scheme only works with male perpetrators). These include individual support provided by Foundation Housing and perpetrators group work.

At the same time the victim of abuse receives individual support and has access to a variety of practical safety measures whilst an assessment of the needs of children is also made.

Referrals to the scheme are made directly by the police / courts following a reported incident of domestic violence. The full scheme is not available in cases where violence is not reported. However, throughout the county, victims of abuse still have access to practical security measures and support services.

Specialist courts

There is general support for the creation of specialist domestic violence courts across York and North Yorkshire. In Scarborough there is an established specialist court and in York and Selby there are plans to run specialist courts from July 2008.

The benefits of having specialist courts are well documented - including ensuring that a specialist support worker is available on the day of the court.

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Interagency working

Across North Yorkshire